Getting to know prostate disorders and their causes

Prostate disorders are one of several diseases that are quite commonly experienced by men. Usually prostate disorders affect men over the age of 50 years. Find out what are the causes, symptoms, and ways to treat prostate disorders. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that encloses the urinary tract (urethra). The prostate gland functions to secrete fluids that fertilize and protect sperm. The prostate size is normally as large as a walnut seed and will get bigger as you age. If the prostate is too big or has problems, it can cause health problems.

Various types of prostate disorders are common

In general, there are three types of prostate disorders that can affect men, namely:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

BPH or commonly known as benign prostate enlargement occurs when the prostate gland enlarges, so the urinary tract will narrow. This condition can cause the bladder muscles to thicken. Gradually, the bladder wall will weaken and have difficulty removing urine from the bladder. Some symptoms that arise due to benign prostate enlargement (BPH), include:

1. Difficulty urinating.
2. Weak and stagnant urine flow.
3. Feeling incomplete after urinating.
4. Feel often want to urinate at night.

BPH generally occurs with age. No one knows for sure the cause of benign prostate enlargement. However, this condition is thought to occur due to changes in sexual hormone levels due to the aging process. To overcome benign prostate enlargement (BPH), a common way that can be done is to use drugs. The usual classes of medicines prescribed by doctors to benign prostate enlargement sufferers are:

• Alpha-blockers, are types of medicines that work by relaxing the bladder neck muscles and muscles in the prostate gland. Muscle relaxation helps ease urination. Types of alpha-blocker drugs such as alfuzosin, doxazosin, silodosin, tamsulosin, and terazosin.
• 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, are types of drugs that can reduce prostate size by inhibiting the hormones that trigger prostate enlargement. Finasteride and dutasteride are two types of 5-alpha reductase inhibitor.

In addition, surgical procedures can also be performed to improve the symptoms of BPH and prevent further complications. Surgery is generally recommended for people with BPH who have very large prostate sizes or have severe complaints.

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is inflammation or swelling of the prostate gland. Prostatitis is more common in younger men, between 30-50 years. Prostatitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection, which can come from urinary tract infections or from sexually transmitted diseases. But in some cases, the cause of prostatitis cannot be known with certainty. Causes of prostatitis can be grouped by type, namely:

• Acute bacterial prostatitis, caused by E. coli and Pseudomonas bacteria.
• Chronic bacterial prostatitis, caused by the spread of bacteria from the urinary tract or urinary tract infection (UTI).
• Chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP / CPPS), whose exact cause is unknown
• Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, which is a condition in which the prostate gland becomes inflamed, but does not cause any symptoms.

Symptoms of prostatitis can vary depending on the trigger factors, including:

1. There is a sensation of pain or pain when urinating.
2. There is blood when urinating.
3. Difficulty in urinating.
4. Frequent urination, especially at night.
5. Weak urine flow.
6. Pain when ejaculating.
7. Bloody semen.
8. Sexual dysfunction or loss of libido.

Prostatitis can be treated by administering drugs such as antibiotics to eradicate germs that cause inflammation of the prostate, administration of pain medications, and drugs to relax the bladder muscles (alpha blockers) which are also used to treat BPH. In addition to taking drugs, prostatitis sufferers are advised to do things that help relieve prostatitis symptoms, such as hot water bathing, limiting consumption of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, avoiding caffeinated drinks, and avoiding activities that make the prostate irritated, such as cycling and sitting for too long.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is an abnormal cell growth in the prostate gland. Until now, the cause of the emergence of prostate cancer is still unknown. But there are several factors that can increase the risk of prostate cancer, namely age, family history, and obesity. Prostate cancer usually does not cause any symptoms at an early stage. However, at an advanced stage can cause symptoms, such as:

1. Difficulty urinating.
2. Decreased urine flow.
3. Bone pain and discomfort in the pelvic area.
4. Blood in urine and semen.

Cancer treatment depends on the degree of cancer growth and your health condition. In general, the treatment of prostate cancer can be with radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery to remove the prostate gland. If prostate cancer is detected as early as possible at an early stage, the success for healing the cancer will be even greater. Therefore, it is important to conduct the examination according to the doctor's recommendation, if there are risk factors or symptoms. Take care of your prostate health by consuming lots of fruits and vegetables, choose foods rich in vitamins and minerals, exercise regularly, and maintain ideal body weight. If there are complaints related to prostate disorders, you need to consult a doctor.