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By Dr. Ugo Okechukwu

If you are a male adult and probably haven’t given much thought to your prostate, the advice is to do so. The earlier the issue is detected and treated it saves costs and even lives. 

 

Are you aware that prostate-related complications are on the increase in recent times and claiming more lives than people are unaware of? Here in Nigeria, the case is not different; many men now suffer from prostate-related issues more than reported years back. Even as a medical doctor, I lost a relation to prostate-related issues that should have been averted. 

 

As tiny as this tiny gland is it can cause huge health challenges when it enlarges. You can't see or feel it, but the prostate is actually one of the most important parts of your body. With the number of men suffering from enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH]) reaching new highs every year, it is imperative for men to understand the relevance of maintaining a healthy prostate. It is recommended that once a man reaches the age of 40, he should go for a prostate enlargement test. 

 

An enlarged prostate can lead to symptoms such as feeling as if you have to urinate but then nothing comes out after, difficulty urinating, urinary frequency and urgency, urgent need to urinate during sleep, painful or difficult urination (dysuria), having a strong urine smell after urinating.

 

Prostate enlargement symptoms may also include: getting an erection, problems during orgasm, dribbling after urinating, erections that are not as hard as they used to be, pain in the pelvic area when urinating, or ejaculating.

 

Medically, there is no clear cause of prostate disorder but some factors may cause your prostate gland to become enlarged. 

 

Age: The risk of developing prostate enlargement and cancer are more prevalent in older men. This is because their prostate gland becomes larger and more difficult to control, which can lead to urinary problems. The average age for men to start experiencing symptoms of enlargement is around 50 years old; however, some men experience symptoms earlier than this. 

 

Genetics: In some cases, genetics play a role in determining whether or not you'll develop an enlarged prostate gland. Your parents' genes can also have an effect on this issue. 

Hormones: As a man when you age your body produces more estrogen than it does when you are younger. Estrogen is a hormone that is produced by the ovaries in women and the testes in men. It's responsible for many functions in the body including sexual development and growth, but it can also play a role in prostate enlargement.            

 

Estrogen levels increase as you age and are linked with an increased risk of developing certain cancers including breast cancer as well as prostate cancer.

 

Prostate cancer not well treated can lead to a situation where the cancer cells will start to produce testosterone hormones by themselves, making it difficult to treat the prostate issues with ease because the prostate gland malfunctioning is now independent of external factors such as their growth. 

 

Prostate enlargement has the ability to kill.

 

Unchecked enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) over time can become distressed leading cells to be cancerous in nature. This often occurs:

 

When the disease keeps progressing in terms of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the presence of the right treatment that corrects testosterone levels and other factors. 

 

Second, when prostate cancer has gotten to the bone and it is causing the destruction of the bone on one hand and the growth of cancer on the other hand. Causing the person a lot of pain and fracture around the bone, in which, prostate cancer can take over the bone marrow leading to anemia and death of the patient. 

Recently, at a kinsmen meeting the issue of prostate came up, and most of them said the issue sounds strange to them. Some that took interest in the matter showed no interest in going for a medical checkup. The question has always been “if I’m not sick why should I go for a test.”

 

Most people in Nigeria as in most African countries don’t go for medical checkups not until they are diagnosed with an ailment. Perhaps by that, the ailment has deteriorated. Routine medical checkups may have their cost as the economy bites but their benefits far outweigh its cost. 

 

As an Igbo man, we have an adage that says,” What someone doesn’t know or is aware of cannot kill.” But it doesn’t apply in this context. Ignorance of a threatening health issue only worsens it.   

 

The success of prostate treatment depends on a number of factors such as the state of the prostate enlargement, its cancerous nature, the age of its patient, and diet. 

 

Treatment by operation has often been the mode of treatment. But in recent times, some orthodox doctors and alternative practitioners have been advocating for non-operational treatment in some cases. Given that many that underwent an operation at an advanced stage of the ailment developed complications leading to their death. 

 

I’m yet to get over my relative's death, even as more men are diagnosed with prostate complications. Though there is no clear cause of the prostate disorder, early detection solves its problem. That early detection is by going for a prostate test as early 40 years or earlier age to nip any enlargement.