Unfortunately, today many men of mature age face such an unpleasant problem as prostate adenoma. What it is? Why does this disease develop? How dangerous can it be? What treatments are there? This information is of interest to many representatives of the stronger sex. After all, the sooner the disease is diagnosed, the easier it will be to get rid of it, avoiding dangerous and unpleasant consequences.
What is prostate adenoma?
According to statistics, approximately 50% of men over fifty years of age experience a disease called prostate adenoma. What it is? Is it possible to somehow avoid or slow down the development of the disease? These issues are extremely important and painful for men. Indeed, in fact, many patients are silent about their problems until the disease passes into a more serious form.
If you are interested in what adenoma is, then for a start it is worth saying that this name is slightly outdated. In modern medicine, the term "benign prostatic hyperplasia" is used increasingly to refer to this disease. The process of the development of the disease begins with the formation in the tissues of the gland of a small nodule (sometimes several at once), which gradually (and sometimes quite quickly) increases. Changing the size, the prostate gland begins to squeeze the urinary canal, interfering with the normal outflow of urine - this phenomenon is not only unpleasant, but also extremely dangerous, as it affects the work of the entire excretory system. In fact, a tumor is a hyperplastic (overgrown) paraurethral gland.
By the way, adenoma is a benign neoplasm, which, despite the possible rapid growth, does not metastasize to other organs. Therefore, the disease with the right approach lends itself perfectly to therapy. The main thing here is to notice alarming signs in time and turn to a specialist for help.
The main causes of the development of the disease
It is immediately worth noting that scientists are still studying the mechanism of development and the causes of this disease. The only thing that can be said for sure: the appearance of adenoma is associated with age-related changes in the body. For example, adenoma is extremely rarely diagnosed in young people. But after 70 years, approximately 75% of men suffer from one stage or another of this disease.
Hyperplasia is associated with changes in the hormonal background, fluctuations in the level of sex hormones that inevitably occur during the aging process of the body. This theory is supported by the fact that no cases of hyperplasia have been reported among castrated or scattered men.
There are other indirect factors that can trigger a disease called prostate adenoma. What are these reasons? First of all, doctors note that any lifestyle changes, as well as bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse and drug addiction) increase the risk of hyperplasia. Risk factors also include malnutrition, constant stress, severe psycho-emotional stress, and the negative impact of the external environment. Naturally, these factors alone can not provoke the appearance of adenoma. Nevertheless, they all somehow affect the functioning of the endocrine system, affect the level of hormones, which, accordingly, can cause the appearance or accelerate the growth of existing adenomas.
There are suggestions that there is some kind of genetic heredity. Unfortunately, there is no exact evidence for this hypothesis, since it is difficult to determine whether hyperplasia is really related to heredity or arises as one ages.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
Despite the fact that adenoma is a benign neoplasm, the course of the disease can be different. For example, in some men, hyperplasia can develop slowly, without making itself felt for 20-30 years. In other patients, on the contrary, the emerging tumor grows to critical sizes in 1-3 years. That is why every man needs to carefully monitor any changes in health.
Of course, there are certain symptoms that characterize prostate adenoma. What are these signs? In most cases, such a disease is accompanied by increasing problems with the process of urination, as well as impaired sexual function.
At the initial stages of the formation of hyperplasia, a decrease in the stream of urine can be noted. In the future, the so-called "empty" urges appear when a man has a desire to urinate, but nothing comes of it. As the disease progresses, the patient begins to wake up at night (sometimes up to 4 times) to empty the bladder. In the future, men begin to notice that for emptying they need to strain, use the abdominal muscles.
Often, against the background of hyperplasia, urine leakage is also observed, when the bladder does not empty completely, and the remaining urine passively flows out, leaving spots on the underwear.
It is worth noting that quite often adenoma is associated with chronic prostatitis (an inflammatory process in the tissues of the gland). In such cases, along with other symptoms, pain during urination is also disturbing, and during periods of exacerbation - weakness, fever. If such symptoms appear, it is better to immediately contact a specialist and undergo a diagnosis.
Possible complications of adenoma
Of course, in the absence of treatment, such diseases of the prostate can cause complications, and quite dangerous ones. Many men report the presence of blood impurities in the urine. The occurrence of such a symptom is associated with changes in the veins of the neck of the bladder, as well as an increase in blood pressure in the vessels of the pelvis.
A strong enlargement or swelling of the prostate gland can lead to complete blockage of the urinary canal and the appearance of acute urinary retention. This condition is extremely dangerous, as it can cause damage to the bladder, as well as impaired normal functioning of the kidneys. In addition, it is very painful.
The most common complications of adenoma include inflammatory diseases. By the way, the inflammatory process can develop not only in the tissues of the gland (prostatitis), but also affect any part of the excretory system. Patients often suffer from urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, epididymitis, etc. By the way, chronic inflammation of the kidneys in the absence of timely treatment can lead to the development of renal failure.
Modern diagnostic methods
To begin with, the doctor will try to collect a complete medical history, conduct a survey, take an interest in the symptoms present. In the future, as a rule, follows a digital examination of the prostate gland, which today is the simplest and most affordable diagnostic method. After prostate massage, gland secretion samples are taken for laboratory analysis.
In addition, a smear from the urethra is needed, which helps determine the presence of infection. If you suspect an adenoma or any other disease of the gland, an ultrasound scan is performed to help determine the exact size of the prostate, the presence of stones, and also to determine if there are any stagnation.
For making an accurate diagnosis, uroflowmetry is also important - a comprehensive study that helps determine the speed of the urine stream, as well as the time of emptying the bladder and some other important indicators.
