Cold weather might correlate with more acute symptoms for benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as enlarged prostate, said Hung Shun-hsing (洪順興), director of urology at Chi Mei Hospital’s Chiali Branch in Tainan.
Hung said his department reported more patients treated with urinary catheterization than usual, which he attributed to the cold weather, which can induce the urge to urinate and, as a result, people with enlarged prostates are more likely to experience symptoms.
The rate for benign prostatic hyperplasia for men over 50 years old is about 50 percent, with the ratio rising to 70 percent for men over 70 years of age and almost 100 percent for men over 80 years old, Hung said.
“Enlarged prostate is also known as the longevity sickness. If you live long enough, you will develop it,” he said.
To delay the onset of symptoms, a healthy diet high in fiber and greens, but low in red meat is important, as is substituting meat with fish and maintaining a normal circadian rhythm, he said.
Common symptoms of an enlarged prostate are high frequency of urination, the urge to urinate while sleeping, difficulty holding urine, low-pressure flow and difficulty in emptying the bladder, he said.
The condition can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life, and older patients are known to suffer insomnia because they worry about having to urinate at night, or become so concerned that they refrain from drinking water hours before sleep, Hung added.
There is no correlation between prostate enlargement and prostate cancer, but prostatic hyperplasia is not a condition that the body naturally recovers from and delaying treatment leads to a worsening of the condition, he said.
He called on people to consult a medical doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Enlarged prostate is mainly treated by medication, but surgery is recommended when medication is ineffective or side-effects become too severe, he said.
Surgery is also used in cases where repeated instances of passing blood, urinary tract infections, bladder stones or acute urine retention are observed, or when renal functions are affected, he added.
Cystoscopic surgery is the conventional treatment for an enlarged prostate and is covered by National Health Insurance, Hung said.
The conventional procedure offers the immediate relief of symptoms, but has a comparatively high number of side-effects, including bleeding, risk of infection and the possibility of erectile dysfunction or incontinence in a small number of patients, Hung said.
In comparison, laser surgery, which utilizes a high-energy nanosecond pulse to vaporize or excise excess prostate tissue, is superior in safety, side-effect risks and recovery time, but the procedure is not covered by National Health Insurance, he said.
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