Treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia
Treatment A wide variety of treatments are available for enlarged prostate, including medication, minimally invasive therapies and surgery. The best treatment choice for you depends on several factors, including: The size of your prostate Your age Your overall health The amount of discomfort or bother you are experiencing If your symptoms are tolerable, you might decide to postpone treatment and simply monitor your symptoms. For some men, symptoms can ease without treatment. Medication Medication is the most common treatment for mild to moderate symptoms of prostate enlargement. The options include: Alpha blockers. These medications relax bladder neck muscles and muscle fibers in the prostate, making urination easier. Alpha blockers — which include alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), tamsulosin (Flomax) and silodosin (Rapaflo) — usually work quickly in men with relatively small prostates. Side effects might include dizziness and a harmless condition in which semen goes back into the bladder instead of out the tip of the penis (retrograde ejaculation). 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. These medications shrink your prostate by preventing hormonal changes that cause prostate growth. These medications — which include finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart) — might take up to six months to be effective. Side effects include retrograde ejaculation. Combination drug therapy. Your doctor might recommend taking an alpha blocker and a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor at the same time if either medication alone isn't effective. Tadalafil (Cialis). Studies suggest this medication, which is often used to treat erectile dysfunction, can also treat prostate enlargement. Minimally invasive or surgical therapy Minimally invasive or surgical therapy might be recommended if: Your symptoms are moderate to severe Medication hasn't relieved your symptoms You have a urinary tract obstruction, bladder stones, blood in your urine or kidney problems You prefer definitive treatment Minimally invasive or surgical therapy might not be an option if you have: An untreated urinary tract infection Urethral stricture disease A history of prostate radiation therapy or urinary tract surgery A neurological disorder, such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis Any type of prostate procedure can cause side effects. Depending on the procedure you choose, complications might include: Semen flowing backward into the bladder instead of out through the penis during ejaculation (retrograde ejaculation) Temporary difficulty with urination Urinary tract infection Bleeding Erectile dysfunction Very rarely, loss of bladder control (incontinence)