Every man is susceptible to prostate gland enlargement in his lifetime, the Chief Executive Officer of Medi-Moses Prostate Centre, Dr De-Gaulle Moses Dogbatsey, has said.
He, therefore, advised men to conduct regular medical check-ups to ascertain the condition of their prostate gland enlargement, also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and seek early treatment.
Delivering a lecture in Accra last Friday on the topic: “Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Prostate Cancer, Dr Dogbatsey indicated that although it normally started at age 35, there had been instances when some men experienced BPH at age 27 and therefore admonished all men to go for regular medical check-ups every year, once they turn 35.
The lecture formed part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of Katanga Hall, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Dr Dogbatsey warned that prostate gland enlargement, which is a swelling of the prostate gland, was a natural occurrence like greying and if not detected and treated early, may result in Prostate Cancer and eventually death.
Prostate gland enlargement
According to Dr Dogbatsey, while it is not yet understood what causes BPH, some theories suggest the enlargement occurs as a result of some hormones in the male body such as testosterone and oestrogen.
He, however, said studies have shown that males in a family that had a history of prostate gland enlargement were most likely to experience enlargement of their prostate glands as they age.
In some men, the glands may enlarge though there may be no symptoms and an enlarged gland may weigh from between 40gm to 250gm, Dr Dogbatsey said.
Symptoms
When the gland enlarges, it blocks the urine passage and brings about incomplete, slow and intermittent urination, while the bladder usually becomes thicker and irritable, begins to contract and takes just little urine, Dr Dogbatsey expounded.
As a result of that, men who experience the condition have to visit the urinal very frequently to urinate or risk soiling themselves.
He said symptoms could also be activated after being in one position for a long time like sitting during a long journey.
“Many people feel uncomfortable talking about prostate, since the gland plays a role in both sex and urination,” Dr De-Gaulle Dogbatsey stated, urging men to talk about it, since it was a commonality and would not affect their sex life if help was sought early.
Early detection and treatment
He,however, cautioned that prolonged enlargement of the gland could result in further complications that may be fatal, if not treated early.
“When urine stays in the bladder, it gets infected and causes urinal tract infection” and may thus necessitate the use of a catheter if diagnosed, to make urination easier, Dr Dogbatsey disclosed.
“It also goes back to the kidney and can cause kidney failure,” he cautioned.
There are two types of treatment according to the doctor - orthodox method that will require permanent intake of drugs prescribed or taking what he referred to as natural food supplements (as is prescribed by his prostate centre) for intermittent periods of eight weeks each during treatment, till the enlarged gland shrinks.
Prostate cancer
Assuring that just a small per cent of men are likely to have cancerous enlargements, Dr Moses Dogbatsey said, “Prostate can be big and yet not be cancerous – Every man is prone to BPH as the prostate gland enlarges with age, but few may have cancerous prostates.”
Saying this was as a result of the different composition of every human, he noted that the worse form of BPH could be experienced, when the gland begins multiplying and no longer obeys the brain.
He cautioned that if the bladder was permanently damaged, treatment for BPH might be ineffective, adding “This is prevented if it is seen and treated earlier.”
Earlier, Chairman for the lecture, Dr Kofi Nyarko, Programmes Manager, Non-Communicable Diseases and Focal Person, Cancer Control Centre, Ghana Health Service, lamented the very low awareness of prostate cancer, saying even health professionals detected it late because of the lack of awareness.
“Prostate among West Africans, especially, is very aggressive and kills most men at 50,” he said.
Giving the reason for the lecture, Mr Charles Dontoh, President, Katanga Alumni Association, said it was to sensitise everybody so that males didn’t wait till they were diagnosed as having Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) before they went for treatment, which may be too late.
By Edmund Smith-Asante/Daily Graphic/Ghana
Every man is susceptible to prostate gland enlargement in his lifetime, the Chief Executive Officer of Medi-Moses Prostate Centre, Dr De-Gaulle Moses Dogbatsey, has said.
He, therefore, advised men to conduct regular medical check-ups to ascertain the condition of their prostate gland enlargement, also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and seek early treatment.
Delivering a lecture in Accra last Friday on the topic: “Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Prostate Cancer, Dr Dogbatsey indicated that although it normally started at age 35, there had been instances when some men experienced BPH at age 27 and therefore admonished all men to go for regular medical check-ups every year, once they turn 35.
The lecture formed part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of Katanga Hall, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Dr Dogbatsey warned that prostate gland enlargement, which is a swelling of the prostate gland, was a natural occurrence like greying and if not detected and treated early, may result in Prostate Cancer and eventually death.
Prostate gland enlargement
According to Dr Dogbatsey, while it is not yet understood what causes BPH, some theories suggest the enlargement occurs as a result of some hormones in the male body such as testosterone and oestrogen.
He, however, said studies have shown that males in a family that had a history of prostate gland enlargement were most likely to experience enlargement of their prostate glands as they age.
In some men, the glands may enlarge though there may be no symptoms and an enlarged gland may weigh from between 40gm to 250gm, Dr Dogbatsey said.
Symptoms
When the gland enlarges, it blocks the urine passage and brings about incomplete, slow and intermittent urination, while the bladder usually becomes thicker and irritable, begins to contract and takes just little urine, Dr Dogbatsey expounded.
As a result of that, men who experience the condition have to visit the urinal very frequently to urinate or risk soiling themselves.
He said symptoms could also be activated after being in one position for a long time like sitting during a long journey.
“Many people feel uncomfortable talking about prostate, since the gland plays a role in both sex and urination,” Dr De-Gaulle Dogbatsey stated, urging men to talk about it, since it was a commonality and would not affect their sex life if help was sought early.
Early detection and treatment
He,however, cautioned that prolonged enlargement of the gland could result in further complications that may be fatal, if not treated early.
“When urine stays in the bladder, it gets infected and causes urinal tract infection” and may thus necessitate the use of a catheter if diagnosed, to make urination easier, Dr Dogbatsey disclosed.
“It also goes back to the kidney and can cause kidney failure,” he cautioned.
There are two types of treatment according to the doctor - orthodox method that will require permanent intake of drugs prescribed or taking what he referred to as natural food supplements (as is prescribed by his prostate centre) for intermittent periods of eight weeks each during treatment, till the enlarged gland shrinks.
Prostate cancer
Assuring that just a small per cent of men are likely to have cancerous enlargements, Dr Moses Dogbatsey said, “Prostate can be big and yet not be cancerous – Every man is prone to BPH as the prostate gland enlarges with age, but few may have cancerous prostates.”
Saying this was as a result of the different composition of every human, he noted that the worse form of BPH could be experienced, when the gland begins multiplying and no longer obeys the brain.
He cautioned that if the bladder was permanently damaged, treatment for BPH might be ineffective, adding “This is prevented if it is seen and treated earlier.”
Earlier, Chairman for the lecture, Dr Kofi Nyarko, Programmes Manager, Non-Communicable Diseases and Focal Person, Cancer Control Centre, Ghana Health Service, lamented the very low awareness of prostate cancer, saying even health professionals detected it late because of the lack of awareness.
“Prostate among West Africans, especially, is very aggressive and kills most men at 50,” he said.
Giving the reason for the lecture, Mr Charles Dontoh, President, Katanga Alumni Association, said it was to sensitise everybody so that males didn’t wait till they were diagnosed as having Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) before they went for treatment, which may be too late.
By Edmund Smith-Asante/Daily Graphic/Ghana
