The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system and it wraps around the urethra. It is usually of the size of a walnut but gradually with age and other factors, it starts to enlarge and lead to several problems during a man’s lifecycle.

Prostate problems are very common in India. Almost 50% of the population of age group 50 years suffer from prostate problems, and almost 70% of the population of the age group around 70 years, have issues relating to their prostate.

Prostate problem is not merely genetic disease but it may also occur due to environmental factors and dietary factors. Intake of too much fatty foods leads to prostate problems. Also, more caffeine and nicotine consumption may lead to increased symptoms of prostate. This is because nicotine and caffeine being diuretic substances increase the formation of urine, which in turn leads to an increase in severity of symptoms as the flow of urine is already obstructed by the prostate. As a result, the patient presents with frequency and urgency.

Symptoms of the prostate problem include slow urinary stream, frequent urination, difficulty in starting urination, dribbling after urination, leakage or urgency of urination, urination that starts and stops immediately, and many more including Nocturia which may give sleep disturbance.

According to Dr. Pankaj K Gupta, Consultant Urologist, CMRI, Kolkata, “Prostate problems can be classified into three major types- BenignProstatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Prostatitis, & Prostate Cancer. BPH refers to the enlargement of the prostate gland with age, which leads to difficulty in urination. Prostatitis is the swelling or inflammation of the Prostate that may be due to infection. The prostate problem does not necessarily mean that it can be cancerous. Proper clinical evaluation is needed. If the prostate issue is not taken care of on time by medical management or surgical management, and the patient continues passing urine with pressure, it can lead to Hydronephrosis and that can further lead to kidney damage. If treatment is delayed, the patient may suffer from Bladder stones, Recurrent UTI, Recurrent Bleeding, Irreversible Bladder changes, and kidney failure. Men must consult a Urologist immediately if they notice any problem pertaining to urination. Also, men of age around 50-55 years should go for a regular prostate health check-up to maintain their overall wellbeing. Usually, it is seen that prostate problems crop up more during the winter months. This is primarily due to the fact that we intake less amount of water during winter, which leads to Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), and that further leads to Prostatitis. Secondly, in winter, people usually intake more food than water. This is a major reason for constipation and that, in turn, creates a hindrance in the normal flow of urine. The prostate is well connected with bowel movement, hypertension, diabetes, etc that is a metabolic disease. Hence, one change in any of these factors can play a huge role in altering the normal functioning of the prostate gland”.

He further added on the treatment and cure of prostate problems, “In case of Prostatomegaly or prostate enlargement, the patient must immediately consult a Urologist and undergo proper evaluation and treatment. There is no need to panic and think that every problem will lead to fatality. One major concern is a misunderstanding about prostate disease and its surgical management that may lead to improper and delayed treatment and substandard postsurgical results. The Urologist will understand the severity of the problem and will take the necessary steps for treatment. There are chances that the Prostate is partly affected by Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and partly by Prostate Cancer, so proper evaluation and Guided biopsy are most important especially in Prostate cancer. It should be kept in mind that cancer can spread and affect the entire gland and adjacent organs including Bones. However, proper treatment should be started for the patient to minimize or prevent the chance of spreading cancer and related complications. At CMRI, we have been diligently working to use modern technology and amenities to treat patients suffering from prostate problems. With the help of serum PSA and Free serum PSA now we can segregate most of our patients. We conduct Uroflowmetry Test with USG of a high standard on the patient to detect any obstruction in the flow of urine. We also use Multiparametric MRI to detect whether there is a chance of cancer in the Prostate. If we find the reading ranges between 4 and 5, we send the patient for a prostate biopsy after proper clinical evaluation. This method is also beneficial to rule out the chance of cancer, if not detected in the previous biopsy. We use the latest surgical methods for BPH to prevent too much blood loss during surgery. Laser surgery is especially helpful for the aged and cardiac patient and those on pacemaker support and on blood thinners. Laser surgery for the prostate can be of various types like Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP), Thulium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate, and many others. Thunderbeat which is used for bipolar prostate transurethral resection or vaporization.”

Dr. Pankaj Gupta advises on exercising and losing weight, in order to keep prostate healthy. Patients suffering from prostate problems should consume more amount of prostate friendly foods like green leafy vegetables, nuts, pomegranate, fish and should reduce the intake of sugar, tea, and coffee. They should have regular and good bowel habits. They MUST AVOID EXCESSIVE INTAKE OF WATER.

Dr. Gupta urges all men above 50 years to get regular thorough medical screening done in order to keep prostate problems under check. DON’T Take Unnecessarily medicines for Prostate by just seeing that your USG report says Prostatomegaly. DON’T Panic after just seeing a raised PSA value (It’s not always due to cancer and that’s why needs proper evaluation). Following these steps can foster better prostate health and provide vigor to the body to fight illness.

About the author- Dr. Pankaj K Gupta, Consultant Urologist, CMRI, Kolkata