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prostate growth: change related to aging (P1)

prostate growth: change related to aging (P1)

Edited by: TOP DOCTORS® at 10/10/2023

Prostate growth alone may not cause symptoms, however, it can be a contributing factor to a host of discomforts called lower urinary tract symptoms.

Dr. Carlos Enrique Méndez Probst

One of the most common prostate problems seen by urologists is benign prostatic growth . Benign prostatic growth is a progressive condition that usually begins around 40 years of age and continues throughout the patient's life. At age 90 this condition is universal in men and is considered, rather than a disease, a natural change related to the aging of the male. Unlike prostatic growth, low urinary symptoms can cause discomfort in the patient. It is important to emphasize that the onset of symptoms is not always parallel to prostatic growth, however, they are frequently accompanied. Recent studies have shown that symptoms are rare in people younger than 40 years (10%).. Subsequently they increase by decade: 30% in men of 50 years, 60% of 60 years; 75%, 70 years old, and more than 90%, over 80 years of age reporting some degree of urinary symptoms.

It is important to note that between 4 and 6 out of 10 men develop significant urinary symptoms (moderate or severe) during the course of their life.

Alarm signals to detect prostatic growth

Prostate growth may not cause symptoms, however, it is a contributing factor to a host of discomforts called lower urinary tract symptoms, these classically include:

  • Urgent or urgent feeling of urination.
  • Incomplete voiding sensation.
  • Lack of urinary stream force or pressure.
  • Frequent feeling of wanting to urinate (less than two hours).
  • Need to push or make effort to start urination.
  • Urinary stream with frequent pauses.

It is important to mention that these symptoms are very unspecific and present in other conditions that affect the urinary tract in which the prostatic growth is not involved. For example, nocturia, which consists of urinating 2 or more times after bed and is the urinary symptom that is most often produced by causes beyond the prostate or urinary tract. Another case is increased fluid intake after 17:00 hours, or drugs that increase urine production, cardiovascular conditions, among other factors.

Urology in Tlalpan