Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatments

For men that have an enlarged prostate, disruptive symptoms can decrease quality of life. Expert urologists at AHN offer a variety of treatments from medications to surgery, including the UroLift® procedure, to help relieve symptoms. 

What is benign prostatic hyperplasia?

The prostate is a male reproductive gland that produces fluid for semen. It’s normally the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged
prostate, is a very common condition in men older than 50. It affects about 50%
of men between the ages of 51 and 60, and up to 90% of men older than 80.* 

As the prostate gets bigger, it presses on and blocks the urethra, causing disruptive symptoms like:

• Frequent need to urinate.
• Weak or slow urine stream.
• Difficulty or delay in starting urination.
• A urinary stream that stops and starts.

These symptoms can significantly decrease a man’s quality of life, causing sleepless nights, loss of productivity, and even depression.

Getting a BPH diagnosis

If you are having any of the above BPH symptoms, talk to your doctor. Enlarged prostate may be diagnosed through a variety of exams and tests. These can include:

• A physical exam to discuss urinary symptoms.
• A digital rectum exam to check your prostate for enlargement or signs of cancer.
• Sending a urine sample to be tested for signs of protein, glucose, infection, and blood.
• Other tests, like a PSA blood test, to screen for prostate cancer.
• Post-void residual test that measures liquid left in the bladder after urinating.
• Cystoscopy, a procedure that looks at your prostate’s anatomy by inserting a camera into the urethra and bladder.

Enlarged prostate treatment

There are many approaches to BPH treatment, ranging from lifestyle changes to surgery. Your provider will help you determine the best treatment plan for you based on your symptoms.

Lifestyle changes and clinical monitoring

If your symptoms are minor, you may be able to feel better with simple lifestyle changes. Some foods can irritate the bladder and you should avoid them. These include coffee, tea, alcohol, soda, cocoa products, and acidic foods.

Scheduling times to urinate regularly can also help, instead of avoiding urination or holding it for long periods of time.

If you aren’t bothered by your symptoms and are still able to empty your bladder well, your provider may have you schedule visits more frequently to make sure your prostate isn’t getting larger.

Medications

There are several medications that can help relieve BPH symptoms if lifestyle changes aren’t enough. These include:

• Alpha blockers, which relax the prostate muscles and part of the bladder to improve urine flow
• Alpha reductase inhibitors, which shrink the prostate by blocking a hormone that plays a role in prostate growth
• Phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which improve urine flow and treat erectile dysfunction

Surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia

When medications no longer work, or you do not want to take medications long-term, you have access to several surgical options for enlarged prostate at AHN. One of these options is the UroLift System, which provides fast relief for men living with enlarged prostate symptoms.

It uses tiny implants to lift and hold the enlarged prostate tissue, so it stops blocking the urethra. There is no cutting, heating, or removal of prostate tissue. Instead, the permanent implants keep the tissue in place.

This simple, outpatient procedure can be performed in a doctor’s office under local anesthesia. Most patients experience symptom relief in just a few days.

Schedule an appointment with an AHN provider who performs the UroLift procedure to find out if it is right for you.

Find a provider for benign prostatic hyperplasia

We offer multiple ways to schedule with AHN urologist with expertise in treating enlarged prostate symptoms:

• Find an AHN urologist near you.
• Schedule online with AHN urology.
• Call one of our urology practices.

AHN urology practices

South Pittsburgh Urology
1200 Brooks Lane, Suite 220
Clairton, PA 15025

(412) 362-8677

Suburban Urologic Associates
275 Clairton Boulevard, Suite 300B
West Mifflin, PA 15122

(412) 372-6330

Triangle Urological Group
1307 Federal Street, Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

(412) 281-1757