According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that sits below the bladder and above the rectum and surrounds the urethra, which is a tube that carries urine out of the body.
The prostate works with other glands in the body to make semen. About the risk of an enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, increases with age, According to the Mayo Clinic, a non-profit organization dedicated to clinical practice, education and research.
For this reason, the entity points out that having some healthy changes in eating and exercise habits can help control the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, such as increased urinary frequency and urgency.
Additionally, it is indicated that, although there is no magic recipe, research indicates that these measures can reduce the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia:
- Avoid liquids a few hours before bedtime or before going out.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol, as these can stimulate the desire to urinate.
- Eat a low-fat diet.
- Eat a wide variety of vegetables each day.
- Eat a few servings of fruit daily, and be sure to include citrus.
- Participate in moderate or vigorous physical activity most days of the week.
- Keep a healthy weight.
In any case, the first thing to do is consult a health expert so that he or she can guide the process and indicate what is most appropriate for each person, since The information given above is in no way a substitute for medical advice.
Along the same lines, MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine of the United States, explained on its website that the symptoms begin after the age of 50 and are:
- Urgent and frequent urge to urinate, especially at night.
- Trouble starting to urinate or making only a few drops.
- A stream of urine that is weak, slow, or stops and starts several times.
- To go to the bathroom again even though he has gone recently.
- Small amounts of blood in the urine.
Tests to diagnose an enlarged prostate include a digital rectal exam, blood tests, imaging tests, tests to measure the pressure of urine flow, and a cystoscopy, which is a test that allows the inside of the organs to be seen through of a telescope called a cystoscope.
In addition, the Mayo Clinic noted that complications of an enlarged prostate can include:
- Sudden inability to urinate (urinary retention). A tube (catheter) may need to be inserted into the bladder to drain urine. Some men with an enlarged prostate require surgery to relieve urinary retention.
- Urinary infections. The inability to completely empty the bladder can increase the risk of urinary tract infection. If urinary tract infections occur frequently, surgery may be needed to remove part of the prostate.
- Bladder stones. These usually occur due to the inability to completely empty the bladder. Bladder stones can cause infection, bladder irritation, blood in the urine, and obstruction to the flow of urine.
- Bladder damage. If the bladder hasn’t emptied completely, this can cause it to stretch and weaken over time. As a consequence, the muscular wall of the bladder no longer contracts properly, and this makes it more difficult to completely empty the bladder.