A surgeon with the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja, Dr Offiong Etim, has recommended early treatment of severe enlarged prostrate to reduce associated risks.
Dr Etim who stated this during an interview with newsmen in Abuja, he described prostate as a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system.
He also described an enlarged prostate as the gland that had grown bigger, which was often called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).
According to him, the gland is made of two lobes enclosed by an outer layer of tissue which is located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder, where urine is stored.
The prostate also surrounds the urethra, the canal through which urine passes out of the body. The surgeon explained that enlarged prostrate was a common part of aging, saying that it is common for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages.
According to him, the prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life; the enlargement doesn’t usually cause problems until late in life. He stated that the condition usually caused no symptoms before age 40, but noted that men in their 60s and 90 per cent in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms.
The surgeon explained that cause of the condition was not known but stressed that it has been shown that it occurs mainly in older men and does not develop in men whose testes were removed before puberty.
He attributed increase of estrogen within the gland as contributory factor to the development of enlarged prostrate.
“As a man age, the amount of active testosterone in the blood decreases, leaving a higher proportion of estrogen thereby promoting cell growth,” he said.
He also blamed dihydrotestosterone (DHT), as another factor responsible for the development of the condition.
He explained dihydrotestosterone as a substance derived from testosterone if older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of it in the prostate helps encourage the growth of cell.
Dr Etim said that prevention of enlarged prostrate depended on healthy life style such as eating foods rich in fibre, drinking less alcohol and caffeine, among others.
He also encouraged emptying of the bladder always and drinking less of fluids at night as other measures of preventing the condition.
The medical doctor also suggested the latest procedure Urolift a non-invasive surgical procedure meant to lift or hold the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way so it would no longer block the urethra.
He therefore enjoined patients susceptible to enlarged prostrate to maintain a healthy life style in order to avoid risks associated with the condition.
