It is a pathology of human aging that should not be neglected.
The prostate is a gland that is part of the male reproductive system. It is located just below the bladder, in front of the rectum. In the young man, its shape and size are comparable to those of a chestnut. With age, the gland tends to increase in volume: this is called prostate hypertrophy or adenoma. “Benign prostatic hypertrophy is a pathology of aging: we never see it before the age of 50, explains Professor Benoît Peyronnet, urological surgeon at Rennes University Hospital. It is estimated that more than 50% of men over the age of 80 have benign prostatic hypertrophy.“
This abnormal increase in prostate volume is benign and “does not predispose at all to prostate cancer” Professor Benoît Peyronnet reassures us. But it can cause unpleasant symptoms for men. These symptoms occur when the urinary canal which passes through the prostate, the urethra, is obstructed by the increase in the volume of the gland, preventing the good flow of urine.The symptoms of prostate adenoma are quite extensive and multiple. The first signs are mainly urinary: these are symptoms of the lower urinary tract. Traditionally, what bothers patients the most is the frequent urge to urinate (pollakiuria), especially at night. This symptom may be a point of call towards enlarged prostate“, explains the urological surgeon.
Concretely, the patient has to urinate urgently and has difficulty holding it in. A patient suffering from nocturnal urinary frequency may urinate more than 5 times per night. Anyone who suffers from pollakiuria during the day feels the need to urinate less than two hours after finishing urinating. Among the other symptoms suggestive of a prostate adenoma, a reduction in the force of the urinary stream: “The urine flow is weak, the patient feels obliged to push on his bladder to urinate“, continues our interlocutor. The start of the jet may also be delayed. “Delayed drops may be suggestive of benign prostatic hypertrophy.sometimes with a painful feeling of a full bladder“, continue it Professor Peyronnet. These symptoms are generally well tolerated by the patient.
The main complication of prostate adenoma is acute retention of urine or bladder. “The advanced version of acute retention is chronic urine retention which, if left undiagnosed, can impact the kidneys“The other complication is urinary infection, leading to infection of the prostate called prostatitis.”In extremely rare conditions, prostate adenoma can cause kidney failure which may require dialysis. Finally, the adenoma affects the bladder “which becomes flabby and less flexible. It no longer transmits the painful signal, leading to the “overflowing bathtub” phenomenon. explains our expert. Also, “if symptoms appear, it is important to consult without delay“.
