Men’ s Health: Natural health approaches for better prostate health
• Consistent need to urinate
• Feeling that the bladder is still full even after urination
• A need to stop or start urinating
• Problems starting to urinate or the need to strain
Lower urinary tract symptoms tend to be common in association with BPH, including:
• An urgency to urinate
• A tendency to urinate more at night
• Weak urinary stream
• Increased frequency of urination
It is worth noting that BPH may lead to infections, urinary retention, obstruction, stones or even acute renal failure. It is also associated with erectile dysfunction and may cause problems with ejaculation. In fact, up to 70 % of men experience these symptoms while 20 % of males also admit to experiencing depression. 5 % of men who require surgery for BPH will experience long-term impotence as a result.
Medications prescribed for BPH may also cause:
• Erectile dysfunction
• Ejaculatory dysfunction
• Decreased libido
Some men receive a diagnosis of BPH once they have had a PSA blood test which is designed to ascertain if prostate cancer is present. There is often a great deal of fear experienced when the prostate enlarges, in cases where cancer is present.
It is worth noting that BPH does not appear to occur in men whose testicles were removed prior to puberty. Research indicates that aging and the presence of testicles may cause BPH.
Men produce testosterone throughout their lives. This is known as the male hormone but they also produce small amounts of the female hormone, estrogen. Testosterone levels decrease as the man ages and this naturally leaves a higher level of estrogen. Scientific research indicates that BPH may occur due to higher estrogen levels being present within the prostate and this may increase prostate cell growth.
There is another theory too which focuses on dihydrotestosterone( DHT), a male hormone that plays a role in the development of the prostate gland and its subsequent growth. It may be that older men
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