Your prostate gland — a little structure about the size and shape of a walnut — is situated between your penis and your bladder. It produces and secretes a fluid that nourishes sperm and carries it through your urethra in the form of semen during ejaculation.
Although the prostate grows slowly, by the time they’re in their 50s, about a quarter of men have a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also referred to as an enlarged prostate. By the time they’re in their 80s, about half of men have BPH.
Alex Lesani, MD, an expert and caring urologist, wants you to pay attention to your prostate to keep it healthy over time. Some of the symptoms of BPH are similar to those of other, more serious conditions, such as prostatitis (i.e., an infection in your prostate) or prostate cancer. Untreated, even BPH can cause significant complications, including kidney damage.
Do you suspect you might have BPH? Following are some of the most common BPH symptoms that should be diagnosed and addressed by an expert.
If you’re getting up several times during the night to urinate, it might not be because you’ve increased your hydration levels. Frequent urination — including nocturia, which is nighttime urination — is one of the primary symptoms of BPH.
When your prostate is too large, it may press upward against your bladder, so that it has less space to hold liquid. Nocturia is more than an annoyance; if you’re getting up frequently to pee when you’re supposed to be sleeping, your body isn’t getting the rest it needs.
Frequent urination during the day is another sign of BPH. In fact, your need to urinate may be so strong that you barely (or don’t) make it to the bathroom in time. Other signs that your prostate has enlarged to the point it’s impeding on your bladder or urethra are:
If you’re urinating every hour or two, you either have BPH or another condition that needs to be diagnosed and resolved. Frequent urination, incomplete urination, and straining are all symptoms that can severely impact your quality of life and may, eventually, damage your kidneys.
Your BPH may also progress to the point where you can’t pass urine at all, which is a life-threatening medical emergency. If you can’t urinate, head to the emergency room right away.
Because the symptoms of BPH are shared with other conditions, including prostate cancer, the first step in finding relief is getting a thorough workup and diagnosis from your urologist. If Dr. Lesani rules out other conditions and determines you have BPH, he may recommend therapies to reduce the size of the prostate and increase urine flow, such as:
Dr. Lesani performs BPH treatments in the office and administers them directly through your urethra. They’re fast, minimally invasive, effective, and have short recovery times. Dr. Lesani also recommends lifestyle changes such as limiting caffeine and alcohol as well as urinating regularly.
Get relief from BPH and keep your kidneys safe by scheduling an enlarged prostate exam today. Call our friendly team at 702-470-2579, or book online.