An important part of the diagnosis is PSA for prostate adenoma. This study helps to identify the so-called prostate-specific antigens in the blood, which are a kind of tumor markers. This analysis helps to detect the presence of a malignant process. By the way, men aged 50 years and older are recommended from time to time to take this test for preventive purposes.
How is adenoma treated? The main types of therapy
Today, there are several ways to treat this disease. By the way, the diagnostic process is necessary not only in order to detect the problem, but also in order to determine the most suitable therapy for the disease “prostate adenoma”. Treatment methods can be either conservative or surgical.
In the early stages, the development of the disease can be stopped or slowed down with the help of medications. But, again, conservative treatment will only help delay the operation for several years (or decades), but it can not completely rid the tumor that has already appeared.
The most effective is the surgical treatment of adenoma, as it helps to quickly eliminate all existing problems. Moreover, many men seek help already at the stage of the disease when conservative therapy does not make sense.
Drug treatment
Again, it is worth saying that drug treatment helps only in the early stages. Naturally, various drugs are used with any therapy, but most often - in combination with surgical intervention.
First of all, patients are prescribed 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (for example, Proscar), as well as alpha-adrenergic blockers (Okas and Omnic drugs are considered quite good). Immunostimulants (for example, “Reoferon” and “Pyrogenal”) have a positive effect on the condition of the prostate gland and endocrine system. In the presence of an inflammatory process or the penetration of infection, it is mandatory to take antibacterial agents, for example, antibiotics of the gentamicin or cephalosporin group.
Patients are also prescribed medications that improve blood circulation in the prostate gland and eliminate congestion. The most popular medicine today is Trental.
Along with taking medications, patients are also recommended a proper diet, an active lifestyle, and special exercises (Kegel complex for men).
Endoscopic treatments
Unfortunately, in some cases it is impossible to do without surgical intervention. Surgical treatment of prostate adenoma is indicated in the following cases:
- acute urinary retention ;
- renal failure caused by adenoma;
- the presence of stones in the bladder;
- large diverticulums of the bladder;
- the constant presence of blood in the urine;
- recurring infections of the excretory system.
Only the doctor decides what kind of operation will be performed. In the presence of acute urinary retention , a cystostomy is first performed, in which the doctor surgically creates an external fistula of the bladder with an opening in the pubic area. Many patients resist such an intervention. Nevertheless, it is necessary, since before removing the prostate or performing other manipulations, it is extremely important to restore normal outflow of urine and prevent infectious diseases. By the way, it was proved that complications of the postoperative period in patients who underwent cystostomy appear much less frequently.
Today, there are many minimally invasive procedures and endoscopic surgeries that are performed through the urinary tract without leaving serious injuries and scars. For example, some patients have so-called stents placed in the urethra, which prevent the narrowing of its lumen. This normalizes the outflow of urine, but, alas, does not stop the growth of the gland. By the way, such stents need to be changed quite often.
What are the ways to remove prostate adenoma? Transurethral resection surgery is now considered the gold standard. A doctor uses endoscopic instruments to remove parts of the gland through the urethra. In addition, a transurethral dissection is possible, in which the prostate is not removed, but only dissected in order to relieve pressure from the urinary canal.
A fairly new procedure is the laser operation of prostate adenoma. Its price is slightly higher, but a similar technique has a number of important advantages. In particular, laser removal is much faster, less often accompanied by complications and minimizes the likelihood of tissue infection.
In the presence of a small tumor, transurethral microwave therapy can be performed. During the procedure, the doctor inserts a special device through the urinary canal, after which it destroys the gland tissue with the heat released by the electrodes. This technique is also quite popular and almost harmless, but, unfortunately, is not suitable for everyone.
The success of a surgical intervention largely depends on the physiological characteristics of the patient and the stage of his illness, and on the qualifications of the doctor. According to statistics, approximately 25% of patients report the presence of the same symptoms (leakage of urine, impaired urination, nightly urges) even after resection.
Prostate Adenoma: Surgery
In most cases, prostate problems can be resolved using minimally invasive methods. But in some cases, patients are shown the so-called radical prostatectomy. This operation is most often performed in the presence of a malignant tumor. With an adenoma, it is prescribed only in cases where the other methods do not work or it is impossible to apply them for one reason or another.
Radical prostatectomy involves the complete removal of the prostate gland, and sometimes nearby tissues. The procedure requires a direct incision in the lower abdomen or in the perineum. Naturally, this operation is more dangerous in terms of complications. For example, during removal, it is very easy to hook on the nerve endings leading to the penis, which is fraught with impaired potency. In addition, the likelihood of developing infectious diseases is high.
Disease prevention
Unfortunately, such diseases of the prostate gland are extremely common. That is why many men are interested in questions about whether it is possible to somehow protect themselves from an ailment or at least reduce the likelihood of complications.
Prevention of prostate adenoma is a healthy lifestyle. In particular, men in adulthood (and not only) need to monitor nutrition more carefully. For example, fresh vegetables and fruits must be present in the diet, but the number of animal proteins must be reduced with age. The abuse of spicy and spicy foods often leads to constipation, which stimulates the growth of the tumor. Negatively affects health and fried foods. In addition, experts recommend abandoning alcohol and caffeinated products (coffee, chocolate, cola, energy). At least 1-2 times a year, it is worth taking multivitamin complexes, since it is far from always possible to get all the necessary useful substances with food.
A very important part of prevention is physical activity. We must not forget about charging, if possible, visit the gym. Any feasible physical activity is suitable, even if it's just walking. Hypodynamia is a factor that negatively affects the body, hormonal levels and, accordingly, can stimulate the development of the disease.