Honoring the Memory of Fallen Veterans and Caring for Veterans Living with BPH

Monday the 25th was Memorial Day in the United States, a day to remember the fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country. The solemn day of remembrance was not halted by the global pandemic, and many families and comrades of the fallen were able to pay their respects. Even for the veterans who are still with us to share their experiences, this day to remember their fallen brothers is just as important. To the veterans with us today, we thank you for your service to the land of the free. 

One of the things that came to mind with the veteran community is that many of the veterans are male. A graph in 2018 about the gender demographics of veterans shows there were approximately 1.6 female veterans compared to a whopping 16.3 million male veterans. In terms of age demographics, there are also more large groups of veterans in their 30-40s, 50-60s and 70s and up. With a large population of older male veterans, urologists have offered support to veterans struggling with severe BPH in the form of new procedures. For those who don't know, BPH is benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition that men may experience in older age when the prostate gland grows in size. This may interfere with urinary and sexual function in men. 

Examples of symptoms include frequent urination (especially at night), slow urinary flow, trouble with starting or stopping urinary flow, sensation of remaining urine, straining, dribbling, etc. 

One of the reasons why BPH awareness is important is, we need to make sure we can take care of men in and out of our lives who are likely to face this condition as they get older. This goes for our heroic veterans as well. This last week of May as the month comes to a close, June (Men's Health Month) is just around the corner. We need to increase and continue the support for men's health so that men with BPH can find safer solutions and support from their peers.