Minimally Invasive Treatments For An Enlarged Prostate
When medications don’t help your enlarged prostate, several procedures can relieve symptoms — without surgery. They are performed in a doctor’s office. “These procedures use various types of heat energy to shrink a portion of the prostate,” explains Westney. “They are very effective.”
TUMT : This therapy for mild to moderate blockage reduces urinary frequency, urgency, straining, and intermittent flow — but does not correct any bladder-emptying problems. In this procedure, computer-regulated microwaves are used to heat portions within the prostate to destroy select tissue. A cooling system protects the wall of the urethra during the procedure. TUMT is performed in a doctor’s office and requires only topical anesthesia and pain medications.
Possible side effects include painful urination for several weeks. Temporary urgency and frequency of urination is also possible. There may be less semen ejaculated. Many men must have this procedure repeated, either because symptoms return or do not improve.
TUNA : This procedure also destroys prostate tissue to improve urine flow and relieve symptoms. It involves heating the tissue with high-frequency radiowaves transmitted by needles inserted directly into the prostate . The procedure does not require a hospital stay. Possible side effects include painful, urgent, or frequent urination for a few weeks.
Symptoms Of Urinary Problems
Urinary symptoms commonly experienced with prostate problems include:
- the need to urinate frequently during the night
- urinating more often during the day
- urinary urgency the urge to urinate can be so strong and sudden that you may not reach the toilet in time
- the urine stream is slow to start
- urine dribbling for some time after finishing urination
- a sensation that the bladder isn’t fully emptied after urination
- lack of force to the urine flow, which makes directing the stream difficult
- the sensation of needing to go again soon after urinating.
Although these symptoms often do not need treatment, see your doctor if they are causing you difficulty, as they can be successfully treated.
Causes Symptoms And Treatments Of An Enlarged Prostate
An enlarged prostate, otherwise known as benign prostate hyperplasia or BPH, is the most common prostate problem in men over the age of fifty. A mans prostate begins to grow at the age of twenty-five. According to the American Urological Association, over one-half of men over the age of sixty will have developed an enlarged prostate and by eighty-five the risk increases to ninety percent. Discover the causes, symptoms, and treatments of an enlarged prostate now.
Also Check: Is Drinking Beer Bad For Prostate Cancer
How Common Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is the most common prostate problem for men older than age 50. In 2010, as many as 14 million men in the United States had lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia.1 Although benign prostatic hyperplasia rarely causes symptoms before age 40, the occurrence and symptoms increase with age. Benign prostatic hyperplasia affects about 50 percent of men between the ages of 51 and 60 and up to 90 percent of men older than 80.2
How Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Diagnosed
Your doctor will look at your medical history and give you a complete physical examination.
Your doctor will perform a digital rectal examination by inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to feel the prostate, estimate its size and detect any hard areas that could be cancer.
Several studies may be performed to help diagnose your condition:
- A survey to evaluate how severe your symptoms are.
- A flow study may be conducted to measure how slow the urinary stream is compared with normal urine flow.
- A study to detect how much urine is left in the bladder after you finish urinating.
- A cystoscopy to look into the bladder.
Also Check: Does Prostatitis Go Away Without Treatment
Recommended Reading: How Do Doctors Check Prostate Cancer
How Is Prostate Disease Treated
Treatment depends on the diagnosis, and the type of disease that is present.
Diseases associated with excessive hormone levels are typically treated by neutering the dog. Because testosterone and estrogen are both formed in the testicles, neutering is generally an effective treatment. The prostate will return to its normal size within one month after surgery. Certain medications or hormone replacements, such as finasteride, megestrol acetate, and GnRH, may be used to treat specific prostatic conditions.
Paraprostatic cysts and prostatic abscesses require surgery to drain and remove them.
Diseases involving primary or secondary bacterial infections are treated with aggressive and prolonged antibiotic therapy. Because it is difficult for antibiotics to penetrate into the prostate gland, treatment for several weeks to months is usually necessary. Antibiotics that can penetrate the prostate include enrofloxacin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, chlorhamphenicol, doxycycline, and trimethoprim-sulfonamides each having varying pros and cons. Since the prostatic infections are typically secondary to another disease, treating the prostatic infection is only part of the overall treatment.
“Because it is difficult for antibiotics to penetrate into the prostate gland, treatment for several weeks to months is usually necessary.”
