Surgery For An Enlarged Prostate
For most men with very enlarged prostates, surgery can relieve symptoms — but there are both risks and benefits with each type of operation. Discuss them with your doctor. After a careful evaluation of your situation and your general medical condition, your doctor will recommend which is best for you.
TURP : This is the most common surgery for an enlarged prostate, and considered to bring the greatest reduction in symptoms. Only the tissue growth that is pressing against the urethra is removed to allow urine to flow easily. The procedure involves an electrical loop that cuts tissue and seals blood vessels. Most doctors suggest using TURP whenever surgery is required, as it is less traumatic than open surgery and requires shorter recovery time.
With the TURP procedure, patients can expect to have retrograde ejaculation afterwards, says Westney. This is a condition in which a man ejaculates backward into the bladder instead of through the urethra. “Retrograde ejaculation generally isn’t painful,” she tells WebMD. “It shouldn’t be an issue unless fertility is a concern.” Other possible side effects include blood loss requiring transfusion , painful urination, recurring urinary tract infections, bladder neck narrowing, and blood in the urine.
After TURP, the odds of erection problems range from 5% to 35%. However, this is often temporary — and the ability to have an erection and an orgasm returns after a few months.
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The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
Does Enlarged Prostate Mean Cancer
Many people think that prostate cancer and enlarged prostate cancer are associated, but it is not right. Enlarged prostate begins from the central part of the prostate gland, while prostate cancer starts in the prostate gland’s peripheral zone. Both the conditions may appear common, but they don’t cause each other. Prostate cancer is malignant and can spread from the source of its origin to other body parts. On the contrary, an enlarged prostate is benign and cannot spread from its original source. 1 out of every 7 men may be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 1 out of every 2 men may be diagnosed with an enlarged prostate in their old age.
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How Is Benign Prostate Enlargement Diagnosed
If your GP suspects that you have an enlarged prostate, you’ll be asked to complete a questionnaire to assess your symptoms.
Each question has five possible answers that carry a score, and your overall score indicates the severity of your symptoms.
Your GP will also want to rule out other conditions that cause similar symptoms to prostate enlargement.
You may have a number of standard tests, such as urine tests, plus some more specific tests, such as a blood test that measures PSA.
What Medications Are Used To In The Treatment Of Bph
Several types of medications have been approved for treatment of urinary symptoms secondary to prostate enlargement. Men with severe symptoms may require treatment with a combination of these medications. Your doctor will determine the optimal combination for your condition:
Alpha-blockers, such as terazosin , prazosin , or doxazosin , relax the muscles in the prostate and thus may relieve symptoms. Newer alpha-blockers, such as tamsulosin , alfuzosin , and silodosin, are more commonly prescribed because they may have fewer side effects.
Finasteride or dutasteride can cause the prostate to shrink. As a result, the urinary symptoms may improve. These drugs are most helpful in men who have at least moderate enlargement of the prostate.
Tadalafil has recently been approved for the treatment of BPH.
Bladder calming medications that help with the symptoms related to bladder irritability from prostate blockage: oxybutynin , solifenacin , darifenacin , trospium , and mirabegron .
Once your doctor has given you a medical plan, you should stick to it and follow up as recommended. Sometimes men need follow-up with a urologist.
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Treating Benign Prostate Enlargement
Treatment for an enlarged prostate is determined by the severity of your symptoms.
If you have mild to moderate symptoms, you won’t receive any immediate medical treatment, but you’ll have regular check-ups to carefully monitor your prostate.
You’ll probably also be advised to make lifestyle changes, such as limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake, and exercising regularly, to see if they improve your symptoms.
As well as lifestyle changes, medication is usually recommended to treat moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostate enlargement. Finasteride and dutasteride are medications that are commonly used. They block the effects of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone on the prostate gland, which can reduce the size of the prostate and improve associated symptoms.
Alpha blockers may also be prescribed. They help to relax your bladder muscles, making it easier to pass urine. Tamsulosin and alfuzosin are two alpha blockers commonly used to treat benign prostate enlargement.
Surgery is usually only recommended for moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostate enlargement that have failed to respond to medication.
Read more about treating benign prostate enlargement
How Is An Enlarged Prostate Treated
The treatment plan for an enlarged prostate depends on several factors unique to you. At Alate Health, Dr. Doe considers your age, medical history and overall health, the size of your prostate, and the severity of your symptoms.
Based on your unique condition, he may begin treatment with medication for mild or moderate BPH cases. If your BPH is more severe, Dr. Doe may recommend prostate artery embolization .
PAE is a minimally invasive, cutting-edge modality that uses X-ray technology to treat BPH. During the procedure, youre given a catheter, and Dr. Doe makes a small incision in your groin or wrist to access your blood vessels.
