The Prostate

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that wraps around the urethra at the point of the bladder. Its main function is to help to produce semen. As a man ages, the prostate grows, eventually clamping down on the urethra and obstructing the flow of urine from the bladder.

What is Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH), commonly known as enlarged prostate, is the silent disease among men. Afflicting 1 in 3 Australian males over 50 (this figure increases to 50% at 60 and 80% at 80), BPH is a painful and sometimes embarrassing, ailment.
The symptoms of BPH are:

• An increased need to urinate (often at night),

• A weak or intermittent urinary stream

• Painful urination

• Urgency

• Incontinence

• A feeling of residual urine in the bladder after voiding

This leads to general pain and discomfort in the groin region and, in serious cases, may result in the complete inability to urinate causing bladder damage and kidney failure.
Some sufferers become reluctant to go out of the home because of the need to go to the toilet frequently or they may become tired through disturbed sleep and a feeling of continual discomfort.
Mainline treatments range from medications (that may have unpleasant side effects) to, in advanced cases, various forms of surgery-that can result in permanent impotence. This doesn't have to be so.