Treatment For Urinary Problems
If your urinary problems are caused by infection or enlargement of the prostate gland, treatment may include:
- a long course of antibacterial medication because infection is difficult to get rid of, the antibacterial medication will need to be taken for many weeks
- medication to improve urine flow and other symptoms
- surgical procedures the type of surgery required depends on the size of the prostate and the condition of the urethra. Types of procedures include:
- transurethral resection of the prostate
- transurethral incision of the prostate
- laser resection of the prostate
- open surgery prostatectomy
- removal of prostate tissue using water jets or steam
Recommended Reading: What Does Grade 4 Prostate Cancer Mean
Large Prostate With Significant Symptoms
For patients who have moderate or severe symptoms that have failed medical therapy from very enlarged prostates, the optimal treatment is often surgery. For very enlarged prostates, there are four main surgical options:
How Is Enlarged Prostate Treated
Treatments for enlarged prostate include:
Lifestyle changes: These can include reducing liquid intake, bladder training , abstaining from alcohol and caffeinated beverages and regularly exercising the pelvic muscles.
Medication: A class of medication called Alpha Blockers works to relax muscle fibers in the prostate and bladder. This relaxation allows for increased urine flow and less frequent urination. A second class of medication, called Alpha Reductase Inhibitors, works to block the hormones that cause the prostate to swell. Many patients will take a combination of these two types of medication.
Minimally invasive procedures: Our specialists are trained in two minimally invasive procedures that can help remove or reduce the obstructing prostate tissue:
Surgery: For severe cases of a very enlarged prostate, surgical removal of the prostatecalled transurethral resection of the prostate may be the recommended course of action. Patients will decide with their doctor if aggressive treatment is warranted, depending on the size of the prostate and severity of symptoms.
You May Like: Does Ejaculation Reduce Risk Of Prostate Cancer
Inflammation Of The Prostate
While prostatitis can affect men of any age, it is more common in younger men, aged between 30 and 50 years. The main types of prostatitis are:
- bacterial prostatitis acute or chronic bacterial infection
- non-bacterial prostatitis inflamed prostate, also known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome .
In most cases, the cause of prostatitis is unknown. Bacterial prostatitis responds well to antibiotic drugs that can get into the prostate.
Non-bacterial prostatitis, or CPPS, is the most common form of prostatitis and is more difficult to manage. Symptoms vary from one man to another. There is no single test to diagnose CPPS, so your doctor will need to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms before making a diagnosis.Possible causes of CPPS include:
- a past bacterial prostatitis infection
- irritation from some chemicals
- chronic anxiety problems.
Is Treatment Always Necessary
No. In most cases, an enlarged prostate does not do any damage or cause complications. Whether treatment is needed usually depends on how much bother the symptoms cause. For example, you may be glad for some treatment if you are woken six times a night, every night, with an urgent need to go to the toilet. On the other hand, slight hesitancy when you go to the toilet and getting up once a night to pass urine may cause little problem and not need treatment.
Don’t Miss: After Effects Of Radiation For Prostate Cancer
What Are The Symptoms Of Bph
If you have BPH, you might not have any noticeable symptoms. However, a common symptom is a change to your urination, because BPH affects the part of the prostate that surrounds the top part of the urethra.
Lower urinary tract symptoms is a common term used to describe a range of urination symptoms. LUTS linked to BPH can cause some discomfort, or block the urine passage, but you might have other symptoms as well. It can be hard to start urinating, or the flow slows to a dribble. Other symptoms include urgent, frequent and painful urination.
Herbal Therapies For An Enlarged Prostate
Several herbal supplements are marketed for enlarged prostates. Saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, and pygeum are all are widely used in Europe. They are available in the U.S. and don’t require a prescription.
However, researchers and doctors are cautious about advising patients to try herbal supplements. Because they are not FDA-regulated, there are concerns about a product’s quality from batch to batch, according to the NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements. Also, the safety of an herbal product depends on many things — the chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is prepared, and the dosage.
Something else to consider: Like any drug, a herbal remedy can affect how other medications or treatments work, or interact dangerously with your other medications. They can also have side effects. And, the AUA points out, they have not been well-studied for effectiveness or safety.
Before trying any alternative treatment, learn as much as you can about it, the AUA says. Most importantly — talk to your doctor before you try an herbal remedy. Many doctors consider alternative therapies like saw palmetto to “have no effect on symptoms, except as expensive placebos,” Slawin tells WebMD.
Beta-sitosterol: This compound is extracted from pollen of rye grass. There has been some evidence that it provides relief from urinary symptoms. However, in four studies the supplement did not increase urinary flow rates, shrink the prostate, or improve bladder emptying.
Read Also: Life Expectancy Prostate Cancer Gleason 8
Symptoms Of Prostate Disease
In its earliest stages, prostate disease may or may not be associated with symptoms. The symptoms of prostate disease depend on the condition, but may include:
- difficulties urinating, such as trouble starting the flow of urine
- the urge to urinate often, particularly at night
- feeling as though the bladder can’t be fully emptied
- painful urination
- blood in the urine or blood coming from the urethra independent of urination.
