Understanding Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): What is it? Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology | Jan 17, 2025

As you grow older, a few changes occur in your body that are completely out of one’s control. One of the changes includes the prostate growing in size, which happens to men after they cross the age of 50. It can lead to a condition known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), which often results in various urinary issues.

This condition can lead to poor quality of life due to an enlarged prostate and is a natural part of ageing in men. It is important to understand what BPH is, its causes, common symptoms, and the various treatment options available to manage the condition.

You can read this article to understand BPS and its causes, symptoms, and treatments.

What is BPH?

BPH, also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, usually affects men over the age of 50. It is a non-threatening disease that occurs with the progression of age. BPH results in many problems, such as increased frequency and urgency of urination, incontinence, and so on.

It is a condition that involves an enlarged prostate, which is a gland located below the bladder. It is the size of a walnut and surrounds a part of the urethra, a tube that carries urine outside the body. As the prostate grows, it makes it difficult for the urethra to pass urine. Around 50% of men by the age of 60 and 90% by the age of 80 will have developed signs and symptoms of BPH.

The Causes of BPH

The answer to what is the main cause of prostate enlargement remains unknown. Several factors play a role in causing BPH in adult males, such as age, family history, diabetes, obesity, type 2 diabetes, genetics, lifestyle choices, etc. Other factors, including hormonal changes like testosterone and the dihydrotestosterone hormone levels, lead to increased growth of the prostate gland.

The Symptoms of BPH

The common benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms include –

• Frequent need to urinate
• Sudden urge to urinate
• Urinating frequently several times at night
• Leaking or incontinence
• Weak urine stream or it starts and stops
• Dribbling at the end of urination
• Difficulty getting started while urinating
• Inability to completely empty the bladder
• Experiencing pain while urinating

The Treatments for BPH

BPH treatment options include lifestyle modifications, medical management with oral medications to control symptoms, or surgical intervention. Treatment is recommended by a urologist based on the severity of the symptoms, the level of damage to the urinary tract, and the overall health.

The initial treatments are lifestyle modifications and medications to manage the symptoms of BPH. Surgery is not required for those with few symptoms and is a solution if the enlarged prostates lead to health issues.

Watchful Waiting:

Watchful waiting is a recommended approach when the symptoms of BPH are mild and minimal and don’t bother you too much. It involves visits to the doctor to review the changes and progress of the symptoms with a few simple tests.

Lifestyle Modifications:

Lifestyle modifications include healthy habits such as following a proper diet and exercising. It is recommended to consume a healthy diet, exercise regularly to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, maintain a healthy weight, limit caffeine and alcohol, drink less fluids in the evenings, and so on.

Medications:

The medications to treat BPH include two kinds of drugs: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and alpha-adrenergic blockers. The two 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, Finasteride and Dutasteride, help shrink the size of the prostate gland. The alpha-blockers like Tamsulosin, Silodosin and Alfuzosin relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck region to improve the flow of urine.

Some surgeries and minimally invasive procedures to treat enlarged prostate and relieve symptoms of BPH include –

Surgery and Minimally Invasive Procedures:

While the initial treatment plan will include lifestyle modifications and medications, surgery is recommended in some cases. Surgery is done in patients with severe symptoms and patients in urinary retention, recurrent urinary tract infection, kidney failure, bladder stones, etc.

Some surgeries and minimally invasive procedures to treat enlarged prostate and relieve symptoms of BPH include –

• Transurethral resection of the prostate – TURP
• Laser therapy: Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate – HoLEP, Thulium fibre laser enucleation of prostate - ThuFLEP
• Transurethral incision of the prostate – TUIP
• Prostatic urethral lift
• Rezūm therapy

At the Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology (AINU), our highly capable team of urologists provides consultations and treatments for various urology ailments. Based on the BPH severity, we assess the symptoms and recommend what is the best treatment for an enlarged prostate to achieve the desired results.

The Need for Treatments to Manage BPH

It is necessary to receive treatment for the enlarged prostates to ensure the symptoms don’t worsen and lead to other serious health concerns. When the enlarged prostate is left untreated, it can cause urinary tract infections, bladder stones, bleeding, damage to the kidney and bladder, etc.

The diagnosis is done through physical tests involving a digital rectal exam, ultrasounds, and blood tests. The main treatments recommended to treat an enlarged prostate depend on the severity of the symptoms, age, overall health, and the size of the prostate.

If you have any of the symptoms of BPH, you can book an appointment with one of our top urologists at the Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology (AINU). We can help you relieve the symptoms of the ailment with a tailored approach and provide world-class treatment.

Conclusion

BPH is a disease that causes discomfort to men in their everyday lives, leading to numerous difficulties in urination due to the enlarged prostate. BPH treatments can significantly improve the quality of life in men.

If you experience any BPH symptoms, it is recommended that you visit a doctor soon. Understanding the disease, symptoms, causes, and treatment approaches can be useful for managing BPH with professional help.