Happy Prostate essential for male wellbeing : Dr Pankaj Gupta

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 population of age group 50 years suffer from prostate problems, and almost 70% of population of age group around 70 years, have issues relating to their prostate. Prostate problem is not merely a genetic disease but it may also occur due to environmental factors and dietary factors. Intake of too much fatty foods leads to prostate problem. 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 increase in severity of symptoms as the flow of urine is already obstructed by prostate. As a result, patient presents with frequency and urgency. Symptoms of 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- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Prostatitis, & Prostate Cancer. BPH refers to the enlargement of prostate gland with age, which leads to difficulty in urination. Prostatitis is the swelling or inflammation of the Prostate may be due to infection. 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, 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 regular prostate health check-up to maintain their overall wellbeing. Usually, it is seen that prostate problems crop up more during 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 normal flow of urine. Prostate is well connected with bowel movement, hypertension, diabetes, etc that is metabolic disease. Hence, one change in any of these factors can play a huge role in altering the normal functioning of the prostate gland. “