The symptoms of an enlarged prostate can become a problem for men as they age. You may have been the kind of person who never suffered from an overactive bladder when, all of a sudden, it seems like you are waking up to use the restroom every night. This increased frequency of nighttime urination (nocturia) can be one of the first signs of an enlarged prostate.
Nearly 50 percent of all men suffer from an enlarged prostate by the age of 60, according to the American Urological Association.
The telltale signs of an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), include having difficulty emptying your bladder, having to urinate frequently or feeling like you need to urinate and not being able to. Symptoms like these, unfortunately, can start slowly before they begin to affect your daily life. Most men experience symptoms when the enlarged prostate blocks the free flow of urine from your bladder through your urethra.
Not only is an enlarged prostate uncomfortable, but it can also be painful, frustrating, and put you at risk for other health issues. If you aren’t able to fully empty your bladder, you have a higher risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI), bladder stones, or having blood in the urine.
Although an enlarged prostate may seem like an embarrassing problem, it’s actually incredibly common. Thankfully, there are plenty of remedies that can help relieve the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, including:
Alpha Blockers
While alpha blocker medications do not actually reduce the size of an enlarged prostate, they do help to relax your muscles. So, while your prostate may still be causing a urinary tract blockage, relaxed muscles around the bladder allows you to urinate more easily without pain, strain, or frustration.
Noninvasive Therapy
Transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT), is a type of treatment that uses a microwave of sorts to heat and destroy prostate tissue that is blocking urine flow. Considered a minimally invasive treatment, TUMT involves inserting a narrow antenna through the penis tip to the location of the urethra blockage. This type of treatment can help reduce urinary frequency and urgency, and make it easier for you to empty your bladder.
Surgical Procedures
There are plenty of options to relieve the symptoms of an enlarged prostate if you are open to a more invasive approach.
Your doctor can insert a stent, or small metal coil, in your urethra in order to widen it and keep it open. This is usually performed as an outpatient procedure.
A transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP) involves making one or two small incisions to open the urinary channel.
One of the most common types of surgery for an enlarged prostate is a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), which surgically removes the overgrown prostate tissue.
Prostate laser surgery uses concentrated light energy to destroy prostate tissue. The advantages of this type of laser surgery include less bleeding, a less invasive procedure and faster recovery.
To learn more about benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), contact the Urology Specialists of Milford. Dr. Jeffrey Steinberg, a board-certified and highly experienced urologist, specializes in urological disorders, especially prostate enlargement and its symptoms. To schedule your consultation, call us at (508) 473-6333 or use our convenient appointment request form.