For most patients, BPH (enlarged prostate) is curable. Some people see a significant reduction in symptoms with medication alone. If medications don't work or the prostate is too large, surgery will often remove enough of the prostate to provide relief. If the symptoms of an enlarged prostate are mild and not bothersome, treatment may not be needed.
A third of men with mild BPH find that their symptoms go away without treatment. They might just watch and wait. Alpha-blockers are usually the first type of medication offered to you, unless your prostate is very large. Your symptoms may start to improve within a few hours or days, but you may need to take alpha-blockers for a few weeks before they take full effect.
Most men who take alpha-blockers find that their symptoms improve within a few weeks of treatment. If your symptoms haven't improved after about four to six weeks, your doctor may suggest that you try a higher dose or a different treatment. For most men, alpha blockers continue to work for several years. Read the package leaflet that comes with the medication for more information about side effects, or ask your doctor, nurse specialist or pharmacist.
If you are going to have eye surgery, be sure to tell your eye surgeon that you are taking alpha-blockers. This is because some alpha-blockers can cause problems during eye surgery. Alpha-blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors can cause side effects, so both drugs can cause side effects. Some side effects, such as a decrease in sexual desire, changes in ejaculation, and erection problems, are more common in men who take both medications than in men who take either medication alone.
Alpha-blockers can start working within a few hours or days, while 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors usually take at least six months to fully work. This means that men who receive a combination treatment can stop taking the alpha-blocker after about six months, without making their treatment any less effective. You may be offered an alpha blocker along with an anticholinergic, if treatment with either medication alone doesn't work. Both alpha-blockers and anticholinergics can cause side effects, which may worsen if you take both medications at the same time.
The most common side effects in men taking both medications include dry mouth, constipation, and indigestion. The prognosis for people with benign prostatic hyperplasia of the prostate is very good. There's no cure for BPH, but treatments can help ease symptoms. Mild symptoms may not need treatment.
Medications, surgery, and minimally invasive treatments can treat the most serious cases. You have a higher risk of prostate cancer if you're black or have a family history of prostate cancer. It is used to treat men with moderate to severe urinary symptoms who have moderate prostate enlargement. At this time, there is no evidence that acupuncture or homeopathy can help control the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Be sure to tell your doctor about any medications or herbal remedies you are already using, in case they interfere with medications for prostate enlargement. If the symptoms of prostate enlargement are disturbing or do not respond to conservative approaches, surgery may be recommended. Prostate enlargement, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a common condition among men as they age. If your enlarged prostate isn't causing problems, you may decide to wait and see if your symptoms get worse before getting treatment.
There are many minimally invasive procedures and surgical therapies available that can provide significant relief to men with an enlarged prostate. While it's difficult to completely reverse an enlarged prostate, there are several treatments that can alleviate symptoms, reduce the size of the prostate, and help restore normal urine flow. The symptoms and need for treatment vary depending on each man's enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In fact, many men with an enlarged prostate can achieve a positive quality of life with nonsurgical treatments.
To help your doctor understand how annoying the symptoms of an enlarged prostate are for you, the American Urological Association (AUA) has developed a BPH symptom index. The surgeon inserts implants that keep the enlarged prostate away from the urethra so that it doesn't get blocked. Treatment for an enlarged prostate will depend on the severity of the symptoms that affect your quality of life. .
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