Prostatitis/Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BHP)

The prostate is a donut-shaped male sex gland, positioned beneath the urinary bladder. It encircles the urinary outlet, or urethra. Contraction of the muscles in the prostate squeeze fluid from the prostate into the urethral tract during ejaculation. Prostatic fluid makes up the bulk of semen. The prostate is the most common site of disorders in the male genitourinary system.

Generally speaking, there are three conditions that can cause problems with the prostate: prostatitis, which is inflammation of the prostate; benign prostatic hypertrophy (BHP), which is an enlarged prostate with no signs of cancer; and prostate cancer. Prostatitis, common in men of all ages, is the inflammation of the prostate gland. The usual cause is infectious bacteria that invade the prostate from another area of the body. Hormonal changes associated with aging may also be a cause. The inflammation can result in urine retention. This causes the bladder to become distended, weak, tender, and itself susceptible to infection. Infection in the bladder is in turn easily transmitted up the ureters to the kidneys.

Benign Prostatic hypertrophy is the gradual enlargement of the prostate. It occurs in approximately half of all men over the age of fifty and three quarters of men over seventy years of age and is largely attributable to hormonal changes associated with aging. While not cancerous, an enlarged prostate can nevertheless cause problems. If it becomes too large, it obstructs the urethral canal, interfering with urination and the ability to empty the bladder completely. Because the bladder cannot empty completely, the kidneys also may not empty as they should. Dangerous pressure on the kidneys can result. In severe cases, the kidneys may be damaged both by pressure and by substances in the urine. Bladder infections are associated with both prostatitis and enlarged prostate.

The major symptom of an enlargement of the prostate is the need to pass urine frequently, with frequency increasing as time passes. A man may find himself rising several times during the night to urinate. There can also be pain, burning, and difficulty in starting and stopping urination. The presence of blood in the urine is not uncommon.