It is not unusual as men age for problems to develop in the prostate and although probably the most well-known is cancer, there are other non-malignant conditions that can affect the gland. A complex and delicate balance of hormones control this gland and sometimes with age result in an enlargement of the prostate.

An enlarged prostate may not always require treatment, but it is likely that if a man’s elder brother or father has had treatment then he will also. One of the first signs of enlargement of prostate is waking up from sleep to pass urine at night, although there can be other causes of increased urinary frequency at night like diabetes.

Prostate enlargement can result in the restriction of the urine flow and symptoms can include increased frequency of urination, hesitancy in passing urine, a sense of incomplete evacuation of the bladder, urgency to pass, and occasionally loss of control over urination.

These can cause considerable distress and discomfort and in the most severe cases can cause backpressure on to the kidneys leading to their failure.

Changes to the prostate should not be ignored. Leaving a condition untreated out of fear or worry is not wise and it may be that a visit to the doctor will bring peace of mind with the knowledge that the worst fears will not be realised.

Your family GP should refer you to the best urologist in Delhi, who will be able to establish whether the enlargement is cancerous or benign using techniques such as clinical examination plus simple investigations like ultrasonography, which will provide information about the prostate’s and its pattern of growth.

Uroflowmetry is another investigation employed to assess the obstruction caused by an enlarged prostate. During this test, a person is asked to hold urine till the bladder is full then asked to pass urine in a computerized container which generates a graph indicating flow rate of the urine. The results will help the consultant decide on the correct course of treatment.

If benign enlargement of Prostate (BPH) is diagnosed at an early stage, medical treatment can be effective for relieving the symptoms and retarding further growth but if the diagnosis comes at a later stage surgical treatment is generally required.

The latest treatment is called HoLEP (Holmium Laser Enucleation of Prostate). In the last five years the Holmium laser has become established in the treatment of enlarged prostate.

The Holmium laser fibre is passed through a telescope into the natural urinary passage. Laser energy delivered through this fibre is used to cut large chunks of prostate gland without blood loss. These chunks of tissue are then further fragmented into smaller bits by using a ‘morcellator’, which can then be easily removed via the urinary passage.

The procedure involves an overnight stay in hospital and is carried out with spinal anaesthesia. Usually, a catheter is inserted then removed the following day. Once the patient has been able to discharge a full bladder of urine, they can be discharged, usually within a day of the procedure.

In many cases, because the bladder has become used to generating high pressures to evacuate against resistance caused by the enlarged prostate gland, after operation, the bladder has to re learn to evacuate against a low resistance.

This means that the bladder may start pushing against reduced resistance resulting in leakage of urine before the individual reaches the washroom. This is entirely a temporary situation and the bladder soon learns to re adjust pressures, so as to remain continent till the person is able to reach a washroom.

Pelvic floor exercises can quickly relieve this problem if a man does these exercises as advised regularly once discharged from hospital. It normally resolves completely within a few months and often within days. This article is mentioned by expert urologist and andrologist, Dr Rajesh Taneja. Ask the doctor for your various queries about prostate enlargement or other. Visit website: http://www.drrajeshtaneja.com/