Enlarged Prostate Treatment: The Many Options for BPH
It is estimated that men over the age of 50 have a 50 percent chance of developing enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. By the age of 80, this chance increases to 90 percent. Considering the high odds that men could suffer from enlarged prostate, there are numerous alternatives for men who need enlarged prostate treatment. All in all, every man must make his own enlarged prostate treatment choice depending on the severity of his BPH, as well as his comfort level with the various treatment options.
The initial consideration for enlarged prostate treatment is a man’s severity of symptoms. The symptoms of BPH can be a nuisance as well as painful, plus they can lead to more serious conditions. When a man seeks enlarged prostate treatment, he is often hoping to stop symptoms like difficulty urinating, frequent need to urinate (especially at night), inability to empty the bladder, and urgency in urinating. Without enlarged prostate treatment, these painful BPH symptoms can lead to:
- Frequent urinary tract infections
- Acute urinary retention
- Bladder stones and bladder damage
- Kidney damage and kidney disease
Enlarged prostate treatment ranges from surgery to herbal remedies. Several years ago, the most common surgical enlarged prostate treatment was surgical removal of the prostate gland. This appeared to ease the symptoms of enlarged prostate, but many men did not like the side effects, thus increasing the demand for less invasive enlarged prostate treatments.
Today, an enlarged prostate treatment may involve watchful waiting or observation. In men with mild symptoms, it pays to wait and see if the enlarged prostate symptoms get worse. Lifestyle changes also appear to be beneficial for enlarged prostate treatment. These changes include limiting beverages in the evening, avoiding decongestants and antihistamines, staying active, and urinating as soon as one feels the urge. If observation and lifestyle changes do not help, other enlarged prostate treatments are drugs, minimally invasive procedures to remove some prostate tissue, and herbal treatments like saw palmetto extract.
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