Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — an enlarged prostate — can occur with disruptive urinary symptoms that negatively impact your quality of life. At Associated Urologists of North Carolina, board-certified urologists offer personalized medical care and effective testing to diagnose an enlarged prostate at seven locations in Apex, Cary, Clayton, Clinton, Dunn, Raleigh, or Wake Forest, North Carolina. The qualified team offers UroLift®, medications, and many other treatments and services to improve and protect men’s health. Call the nearest office to request an appointment today.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refers to the enlargement of the prostate gland, which can become more prevalent as you age.
With an enlarged prostate, symptoms can be exacerbated over time and include:
Less common BPH symptoms include blood in your urine, urinary tract infections, and the inability to urinate.
A man’s urethra — the tube that transports urine from his bladder out of his penis — passes through the center of his prostate. Prostate enlargement can block the flow of urine.
Most men experience prostate growth over time.
It isn’t clear what causes prostate enlargement, but it might be due to fluctuations of reproductive hormones with aging. Risk factors for an enlarged prostate include:
BPH can lead to kidney, bladder, or urinary tract complications. More severe cases can lead to bladder damage, bladder stones, and kidney damage.
To treat BPH, your urologist might recommend medications, lifestyle changes, minimally invasive therapies, and surgery when necessary, such as a procedure to remove or destroy a portion of your prostate.
There are several types of medications that are used to treat BPH. Alpha blockers make it easier to urinate by relaxing the prostate and the neck of the bladder. Examples include:
There are also 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors like finasteride (ProscarⓇ) and dutasteride (AvodartⓇ) that prevent prostate growth and help shrink the prostate. If these drugs don’t work well enough on their own, your urologist at Associated Urologists of North Carolina might suggest combining alpha blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.
Tadalafil (CialisⓇ) is another medication that can help treat prostate enlargement.
Additional Treatment Options:
Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
If you’re dealing with BPH, you’ll need attentive care from the experts at Associated Urologists of North Carolina. Call the office nearest you to book an appointment today.