Medics in Kisumu have urged all adult men to go for regular prostate enlargement also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) check-ups.
This condition has often been mistaken to be prostate cancer, but a medical officer at Port Florence Hospital in Kisumu, Polycarp Koyando, says that BPH is a condition, while prostate cancer is an illness.
“The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. As the prostate gets bigger, it may squeeze or partly block the urethra, thereby causing problems when urinating,” explains Koyando.
A research by the WebMD however says that BPH occurs in almost all men as they age.
Polycarp Koyando says that there is no need for alarm as the condition is a normal part of the aging process in men caused by changes in hormone balance and in cell growth.
“You either get prostate enlargement or prostate cancer as you age,” he says.
Dr Willis Oyieko, a urologist at Avenue Hospital explains that about half of all men older than 75 have some symptoms of BPH which may cause urinary problems such as trouble getting a urine stream started and completely stopped (dribbling), the feeling that you need to urinate more often, especially at night, a weak urine stream and a sense that you still need to urinate even after you just passed urine.
In some cases, the prostate enlargement may cause blockage of the bladder, making it extremely hard to urinate.
At this point, the patient may be forced to use a catheter to remove urine from the bladder.
This problem may cause urinary retention leading to bladder infections or stones or even kidney damage.
“Prostate enlargement does not cause cancer; neither does it affect a man’s ability to father children as it does not cause erection problems,” says Koyando.
Oyieko explained that prostate cancer and enlargement are not related, but can cause similar symptoms.
The medic added that regular check-ups are however advised to check on the symptoms and ensuring that other problems have not come up.
Oyieko advised that reduction or control of the symptoms can be through avoiding caffeine, alcohol and allergy pills. He said that surgery to remove part of the prostate may be suggested if symptoms are severe.
Simeon Oiro, a senior nurse at Avenue Hospital, says that every week the hospital handles four to six surgery cases. He noted that the number could be higher in government hospitals and that it happens in most black men than whites.