Your prostate after 45 (prostatitis and BPH)

Prostatitis and BPH are very common after 45. This isn’t something that should always happen, but at a certain age (generally around 45) the discomforts, pain, or inflammation of the prostate (a small, male reproductive organ) frequently appear.  However, there’s a lot you can do to prevent, fight, a remedy this situation.  You should know that natural medicine is very effective, and that plants possess marvelous properties for fighting, in this case, two of the most common prostate conditions: prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and enlargement of the prostate (BPH).

About the prostate

The word prostate comes from the Greek word prostates, which literally means “protector”, “guardian”.  This glandular organ of the male genitourinary system is found in front of the rectum, and at the urinary bladder exit.  It is a small organ, this size of a walnut, that contains cells that produce part of the semen liquid in charge of protecting and nourishing the sperm contained in semen.  It is also in charge of producing, along with the testicles, certain hormones that give men their manly character.

Why do prostate problems start?

Since the embryonic stage, masculine hormones,  and especially testosterone, stimulate the prostate gland which continues growing until adulthood.  At this point it maintains its size while producing said hormones.  However, when the masculine hormones disappear, or the production begins to weaken, the prostate gland can no longer develop or maintain its size.  The size of the prostate balances out during adulthood by the death and replacement of old cells, by new ones.  This balance is regulated by androgynous hormones.  To maintain this equilibrium, what is known as the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-testicular system must be functioning properly, whereby the hypothalamus produces hormones that act on the hypophysis, and regulate the production of testosterone.  This is parallel to the involvement of the pituitary gland, which is physically linked to the hypothalamus, and also acts on the testicles and adrenal glands, stimulating the production of testosterone.  When this system begins to weaken or decay, prostate problems begin.

 Which illnesses are the most common in the prostate?

There are differente prostate problems. Prostatisis (inflammation of the prostate) is one of the most frequent conditions in men under the age of 50.  When men pass this age, the problem then changes because the prostate gets bigger (benign prostatic hyperplasia).  At this age (or older men), they also run the risk of suffering from prostate cancer, even though the latter is not as common as benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Prostatitis and BPH

An inflamed prostate can be detected by swelling, redness, and temperature elevation.  In some occasions, the prostate inflammation is due to bacteria and microbes (bacterial prostatitis), but it can also be due to internal congestion, due to the accumulation of secretion, or to enlargement (BPH).  This can also be due to other causes, like frequent hits to the testicles, sitting for long periods of time (drivers, shoemakers, programmers, etc.), for poorly treated venereal conditions, by dietary deficiencies for a long part of life, alcohol abuse, and drug use.

Microbe detection can be proven by examining urine samples.  Inflammation in any area of the body is a sign that an infection exists, and that it is being fought, or that there is some injury that is being healed.  This is typically accompanied by raised temperature.

A few of the symptoms to detect prostate inflammation are:

• Burning during urination
• Need to urinate more frequently
• Fever
• Tiredness

Prostate enlargement

Another prostate condition after 45 years of age is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).  This is caused because the prostate continues growing into adulthood, due to continued growth in the glands and muscular and fibrous tissues in the prostate.  In the majority of cases this causes an obstruction during urination, although this is not always the case.

This condition is not necessarily cancerous, nor does it need surgery.  However, when the prostate has swollen too much, it can obstruct the urine canal, the bladder could be squashed, and it could require a lot more effort to eliminate urine.  When this effort is excessive, the bladder grows weaker.  This creates the following symptoms:

• The need to urinate more frequently (reduced space in the bladder).
• Pain or difficulty urinating.
• Urinary tract infections, bladder infections, or even infections in the prostate.  All of this could begin to affect the kidney, which are very closely connected to these organs.

Surgery is generally suggested (prostate removal) in this case, with objective of protecting the bladder and kidneys.  However, surgery always has side-effects, like possible anesthesia complications, infections, etc.  You must weigh this decision heavily before making it.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 08/29/2018

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