X-ray dye is then injected to allow Dr. Doe to create a map, or arteriogram, of the blood vessels supplying your prostate gland. Once these vessels are mapped, Dr. Doe injects microspheres, or microscopic plastic beads, to slow the supply of blood reaching the prostate.
The catheter is then removed, and the process is repeated on the other side of the prostate gland. When the procedure is complete, your prostate begins to shrink over the following weeks since its blood supply is limited. As it shrinks, your symptoms improve.
Ready to learn more about the dangers of an enlarged prostate and how the team at Alate Health can help? Contact our Houston office or schedule an appointment by calling 713-893-0650 today!
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When Should You Call A Doctor For Bph
Urinary symptoms related to enlarging prostate initially affect the quality of life, and if no complications exist, as mentioned above , the decision to treat is optional and is left to the patient. This means that if you don’t feel bothered enough to take a medicine or undergo a procedure for it, you’ll need to follow up with your doctor to ensure the symptoms are stable, and the bladder empties well. This can be assessed by prostate symptom questionnaires and a measure of the strength of the urinary stream and residual urine in the bladder. If complications develop, however, or if the bladder starts holding increasing amounts of residual urine after urination, treatment should be started.
If you experience bladder pain or burning with urination, blood in the urine associated with fever/chills or nausea/vomiting, or if the prostate enlargement condition worsens and symptoms such as blood in the urine or lower back pain are present, consult a doctor immediately. If you cannot reach your doctor when these symptoms are present, seek evaluation at a hospital’s emergency department.
For acute symptoms such as acute urinary retention , you should immediately go to the closest emergency medical facility for bladder drainage, usually with a catheter, which is a tube inserted into the bladder.
Men over 50 years of age should have their prostate checked annually by their physician even if they have no symptoms.
International Prostate Symptom Score
You’ll be asked to complete a questionnaire to assess your symptoms. Each question has five possible answers that carry a score, and your overall score is used to assess the severity of your symptoms.
The checklist includes the following questions.
Over the past month:
- How often have you had the sensation of not completely emptying your bladder after urinating?
- How often have you had to urinate again less than two hours after finishing urinating?
- How often have you found that you stopped and started again when urinating?
- How often have you found it difficult to postpone urination?
- How often have you had a weak stream of urine?
- How often have you had to push or strain to begin urinating during the course of one night?
- How often have you had to get up during the night to urinate?
After your GP has assessed the severity your symptoms, they’ll aim to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms using certain tests.
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So Why Would You Go See The Doctor
An important clinical goal for you and your doctor should be to detect risk for prostate cancer long before it can cause symptoms.
Thus, any initial detection of signs that you may have prostate cancer is now most commonly the result of a regular check-up carried out by your primary care physician, which may include a digital rectal examination or a prostate specific antigen test.
The most common symptom which may make a man go to either his primary care physician or a urologist, and which might subsequently lead to a diagnosis of prostate cancer, is some form of problem with normal urination.
Since all the symptoms listed above may be caused by prostate cancer and/or by a number of other disorders , it would be wise to talk to your family doctor if you or someone else in your family is having one or more of these problems on a regular basis.
What Are The Risk Factors For Enlarged Prostate
Researchers are still largely unclear on what causes the prostate to become enlarged but risk factors include:
- Age: As many as 90 percent of men over the age of 80 have an enlarged prostate.
- Family history: Men who have a family history of the condition are more likely to suffer from it.
- Other health issues: Men who suffer from obesity, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes have higher rates of an enlarged prostate diagnoses.
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Whats The Risk Of Prostate Cancer At Age 60
PSA Test at Age 60 Predicts Risk of Death from Prostate Cancer. Men who had a PSA level of 1 nanogram of PSA or lower per milliliter of blood were considered at low risk of prostate cancer and had 0.2 percent chance of dying from prostate cancer and probably did not need regular screening, the researchers said.
Positive Psa Score Association With Other Conditions
The amount of PSA in your blood test may increase with other prostate conditions such prostatitis, enlarged prostate , or within two days after ejaculation.
Rest assured, even though your results may be high, it doesnt necessarily mean you have prostate cancer. Just a greater risk of developing it.
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Prostate Problems Symptoms And Warning Signs
Its common for men over the age of 50 to have prostate problems. The prostate gland produces semen. Common conditions that affect the gland are enlarged prostate , acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, and prostate cancer. Talk to your doctor if you think you may have problems urinating or pain with urination.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Enlarged Prostate And Prostate Cancer
Though enlarged prostate and prostate cancer have almost similar symptoms, sometimes it becomes difficult to differentiate the two. The urethra squeezes as the prostate grows due to any reason. This pressure on the urethra prevents the urine from coming out of the body via the urethra. Prostate cancer symptoms generally don’t appear until cancer has attained enough growth to pressurize the urethra. Following are some of the common symptoms of an enlarged prostate and prostate cancer:
- Urgent need for urination
- Frequent urination or nocturia
- Weak urinating system
- Feeling of fullness in the bladder every time.
