NOKWANDA NCWANE
Pretoria - A lot of men older than 60 have an enlarged prostate which may affect their urinary system and quality of life.
Treatment exists and ranges from medicine to minimally invasive surgery.
According to research done by the Harvard Medical School, by the age of 60, half of all men will have an enlarged prostate, a condition also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. By the age of 85, the proportion reaches 90%.
Dr Francois Duvenage from the Urology Hospital in Pretoria said men often think frequent trips to the bathroom were a natural part of ageing, when in most cases this was due to an enlarged prostate.
“In some cases, the solution is a minimally invasive procedure known as Transurethral Resection of the Prostate, a common procedure with patients back home after two to three days in hospital,” he said.
Duvenage explained that an enlarged prostate placed pressure on the urethra, affecting urination.
The procedure, he said, was recommended when an enlarged prostate failed to respond to medication.
Symptoms include difficulty when starting to urinate, or being unable to empty the bladder fully, having to strain to pass urine, having a weak urine flow, or stopping and starting, including sudden urges to urinate or a frequent need to urinate, including at night (known as nocturia).
“Not all men with enlarged prostates require this procedure. Medication helps if diagnosed early. I recommend all men over 40 should see a urologist annually to check for a cancerous or enlarged prostate,” said Duvenage.
Pretoria News