BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)

What is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?

BPH is a common condition that primarily affects older men. In fact, by the age of 85, approximately 90% of men will show signs of the condition.

BPH is also called prostate gland enlargement. The prostate gland works to secrete seminal fluid, which protects and nourishes sperm. When you ejaculate, your prostate goes through a squeezing motion that moves the fluid into your urethra, where it joins with sperm to form semen.

Your prostate gland is about the size of a walnut. It sits in front of your rectum between your penis and bladder, with globes that surround your urethra.

What are some symptoms of BPH?

An enlarged prostate places pressure on your urethra, so many symptoms are linked to urinary function. Some common symptoms of BPH include:

• Weak urine stream
• Difficulty starting urination
• Frequent urge to urinate
• A sudden need to urinate
• Waking several times during the night to urinate
• Occasional inability to control urination
• A sensation that you still need to urinate immediately after finishing
  
  

BPH may be common, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with the discomfort and inconvenience of the symptoms.

What can be done to treat BPH?

The team at Spokane Urology begins with a thorough diagnostic exam. This includes a discussion of your symptoms and a review of existing health problems and medications.

Medications might play a role in your treatment plan. Some drugs relax the muscles in your bladder and prostate to improve urinary function. Others reduce the size of your prostate by preventing certain hormonal changes.

Lifestyle modifications can also help relieve BPH symptoms. Improving your diet, reducing your consumption of alcohol and caffeine, and limiting fluid intake in the hours before bedtime can help.

Are there surgical solutions for BPH?

If medications and lifestyle changes don’t yield the desired results, there are surgical procedures that can help. Many procedures can be performed through minimally invasive technology. This involves using a thin surgical tube equipped with a camera and fiber optic light to view your prostate gland.

A surgical specialist at Spokane Urology can then remove part of your prostate or reduce its size using microwave thermography, laser energy, or radiofrequency energy. There is also an option called UroLiftⓇ that uses tiny implants to hold enlarged prostate tissue away from the walls of your urethra to improve urine flow.

If your diagnostic exam and subsequent testing reveal signs of an enlarged prostate gland, your Spokane Urology provider will discuss the details of all the available treatment options. That process begins with you booking your visit, which can be done online or over the phone today.