Prostate Health Warnings: Analysis of Scrotal Heaviness, Alcoholic Urinary Retention, and Frequent Nocturia in the Elderly

Some men frequently experience a heavy, dragging, or swollen discomfort in their scrotum, sometimes accompanied by dull pain. The causes of scrotal swelling are multifaceted, including both medical conditions and non-medical factors. Certain pathological changes affecting the organs within the scrotum can cause this sensation: benign or malignant tumors in the testicles, or acute or chronic inflammation, can lead to an increase in size and weight.

The most common conditions also include inguinal hernia, hydrocele, and seminal vesicle cysts. Scrotal swelling can also occur in certain non-disease states, primarily due to excessive or frequent sexual activity in some men, or prolonged periods of abstinence resulting in a full but unreleased semen. Furthermore, masturbation or frequent use of inappropriate male contraceptive methods, such as withdrawal or urethral compression, can cause the sexual organs to be in a state of constant congestion.

During strenuous exercise or excessive emotional excitement, blood circulation accelerates, and the local temperature of the scrotum rises, causing the scrotum to relax and the testicles to sag. Standing or walking for extended periods can also cause a feeling of heaviness or pressure in the scrotum. Frequently wearing overly tight pants, especially non-breathable synthetic shorts, not only compresses the scrotum but also raises the local temperature, which can also lead to a feeling of heaviness and pain in the scrotum.

Scrotal swelling caused by physiological factors or improper sexual activity generally requires no special treatment. However, scrotal swelling caused by illness requires identifying the underlying cause and treating it appropriately. Mr. Chen once attended a dinner party and drank a few too many drinks. In the middle of the night, he woke up needing to urinate but couldn't. After a hospital examination, he realized that he had "drunk" his prostate.

The prostate is an organ highly sensitive to alcohol. When stimulated by alcohol, the local capillaries rapidly dilate and become congested, and the cells swell. Patients with chronic prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia often experience urethral compression. An "intoxicated" prostate will further encroach on the urethral space, causing difficulty urinating. In severe cases of compression, acute urinary retention and dribbling may occur.

In addition, a swollen prostate can compress and stretch nerve endings, causing a feeling of heaviness and soreness in the lower abdomen and perineum. Treatment is simple: a warm sitz bath. Soak twice a day for more than half an hour each time to promote the absorption of local exudate and accelerate the reduction of swelling. In addition, appropriate amounts of heat-clearing, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic medications can be taken.

Mr. Wang is over 60 years old, and the problem that has been troubling him is that he urinates too frequently. At first, he thought that frequent urination was normal for his age. He urinated even more frequently at night, seven or eight times a night. When he went to the hospital for a checkup, the doctor told him that the reason for his increased nighttime urination was benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and because he had delayed treatment for too long, he had to undergo surgery.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), commonly known as enlarged prostate, is a common disease among elderly men. According to medical statistics, 60% of men over 60 years old will develop BPH, and the incidence rate is almost 100% in men over 80 years old. There is a common misconception among the elderly that they don't take urinary problems seriously as they age, believing it to be a normal physiological phenomenon.

People are often ashamed to talk about urination problems and don't go to the hospital for treatment, which can easily lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment and adverse consequences.