A national survey released today revealed that most American men age 50 and over do not recognize the symptoms of enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as health issues unless they pose a "severe" disruption to their lives. In fact, nearly 70 percent of men surveyed would change their daily routines to compensate for the need to urinate frequently rather than seek medical attention. The findings, released by the Men's Health Network (MHN), bring to light the need for better education and earlier detection about this non-cancerous condition of the prostate, which potentially interrupts the urine flow. Enlarged prostate, or BPH, affects more than 50 percent of men over age 60 and as many as 90 percent of men over age 70, but many may remain undiagnosed because men often tolerate symptoms as they associate them with a common part of the aging process.In addition to the national survey, MHN is launching Back to Life Without Interruptions, a campaign to encourage men age 50 and over to see a physician if they urinate every two hours or more, and not to accept these types of interruptions. The campaign, which is sponsored by sanofi-aventis, a member of the sanofi-aventis Group, offers a live, weeklong call-in center where men can discuss their symptoms one-on-one with a healthcare professional, who also will help them locate a physician in their area and provide more information. The call-in center can be accessed by calling 1-866-543-6461 (MHN1), extension 116.
"Men tend to put off seeing a physician until their urinary symptoms become intolerable. It is well recognized that men should seek medical attention earlier, not only because the treatments are simpler, but the outcomes are more favorable. If left untreated, urinary symptoms associated with enlarged prostate, or BPH, such as frequency, urgency, nocturia, hesitancy, intermittency, weak urinary stream and feeling of incomplete bladder emptying, could put them at risk for additional problems, such as sexual dysfunction, bladder infections, or even kidney damage," said Jerry H. Singer, MD, urologist, West Palm Beach, FL, and a MHN board member. "It's important for men to talk to their physicians about ways to manage their condition with the appropriate treatments."
According to the national survey of men age 50 and over, nearly 65 percent of men have not seen a doctor about their prostate symptoms despite the fact that enlarged prostate, or BPH, is a very common and treatable condition. Further, more than 50 percent of respondents said the number of times they urinate has increased in the last 10 years, yet many indicated that they have not addressed this problem with their doctor. In some cases, men indicated they would wait up to one year, if ever, before visiting a doctor to discuss the urinary symptoms associated with enlarged prostate or BPH.
"When I recognized the number of times I would go to the bathroom significantly increased, I figured it was just a common sign of aging, and waited to seek medical attention," said Steven Silverman, MD, Ob/Gyn, and a BPH patient. "But, the symptoms started to disrupt my everyday life, work and intimacy. As a practicing physician myself, I learned I could manage my urinary symptoms. If I had realized this sooner, I would not have waited as long to seek advice from my urologist."
About Back to Life Without Interruptions
To help men and their partners learn more about enlarged prostate or BPH and its symptoms, the MHN will offer the opportunity to receive information and advice through a toll-free number 1-866-543-6461 (MHN1), extension 116, from which they can request a free campaign brochure and the "U-Check" screening tool. In addition, from August 18-24 (business days) and September 7-13 (business days) between 8 PM and midnight EDT, men and their partners can speak live via the call-in center with a healthcare professional to answer any questions they may have. The campaign also features a Web site (http://www.nointerruptions.com), containing in-depth information about BPH and treatment options, including a resource to identify physicians across the country who specialize in treating BPH.
About BPH or Enlarged Prostate
BPH or enlarged prostate is defined as a progressive condition in which prostate cells grow more rapidly than normal and cause the prostate to become enlarged. BPH is not cancer and affects nearly 8 million men in the United States. In fact, more than 50 percent of men over age 60 have the condition and after age 80, men have an 80 percent chance of developing BPH. Typically, symptoms of BPH start slowly and become severe over time to the point where men do not recognize how much they compromise their work and leisure activities to accommodate the need to urinate or learn to make excuses to go to the bathroom. Symptoms of BPH include frequent urination, urgency, nocturia, hesitancy, intermittency, weak urinary stream, and a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder.
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