Benign prostate hyperplasia, also known by its abbreviation BPH, is a medical condition that is characterized by an enlargement of the prostate gland in men. Like most other conditions that involve the enlargement of the prostate gland, BPH can lead to other risks, including urinary tract infections, urinary retention, frequent urination, painful urination, urinary hesitancy, and other complications. BPH is an extremely common condition and it is estimated that around half of all men over the age of 50 deal with BPH. Fortunately, not all benign prostatic hyperplasia cases are bad, so only about 10% of those who have the condition need medical or surgical attention. Seeing as BPH is such a common condition, it begs the question, “What causes BPH?” Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to discuss in this article. Here, you’ll find some helpful information that will help you understand benign prostatic hyperplasia and what causes it.
Understanding the basics of BPH
Breaking down the name “benign prostatic hyperplasia”, we can get a better idea of what the medical condition is. Let’s first start with the word “prostatic”, which refers to the fact that BPH is a condition that relates to the prostate. The prostate is a gland that is part of the male reproductive system. Comprised of two lobes, the prostate is located just below the bladder (where urine is stored) and in front of the rectum. The prostate gland surrounds the tube called the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder. While scientists aren’t entirely sure about the purpose and function of the prostate gland, it is known that the gland secretes a fluid that is an essential component of semen.
Now let’s tackle the term “hyperplasia”. In the most basic terms, hyperplasia refers to an irregular increase in the number of cells that make up a tissue or organ. In the case of BPH, hyperplasia refers to an increase in the number of prostate cells, causing the gland to increase in size. When the prostate enlarges, it can partially or almost completely obstruct the urethra, causing urinary problems in various degrees. While bad cases of BPH may require medical or surgical attention, the positive side of BPH is that the enlargement of the prostate is not caused by cancer, hence the term “benign”. Putting it all together, “benign prostatic hyperplasia” is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.
Now that we have a better understanding of what BPH is, we can start discussing the many causes of the condition. While doctors and scientists have a general idea of how BPH evolves and what causes it, there is still no definite answer to the question of what causes BPH. The predominant factor that causes BPH in most patients is aging, although it isn’t entirely sure what about aging causes the development of the medical condition.
One promising theory that seeks to explain the connection between aging and benign prostatic hyperplasia has to do with testosterone. As men age, their testosterone production slows. The slowing of testosterone production leads to a hormonal imbalance between the male hormone (testosterone) and the female hormone (estrogen), which is also produced in small amounts in men’s bodies. The increased amount of estrogen in the body is attributed to cell growth, because the estrogen makes substances that promote cell growth.
Similar in principal to the first theory mentioned above, a second theory about the cause of BPH has to do with a testosterone-related substance called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Basically, testosterone is processed in the prostate and the result is the substance called dihydrotestosterone. When the testosterone level in the blood reduces as men age, DHT production continues in the prostate, leading to an accumulation of DHT that may affect the growth of the prostate gland. This is a good candidate because of the fact that men who don’t produce DHT also don’t develop BPH.
Other scientists hypothesize that some cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia may be caused by the way our bodies develop. From the moment we are conceived, our physiological development follows sets of “instructions” that map out how our bodies grow. According to this theory, BPH may be caused by a case of mis-instruction, wherein the prostate follows a set of instructions from earlier in our life that instructs or influences the cells to grow (just as they would have during our young stages of physiological development).
Treatments available
Although these are all great theories and they may all play a part in the cause of benign prostatic hyperplasia, it may take quite some time before we really begin to fully understand BPH and other matters related to the prostate. Fortunately, there are means of treating and dealing with BPH. Some of the most common treatment methods include the following:
- Medication to inhibit DHT production
- Medication that relaxes the prostate and bladder neck to relieve BPH symptoms
- Medication to inhibit the growth of the prostate
- Minimal invasive therapy
- Surgical treatment
It is important for men to undergo periodic checkups to ensure that they are not developing prostate enlargement problems of any kind. Such medical conditions can be very discomforting and it’s important to catch them and treat them as soon as possible to avoid further complication.