Bhagwati Ayurveda NABH RGHS CGHS
Bhagwati Ayurveda NABH RGHS CGHS

Prostate Enlargement

Bhagwati Ayurveda & Panchkarma Research Centre/Prostate Enlargement

What Is an Enlarged Prostate?

The prostate is a small, muscular gland in the male reproductive system. Your prostate surrounds your urethra and makes most of the fluid in your semen. The muscular action of the prostate helps propel the fluid and semen through your penis during sexual climax. In many men, the prostate can become enlarged. Sometimes it leads to symptoms and, over time, other complications. However, there are treatments.

The gland itself surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the tip of the penis. As the prostate grows larger, it may press on the urethra. This narrowing of the urethra can cause some men with prostate enlargement to have trouble with urination. Prostate enlargement may be the most common health problem in men older than 60 years of age.

Enlargement of the prostate is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It occurs when the cells of the prostate gland begin to multiply. These additional cells cause your prostate gland to swell, which squeezes the urethra and limits the flow of urine. BPH is not the same as prostate cancer and doesn’t increase the risk of cancer. However, it can cause symptoms that can affect your quality of life. BPH is common in men older than 50 years.

Effects of an Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate may have a number of effects on a person’s health, including their sex life.

An enlarged prostate directly affects a man’s ability to urinate. These effects include:
  • a frequent need to urinate
  • a feeling of not emptying the bladder
  • intense urges to urinate
  • a weak urine stream
  • problems starting or stopping urination

Prostate issues can also cause sexual problems. The extent of any sexual problem varies according to the condition of the prostate. Some common sexual side effects include:

  • erectile dysfunction (ED)
  • reduced sexual satisfaction
  • problems maintaining an erection
  • decreased libid

These conditions may also vary according to:

Consult with Experts

    Symptoms and Signs

    The prostate is a small gland, located in the pelvis, between the penis and bladder.

    If the prostate becomes enlarged, it can place pressure on the bladder and urethra (the tube through which urine passes).

    This can affect how you pee and may cause:

    • difficulty starting to pee.
    • a frequent need to pee.
    • difficulty fully emptying your bladder.
    • leaking of urine.
    • more frequent urination and a strong and sudden desire to urinate, especially at night.
    • blood in the urine.

    In some men, the symptoms are mild and don’t need treatment. In others, they can be very troublesome.Many men worry that having an enlarged prostate means they have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This isn’t the case.The risk of prostate cancer is no greater for men with an enlarged prostate than it is for men without an enlarged prostate.

    Causes

    BPH is considered a normal condition of male aging, and many men older than 80 years have BPH symptoms. Although the exact cause is unknown, changes in male sex hormones that come with aging may be a factor. Any family history of prostate problems or any abnormalities with your testicles may raise your risk of BPH. Men who’ve had their testicles removed at a young age don’t develop BPH.

    Some facts about prostate enlargement:

    • The likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate increases with age.
    • BPH is so common that it has been said all men will have an enlarged prostate if they live long enough.
    • A small amount of prostate enlargement is present in many men over age 40. More than 90% of men over age 80 have the condition.
    • No risk factors have been identified, other than having normally-functioning testicles.

    Ayurvedic Management

    Ayurvedic treatment for prostate enlargement:A large percentage of men over fifty years of age suffer from prostate troubles of one form or other. The prostate gland is a male gland situated at the base of the urinary bladder and around the beginning of the urethra.

    There are various types of prostate disorders, the more important being hypertrophy or enlargement of the prostate gland and prostatitis or inflammation in the prostate gland.

    There are two warning signals to indicate the possibility of prostate disorders. The first is the interference with the passage of urine and the second is the need to void the urine frequently during the night’s sleep. Other symptoms are a dull aching pain in the lower back and pain in the hips, legs, and feet.

    Prostate cancer is one of the significant causes of death in elderly men and is one of the most common cancers originated from the enlarged prostate. Thus, timely diagnosis of prostate enlargement is important to stop its progression towards cancer.

    Treatment:

    Eliminating urine is a function of Apan vayu. So disturbance of Apan vayu causes problems in uirnation. One such disease is Mootrakruchhra which has been classified various types in Ayurvda. Some such types are: Vataj Mootrakruchhra (caused mainly by vitiated Vayu) is marked by severe pains in pelvic region and obstructed urination. Pittaj Mootrakruchhra (caused mainly by vitiated Pitta) shows severe burning micturition with reddish or yellowish urine. Kaphaj Mootrakruchhra (caused mainly by vitiated Kapha) id characterized by swelling and heaviness in pelvic region and sticky urine. Sannipatik Mootrakruchhra is caused by vitiation of all three Doshas and therefore have mixed characteristics. Ayurvedic regimens for Mootrakruchhra normally prevent surgical interference in these conditions. The line of treatment involves the removal of infection with internal detoxification, cleaning and removing any blockages in the urinary tract combined with herbs to tone the kidneys and normalize the functioning of apan vayu.

    Diet & Lifestyle Advice

    • To prevent problems of the urinary system, it is always important to drink adequate liquids every day. Especially sitting in air-conditioned rooms, cars and airplanes cause dryness in the urinary tract which often leads to urinary problems. Persons getting exposed to such factors should drink adequate warm water.
    • Persons living or working in the humid atmosphere tend to sweat more which evaporates water contents form the body. This too can cause urinary problems. Persons getting exposed to such factors should drink adequate liquids like water, fruit juices, coconut water etc.
    • Drinking such liquids which are reasonably pure protects the person from urinary infections.