Blood in the urine is often due to causes not related to the prostate. Always see your doctor if you find blood in your urine.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of An Enlarged Prostate
An enlarged prostate is the most common cause of urinary problems in men as they get older. Possible symptoms include:
- a weak flow when you urinate
- a feeling that your bladder hasnt emptied properly
- difficulty starting to urinate
- dribbling urine after you finish urinating
- needing to urinate more often, especially at night
- a sudden urge to urinate you may sometimes leak before you get to the toilet.
You may not get all of these symptoms, and some men with an enlarged prostate dont get any symptoms at all. These symptoms can also be caused by other things, such as cold weather, anxiety, other health problems, lifestyle factors, and some medicines. Blood in your urine may be a symptom of an enlarged prostate. But this is rare and is usually caused by something else.
If you have any of the symptoms above, you should visit your GP to find out what may be causing them.
You May Like: How Do Prostate Cancer Patients Die
Tips For Coping With An Enlarged Prostate
When a man reaches about age 25, his prostate begins to grow. This natural growth is called benign prostatic hyperplasia and it is the most common cause of prostate enlargement. BPH is a benign condition that does not lead to prostate cancer, though the two problems can coexist.
Although 50% to 60% of men with BPH may never develop any symptoms, others find that BPH can make life miserable. The symptoms of BPH include:
- a hesitant, interrupted, weak urine stream
- urgency, leaking, or dribbling
- a sense of incomplete emptying
- more frequent urination, especially at night.
As a result, many men seek treatment. The good news is that treatments are constantly being improved. Patients and their physicians now have more medications to choose from, so if one doesnt do the trick, another can be prescribed. And thanks to some refinements, surgical treatments are more effective and have fewer side effects than ever before.
But there are some things men dealing with BPH can do on their own. When symptoms are not particularly bothersome, watchful waiting may be the best way to proceed. This involves regular monitoring to make sure complications arent developing, but no treatment. For more troubling symptoms, most doctors begin by recommending a combination of lifestyle changes and medication. Often this will be enough to relieve the worst symptoms and prevent the need for surgery
Dont Miss: Prostate Gland Definition
What Are The Available Treatments For Bph
As men get older, their prostates tend to become enlarged. This is usually from a lifetime of bad habits. However, prostate enlargement does not equate to prostate cancer. Having an enlarged prostate does not inevitably mean you will get cancer.
Once diagnosed, doctors usually recommend medication. It is essential you know that some of the drugs used to treat BPH have side-effects. Some of these include erectile dysfunction and a diminished sex drive.
Men who take alpha-blockers and alpha-reductase are prone to develop erectile dysfunction.
Studies show that approximately 3% of men who took Dutasteride and 6.4% of men who took Finasteride experienced a loss of libido.
Therefore, it is not uncommon for men to experience flagging sexual desire and compromised erectile after initiation of treatment.
Recent scientific research has pointed out that medicine such as blue pills will also have a relaxing effect on the prostate.
30% of men facing BPH will encounter compromised sexual function. One-third of men suffering ED have troubling symptoms related to the prostate.
Recommended Reading: How To Reduce Prostate Swelling Naturally
Your Quality Of Life With An Enlarged Prostate
If your enlarged prostate symptoms are mild and not bothersome, there’s likely no need for treatment. One-third of men with mild BPH find that their symptoms clear up without treatment. They may just watch and wait.
However, when enlarged prostate symptoms are bothersome or are affecting your quality of life or overall health, it’s time to talk to your doctor about the treatment options. Together you will determine if you would benefit most from medication, a minimally invasive procedure, or surgery.
It’s important to talk with a doctor when you begin noticing changes in urinary function. You need to find out what’s going on so you can be treated for enlarged prostate if necessary. For many men, especially those who are young when the prostate starts growing, getting early treatment can head off complications later on.
What Treatments Are Used For An Enlarged Prostate
A number of treatments are available for an enlarged prostate that is causing urine problems.
- Medicine: Two types of medicines are now in use to treat prostate enlargement. A medicine that is normally used for high blood pressure helps to relax the muscle tissue in the prostate, relieving part of the blockage. The second type of medicine used shrinks the enlarged prostate by blocking the effect on the prostate of the male hormone, testosterone. These medicines are helpful to some of the men who have enlarged prostates.
- Surgery: This is currently the most widely accepted method of treating enlarged prostate when symptoms are severe. Basically, the operation removes some of the enlarged tissue to relieve the symptoms. More limited types of surgery are also done, which just make cuts in the prostate instead of removing tissue.
- Newer treatments: High levels of electric current can be used to destroy enlarged prostate tissue. Thermal therapy uses microwave or radiofrequency energy to reduce the glands size. Herbal extracts such as saw palmetto have been reported to help reduce symptoms in some cases. These new treatments are still being evaluated by doctors, and the long-term risks and benefits are not yet known. Your doctor will advise you about what treatment is best for you.
Recommended Reading: Best Supplement For Men’s Prostate