In the early stages of prostate cancer, symptoms don’t appear until they have reached an advanced stage. Prostate cancer patients may notice these symptoms:
- Painful urination with a burning sensation
- Blood in the urine
- Weakness in legs
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Treatment For Bladder Cancer Depends On Your Overall Health Progression Of The C
The pancreas is an organ that releases enzymes involved with digestion, and hormones to regular blood sugar levels. Here are 10 more facts about prostate cancer. Although it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in american women, breast cancer can impact people of all genders. Although screenings for prostate cancer are one tool for early detecti.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms / Prostate Cancer Symptoms Prostate Plus A Mans Site For Prostate Wellness Prostate Plus. Here are 10 more facts about prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in men. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer found in women after skin cancer but that doesnt mean men arent at risk as well. Prostate cancer is a common type of cancer in men, according to the mayo clinic.
But hearing the words can still be scary prostate cancer. Treatment for bladder cancer depends on your overall health, progression of the c.
One in seven men in the united states will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during his lifetime. Although the percentage of cases in men is much lower than in women, male breast cancer accounts for a por.
One in seven men in the united states will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during his lifetime. If breast cancer is diagnosed at an early enough stage, its treatable.
Find the information you need today. Although screenings for prostate cancer are one tool for early detecti.
In fact, most people dont even know what it does.
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How Is Yale Medicines Approach To Treating Enlarged Prostate Unique
“Urologists at Yale Medicine can give you a personalized approach to prostate care for both benign and malignant conditions,” says Dr. Honig.
Doctors at Yale Medicine work closely with specialists across all disciplines at Yale New Haven Hospital. Our doctors are dedicated to providing the latest treatmentsall personalized to meet the needs of each patient. This collaboration between different departments and teams sets Yale Medicine apart in its standard of care.
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The Meaning Of Very Highly Elevated Psa
PSA 1000, is it possible, does it mean the mans death?First you have to confirm the lab result when it is above the normal limits.PSA levels 100+. Often show when Patients have advanced or metastatic prostate cancer.Very high PSA level usually mean strong indicator of multinodular prostate cancer and removal after biopsy.What is the PSA level to remove prostate?Prostate cancer removal depends on the pathological report of a biopsy taken from your prostate gland to decide the extension, shape, volume, and properties of the suspected cancerous cells, PSA are only used to monitor the progress of suspicious cells, then decide a biopsy procedure. However, highly elevated PSA total with low free PSA levels is a strong prostate cancer marker and a result required fast medical decision.Elevated High PSA after prostatectomy?A careful handling of PSA values after prostate removal is must,after prostatectomy you must wait for about six weeks to take a blood PSA test, because PSA levels are commonly show elevated after surgery, but its a false PSA result, however repeating the test after some weeks can declare if its just false or it may a cause of incomplete surgery or dangerous remnants of cancer cell.Now I think you understanding what does a high PSA test mean?Dont miss, What should my PSA level be in my previous interpretation about Normal PSA Levels
What Are Common Prostate Problems What Are The Symptoms And Signs
Here are some examples of non-cancer prostate problems:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, means your prostate is enlarged, but is not cancerous. It is very common in older men. An enlarged prostate may make it very difficult to urinate or cause dribbling after you urinate. You may feel the need to urinate a lot, often at night. See your family doctor for an exam. Treatments for BPH include:
- Watchful waiting, also called active surveillance. If your symptoms are not too bad, your doctor may tell you to wait before starting any treatment to see if the problem gets worse. Your doctor will tell you how often you need to return for checkups. You can start treatment later if your symptoms worsen.
- Medications. There are medicines that can help shrink the prostate or help relax muscles near your prostate to ease your symptoms. Talk with your doctor about possible side effects.
- Surgery. If nothing else has worked, your doctor may suggest surgery to help urine flow. There are many types of BPH surgery. Talk with your doctor about the risks. Regular checkups are important after surgery.
- Other treatments. Sometimes radio waves, microwaves, or lasers are used to treat urinary problems caused by BPH. These methods use different kinds of heat to reduce extra prostate tissue.
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How Is Prostate Cancer Treated
Treatment options for prostate cancer include:
- Surgery to remove the prostate .
- High intensity focused ultrasound .
- Cryotherapy .
- Hormone treatment, also called androgen suppression therapy.
- Chemotherapy.
You may continue to have PSA level tests during and after prostate cancer treatment. These tests check that the treatment is working.