Types of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Treatment
An enlarged prostate, also known as BPH, is common as men get older. Our urologists offer a full range of effective BPH treatments:
-
Watchful waiting
-
Medications
-
Surgery
Watchful Waiting for BPH
Your urologist will use several tests to determine how severe your BPH is and whether it affects your bladder health. They may recommend watchful waiting if your BPH is mild.
Watchful waiting means you visit your urologist once a year to check on your BPH. During these appointments, you have several tests:
-
Bladder pressure monitoring
-
Lab tests that check your kidney function
-
Physical exam
Your urologist may recommend diet and lifestyle changes to relieve your BPH symptoms. For example, you may need to lose weight or control your blood sugar more. You also need to pay attention to symptoms that could mean your BPH is getting worse:
-
Getting up more than once at night to empty your bladder
-
Incomplete bladder emptying
-
Increase in urination frequency or urgency
-
Slow urine flow
-
Taking a long time to start urinating (hesitancy)
Your urologist may recommend additional treatments if BPH gets worse.
BPH Medications
Medications relieve BPH symptoms for many patients. Our urologists prescribe four common medications for an enlarged prostate. They may prescribe one or more in combination:
-
5-alpha reductase inhibitors鈥These medications block hormones that lead to prostate growth. When you take these medicines, your prostate slowly shrinks over 4鈥6 months. This option works best if you have a severely enlarged prostate. A common 5-alpha reductase inhibitor is finasteride (Proscar庐).
-
Alpha blockers鈥These medications relax your prostate and bladder opening, allowing better urine flow without significant side effects.
-
Anticholinergic medications鈥These medications block nerve signals that can cause frequent urination, urgency, and overactive bladder.
-
Beta 3 agonist medications鈥 Similar to anticholinergic medications, these medicines also block nerve signals to help the bladder store urine better and improve urinary frequency and urgency.
-
PDE5 inhibitors鈥These medications relax your bladder muscles. This can reduce BPH symptoms. A common PDE5 inhibitor is tadalafil (Cialis庐).
Find a Urologist
BPH Surgery
Your urologist may recommend enlarged prostate surgery if medications don鈥檛 improve your symptoms. They may also recommend surgery if you prefer not to take medications. The type of surgery you need depends on several factors. These factors include the size of your prostate and the anatomy of your urinary system. Your surgeon also discusses your preferences and goals when they consider surgery.
Minimally Invasive Therapies
Our urologists offer multiple types of surgery, including minimally invasive therapies:
-
Rezum庐 water vapor therapy鈥Your surgeon uses energy from water vapors (steam) to safely destroy the prostate tissues that are causing symptoms.
-
鲍谤辞尝颈蹿迟鈥Your surgeon moves your prostate so it doesn鈥檛 block the tube where urine exits your body (urethra). They implant a small device that holds your prostate in place.
Both Rezum庐 and UroLIift procedures are done in office with a local anesthetic.
Standard and Specialty Surgeries
We offer standard BPH surgeries:
-
GreenLight鈩 laser photovaporization of the prostate鈥Your surgeon uses laser energy to destroy prostate tissue that鈥檚 blocking urine flow.
-
Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP)鈥Your surgeon makes one or two incisions in your prostate gland. This allows urine to pass more easily.
-
Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)鈥Your surgeon uses electrical energy to remove prostate tissue.
Our team also has the expertise to perform special surgical procedures for large prostates:
-
Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)鈥Your surgeon uses a laser to remove large portions of your prostate.
-
Robot-assisted simple prostatectomy鈥Your surgeon uses a surgical robot to remove prostate tissue.
BPH Natural Remedies and Therapies
There鈥檚 little to no scientific research that shows natural remedies effectively treat BPH. You may find that some lifestyle changes reduce your symptoms:
-
Avoiding liquids several hours before bed
-
Eating a healthy diet and getting five servings of fruits and vegetables daily
-
Exercising at moderate to vigorous intensity most days
-
Limiting caffeine and alcohol, which can increase the need to urinate
-
Maintaining a healthy body weight
There鈥檚 also no proven way to prevent BPH. But you can help lower your risk with these healthy habits.
Foods and Beverages to Avoid with Enlarged Prostate
You may notice some foods or drinks worsen your BPH symptoms. The foods that irritate the bladder vary from person to person. Ask your provider if you should avoid or limit some common bladder irritants:
-
Acidic produce, such as citrus fruits or tomatoes
-
Alcohol
-
Caffeine, including chocolate
-
High-fat foods
-
Processed meats
-
Red meats
Can an Enlarged Prostate Be Cured?
BPH is curable for most people. Medications can significantly reduce symptoms in many cases. If medicines don鈥檛 work for you, we can usually remove enough of your prostate during surgery to bring relief.
There is a chance that prostate tissue will grow back after surgery. In these cases, your urologist may recommend additional surgery or medication.
Why Choose 91麻豆天美直播?
U of U Health urologists are highly trained in the full range of BPH treatments. We provide a variety of BPH surgeries and have experience in complex cases. Our high satisfaction and low complication rates show our commitment to exceptional care.
You will receive treatment from physicians who research new therapies and offer clinical trials. Our team includes urologists who contribute to national BPH guidelines.
Make an Appointment
Call U of U Health Urology at 801-213-2700 to schedule an appointment with one of our urologists.
You don鈥檛 need a referral to schedule an appointment. But some insurance providers require referrals. Contact your insurance carrier with any questions about your plan requirements.
