If you are a man over 40, it is likely that you are or will sometime experience the problems related to BPH, an acronym for benign prostatic hyperplasia. This is a condition in which the prostate starts to grow again and gradually might pinch the urethra, causing urinary problems. A very potent form of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) becomes dominant. DHT tends to cause prostate cells to multiply excessively enlarging the prostate. A number of environmental pollutants also seem to increase the presence of this hormone in the prostate.

Half of all men over 40 have BPH to some extent. Some men have an enlarged prostate without it affecting the urethra. They might not even know they have BPH. Others experience one or more of the typical symptoms of BPH – weak stream, inability to delay urination, more frequent urination (day & night), painful or bloody urination, not emptying the bladder completely, difficulty stopping and starting, and incontinence (no control).

Watch for the next post where we’ll discuss natural ways to treat the prostate.

Benign problems with the prostate most commonly fall into one of two categories – prostatitis, and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or BPH.

One quarter of all men who have urinary problems have prostatitis. Prostatitis is a condition that causes infection or inflammation of the prostate. It appears in one of four types.

1) Non-bacterial prostatitis (NBP) has the same symptoms as CBP (see below), but the cause is not known. Pelvic floor myalgia or Prostatodynia (PFM) may cause pain in the pelvic area, prostate, and penis and/or may cause difficulties in urinating. It does not cause inflammation, and has no bacteria related to it.

Acute bacterial prostatitis (ABP) is caused by bacteria and may produce these symptoms: malaise, fever, chills, muscular pain, lower back pain, pain in pelvic area with urination, frequent urination (day & night), inability to empty the bladder, and/or pain with ejaculation. These symptoms may appear very quickly and may be severe. Chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) is caused by bacteria, and the symptoms are similar to ABP, but are not usually as severe or sudden.

2) The second major noncancerous problem of the prostate is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or simply BPH. As men age, the tissue of the prostate changes, resulting in enlargement. Men over the age of 40 may begin to experience symptoms of having an enlarged prostate, whether they know the cause or not. What causes BPH is not known, although it may be linked to heredity, high fat diets, and hormonal imbalance.

Not all men with BPH experience symptoms. However, if the enlarged prostate presses on the urethra, symptoms will result. Commonly experienced symptoms are: more frequent urination (day & night), not emptying the bladder completely, weak stream, inability to delay urination, difficulty stopping and starting, incontinence (no control), painful or bloody urination.

Though these problems can be annoying and even cause serious problems, they do not automatically mean you have cancer. Men over 50 should have a yearly checkup to be sure they have not developed prostate cancer. Prior to this test, itemize a history of any urinary problems you have had and the severity of each. This will help the doctor diagnose the problem. The good news is that most of the above symptoms can be eliminated or at least reduced medically. That is the subject of other articles.