Standing like a guard in front of the bladder, surrounding the posterior urethra, and exclusive to the male accessory gonad, this is the “prostate”. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common disease in elderly men. An enlarged prostate can cause bladder neck obstruction, causing symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and difficulty urinating.
In general, patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia require long-term medication and regular check-ups. In the case of special circumstances, the interval between doctor visits is extended, and the number of face-to-face consultations to obtain doctor’s orders is reduced, how can patients do self-monitoring and self-management?
Learn about the different curative effects of drugs
The commonly used drugs are α-blockers, 5-α reductase inhibitors and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. Alpha-blockers are suitable for patients with moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms such as frequent urination and urgency, which can improve symptoms quickly. 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are suitable for patients with moderate to large volume of benign prostatic hyperplasia to improve symptoms and reduce the size of the prostate, but long-term use is required. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors are suitable for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and erectile dysfunction.
“Keep your mouth shut” with more fruits and vegetables and less fat
Clinical studies have shown that the occurrence of benign prostatic hyperplasia is mainly related to the abnormal level of male androgen. Fat cholesterol in the diet is one of the main raw materials for the synthesis of sex steroids. A high intake of fat can lead to an increase in the synthesis of sex steroids, which in turn affects the growth of the prostate; on the contrary, a high intake of vegetables leads to a lower incidence of benign prostatic hyperplasia, which may It is related to the low amount of estrogen contained in high-fiber foods and vegetables, which helps to inhibit the occurrence of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
It is now clear that excessive intake of fat, milk and dairy products, red meat, grains, poultry, and starches is likely to increase the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate surgery; while vegetables, fruits, polyunsaturated Fatty acids, linoleic acid and vitamin D, and the trace element zinc have the potential to reduce the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Be Prepared Before Traveling
Before taking long-distance transportation, it is recommended to prepare well in advance to avoid embarrassment. When traveling, prepare alpha-blockers to take orally regularly to help relieve symptoms of dysuria. Avoid drinking alcohol, which can aggravate the swelling of the prostate tissue and lead to urinary retention. Avoid holding your urine and go to the toilet to urinate before taking long-distance transportation. If you have difficulty urinating, you can use a warm towel to compress and slowly massage the bladder area to help urination.
If you encounter the following conditions, you should seek medical attention in time.
During the oral administration of commonly used drugs for benign prostatic hyperplasia, frequent urination, urgency, and frequent urination at night increase significantly, often indicating disease progression.
Excessive waiting time for urination, thin and weak urine line, or intermittent urination, accompanied by inguinal hernia or hemorrhoids, etc.
If you need to use abdominal pressure to help urinate, feel obvious abdominal distension, or even complicated with low back pain, you need to seek medical treatment in time to rule out urinary retention, and indwelling catheter if necessary.
Chen Qi (Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Urology, Ninth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine)