One of the annoying consequences of advancing age for most people is the overnight bathroom visit. As young as we may feel, our bladders are only too happy to remind us that we’re not. The result is a quick trip to the bathroom for a pee before heading back to bed and (hopefully) sleep. It’s not ideal, but there are worse things in life. For men, one of those worse things is having to get up not once but several times during the night. In most cases, it’s not their bladder but an enlarged prostate causing the sleep disruption.
The good news for men is that most enlarged prostates are not cancerous. In fact, they are not even an indicator of a raised risk of cancer. However, that comforting fact does not lessen the impact on those who can’t get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.
New research shows that the negative health effects go beyond interrupted sleep. The lack of sleep on its own can result in energy levels, concentration and productivity all dropping. The knock-on effect can then continue. The condition is also associated with depression, anxiety and stress.
On top of all that, an untreated enlarged prostate can lead to urinary tract infections, kidney stones and kidney damage.
There are a couple of significant elements to the enlarged prostate issue. One is that the condition is far more common than most would realise, even in relatively young men. The other is that it is treatable.
Enlarged prostates – the facts
When I say common, I mean very common, at least in men aged over 60. Research published today shows that an enlarged prostate affects 50 to 60 per cent of men aged in their 60s. Once you hit your 70s, that increases to a staggering 80 to 90 per cent. These are the sort of numbers that make me think of the Ben Lee song used in superannuation ads: “We are all in this together.”
At least men are, although women too can be indirectly affected – the partner of someone who needs to get up several times a night, for instance.
If that 80 to 90 per cent surprises you, it’s probably because of another finding made by the research. It shows enlarged prostates are underdiagnosed and undertreated.
Yet it does not need to be this way. So says Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) president and urological surgeon Professor Helen O’Connell. “If you are experiencing enlarged prostate symptoms, seek help from your GP, and get effective treatment,” she said. According to Prof. O’Connell, with effective treatment, “you may become completely free of the problem”.
How big is big?
The exact cause of enlarged prostates is not known. What we do know is that it correlates with advancing age and tends to run in families. Notwithstanding the genetic factor, your lifestyle choices can also play a part, according to urological surgeon Professor Henry Woo. “These include things like obesity, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and just generally not looking after themselves,” Prof. Woo said.
The normal size for a prostate is generally classified as that of a walnut or golf ball. Any bigger and it’s classified as large. Prostates as large as a mandarin are not uncommon and some can grow to the size of a lemon.
As for the high rate of underdiagnosis and undertreatment, many of us are our own worst enemy. We’re too embarrassed to discuss medical issues affecting that area of our body, or worried about treatment side-effects – or both.
That’s understandable, particularly the latter concern, because historically some treatments have been associated with sexual dysfunction and urinary incontinence. Nobody wants that, but Prof. Woo says that’s no longer necessarily the outcome.
“With advances in technology, we now have treatments that are less invasive, and are far less likely to be associated with [those] significant side-effects.”
So what should you do if you think you may have an enlarged prostate? Visit your GP and discuss the matter. A simple solution may be within your grasp.
Have you been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate? What symptoms did you have? Have you had successful treatments? Let us know via the comments section below.
Also read: Prostate cancer – could this oddly named device help?
Disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.
