BPH
Treatment:
Your Options to Treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Benign
prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a common ailment for men as they
age, and there have been many BPH treatment therapies developed
in the past few decades. BPH is a condition of the prostate gland.
Found only in the male body, the prostate gland is located beneath
the bladder, and it actually encircles the tube that empties urine
from your bladder. In BPH, the prostate gland becomes swollen and
enlarged. Over time, BPH can cause urinary problems or worse, making
BPH treatment necessary to prevent more serious complications.
It
is not clear why BPH occurs, but BPH has been common in older men
throughout medical history. Those who have studied BPH believe it
may be caused by hormonal changes that prompt the growth of cells.
BPH treatment is aimed at easing the symptoms of BPH, most of which
affect a man’s ability to urinate:
- Interrupted urine stream
- Weak stream
- A feeling of urgency
- More frequent need to urinate
- Frequent nighttime urination
The
type of BPH treatment a man chooses usually depends on the severity
of his symptoms. Some studies indicate that BPH treatment is not
necessary in all cases because up to one-third of mild BPH symptoms
may ease without BPH treatment. If BPH becomes worse, there are
several BPH treatment options available. Common drugs for BPH are
Proscar, Hytrin, Cardura, and Flomax. Other BPH treatment options
include destroying overgrown prostate tissue with microwaves, lasers,
and needles. Finally, there are more invasive BPH treatments which
usually involve surgery.
|
