Diagnosis Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (bph)

Some of the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia are such that those afflicted with the condition may notice them on their own. Others are more difficult to recognize, and require a doctor's expertise to discern. Once BPH is suspected or confirmed, the patient is usually sent to a urologist for further examination. There are many tests that urologists use to diagnose conditions, ranging from simple physical examination to complicated laboratory blood or urine testing.

Digital rectal examinations are the easiest to administer, and are the starting point for most doctors. The doctor dons surgical gloves and places one finger inside the rectum, feeling the prostate on the other side of the rectal wall for abnormalities.

Prostate specific antigen blood tests are used to determine if symptoms are a result of prostate cancer. Prostate specific antigen is a protein that is made inside the prostate, and if the subject has prostate cancer, its levels become elevated in the bloodstream. The FDA has approved the PSA test, as long as used along with a digital rectal exam. The methods of PSA testing are relatively new, and there are many unanswered questions regarding the test. All of the risks behind PSA testing are still unknown, and PSA testing as well as ultrasound testing both have a high chance of providing false results, identifying tumors that are not related to benign prostatic hyperplasia or even medically notable. False results given by PSA tests could possibly lead to unnecessary surgery, putting patients at risk with little potential of benefit.

Another relatively unobtrusive method of scanning the prostate is rectal ultrasound. An ultrasound probe is placed in the rectum, and used to emit sound waves that echo throughout the body. These echoes are analyzed, and their movements create a picture of the inside of the body. Using this method, doctors can determine if the prostate has developed tumors or any unusual growths.

Considering that disruption of proper urinary flow is one of the most common symptoms of BPH, it is no surprise that there is a test that specifically monitors improper urinary flow. Basically, the patient urinates into a device that measures output, allowing doctors to chart flow strength and determine if the patient seems to be suffering from BPH.

X-rays can also be taken of the urinary tract, but special techniques must be used to make the soft tissue of tumors or obstructive material visual. A dye is injected into a vein, and then the x-ray photographs are taken. The dye illuminates the urine in the urinary system, and allows doctors to see obstructions. This type of x-ray procedure is called an intravenous pyelogram.

To allow direct pictures to be taken of the bladder and urethra, a camera can actually be inserted into the penis. Thankfully, a numbing agent is used to minimize the discomfort, but the procedure can still be quite unsettling. The cystoscope is a tube that has a lense and fiber optic lighting, and allows the doctor to directly visually examine the size of the prostate gland and the presence and severity of any tumors or obstructions.

• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Bph Prescriptions
• Treatment Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Corpora Amylacea -- What Is This Prostate Problem?
• Diagnosing Prostate Cancer
• Diagnosis Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (bph)
• The Different Types Of Prostate Problem Diagnosis
• Disorders Of The Prostate
• Do You Have Prostate Cancer? You Are Not Alone!
• Fats, Red Meat, And Prostate Cancer
• Problems Of The Prostate Gland
• Good Nutrition And Prostate Cancer
• How Prostate Surgery Affects Sexual Function
• Are Prostate Problems Part Of Aging?
• New Hope For Men With Prostate Cancer
• Prostate Cancer Treatment
• Prostate Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Functions Of The Prostate Gland
• Prostate Inflammation Or Prostatitis
• Prostate Problems And The Risk Factors
• Prostate Problems And Their Psychology
• Prostate Problems Unveiled
• Prostate Problems
• General Prostate Problems, Symptoms, And Treatment
• Prostatitis: Another Prostate Disorder
• Risk Factors For Developing Prostate Cancer
• Sources Of Support For Prostate Cancer Patients And Their Families
• Surgery To Correct Prostate Problems
• Surgical Treatment For An Enlarged Prostate
• Symptoms Of An Enlarged Prostate
• Testing For Prostate Problems
• The Different Types Of Hormone Therapy
• The First Step In Diagnosing Prostate Problems
• The Life Cycle Of A Prostate Problem
• The Most Radical Treatment Of Prostate Disease
• The Prostate And Its Effects On Male Life
• The Prostate And Its Foe
• The Prostate Epidemic
• The Prostate Specific Antigen Test: How Does It Work?
• The Prostate: What Is It, Where Is It Found, And What Is Its Function?
• The Prostate
• There Are Limits To The Psa Test!
• Three Common Prostate Disorders
• Treating Prostate Cancer With Hormone Therapy
• Treatment For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Treatments For Prostate Cancer
• Understanding Staging And Grades Of Prostate Cancer
• What Can You Expect After Prostate Surgery?
• What Is Bph And What Are Its Symptoms?