Do You Have These Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

If you’re a man between the ages of 51 and 60, there’s a 50% chance that you have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a noncancerous prostate gland enlargement. It’s a common condition that becomes more likely as you get older, affecting 80% of American men over 70. 

The prostate surrounds the urethra, and when it increases in size, it can interfere with both urination and ejaculation. Urologist and sexual medicine specialist Joshua R. Gonzalez, MD, recommends the UroLift® System for his patients with BPH. 

The symptoms of BPH

It’s not certain why, but for most men, the prostate gland continues to grow throughout their lifetimes. Suspected to be the result of changing hormone levels, the amount of growth doesn’t always correlate to the severity of symptoms. It’s possible to have an enlarged prostate that doesn’t create symptoms. 

The most common symptom of BPH is the frequent need to pass urine. This could be as frequent as every one to two hours, and it’s often worse at night. When you wake to urinate more than two times during the night, you have a condition called nocturia. This could lead to problems with your sleep cycle if BPH is left untreated. 

Other urinary symptoms of BPH include: 

• Urinary urgency: the need to pass urine immediately comes on quickly
• Incomplete drainage: you feel as though you still need to go after the urine stream stops
• Intermittent urination: your stream starts and stops more than once during urination
• Weak stream, despite the strength of the urge
• Dribbling after urination
• Changes to urine color or odor
• Pain during urination or ejaculation

Less common symptoms include urinary tract infections (UTIs), blood in the urine, or complete blockage of urine, a medical emergency requiring immediate attention. When left untreated, BPH can lead to bladder stones or damage to the bladder or kidneys. 

UroLift for BPH treatment

Cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the UroLift system is a minimally invasive, drug-free way to treat BPH. Placing small implants in a procedure that takes less than one hour, UroLift holds the walls of the prostate gland back, creating a fast and reliable way to open obstructions of the prostatic urethra caused by BPH. 

Other BPH treatments can cause erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction. UroLift does not introduce these issues, and can free you from BPH medications and their often bothersome side effects, from headaches and fainting to dry mouth, constipation, and low blood pressure. UroLift is an alternative to more invasive surgery, and it’s the only BPH treatment that preserves sexual function.

Dr. Gonzalez is a UroLift specialist. Call or click to schedule a consultation today to learn more about UroLift and find out if it’s the right solution for you.