Enlarged Prostate Gland Treatment Options

If you and your doctor have determined that you have an enlarged prostate gland, the next decision involved determining the best course of treatment. Can you relieve your condition with medication? Do you need surgery for your enlarged prostate? Are there alternative forms of treatment available? What are the potential side effects? These are just a few questions that many men have once they have been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate gland.

Medication—or Not?

Mild enlargement of the prostate gland (sometimes called "benign prostatic hyperplasia," or BPH) sometimes does not even require medical treatment. A program of exercise, nutrition, and hydrotherapy may be all that you need to relieve your symptoms. Of course, you should discuss all symptoms and forms of treatment with your doctor. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a course of "watchful waiting:" you will return for annual examinations and blood test to carefully monitor your prostate gland, its enlargement, your prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, and other factors. You may be asked to describe symptoms to determine if your condition is worsening. Your physician may also record other information to better evaluate your risk factors. If your doctor chooses to prescribe medication, this may include drugs that inhibit the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone associated with prostate growth. Note that it may take as long as six months to determine if the medication is working properly. You will need to consult regularly with your doctor, who may need to adjust the dosage. Side effects of these drugs can include impotence, reduced libido, tenderness of the breast area, and reduced sperm count. Other medicines that may be prescribed are known as alpha blockers. They work by relaxing the smooth muscle tissue in the bladder opening and prostate area, which aids urinary flow. Side effects of alpha blockers can include headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, fatigue, weakness, and difficulty in breathing. You should consult regularly with your doctor to monitor how these drugs are affecting you.

Prostatic stents

Some patients with enlarged prostate glands who should not take medications or who are not good candidates for surgery can benefit from insertion of a prostatic stent. These are tiny spring-loaded devices that are inserted into the urethra. They press back the tissue surrounding the urethra, permitting increased flow of urine. The procedure is simple and can usually be performed as day surgery, in fifteen minutes or less, using local anesthesia. For some patients, however, the stents can painful or frequent urination. Up to one third of patients must have their stents removed, which is more difficult than insertion.