Enlarged Prostate: When Should You Consult A Urologist?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate is a condition in men that can cause bothersome urinary symptoms. The condition can take a toll on their mental health, disrupt sleep, decreased quality of life and cause loss of productivity. However, having enlarged prostate doesn’t make men more likely to get prostate cancer.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located just below the bladder. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the bladder and through the penis. The prostate gland tends to get bigger as men get older. If the prostate gets too large, it squeezes the urethra, causing problems in passing urine as well as ejaculation. About 50 per cent of men are estimated to be affected by this condition.

Some more facts about enlarged prostate you ought to know.

Symptoms of enlarged prostate

Symptoms caused by enlarged prostate include:

Trouble starting c
Weak urine stream
Frequent urination, more often at night.
Urinary retention (inability to empty all the urine from your bladder.)
Dribbling after urinating.
Pain during urination
Blood in the urine.
Urinary tract infections

Diagnosis of enlarged prostate

Your doctor will ask about your personal and family medical history, conduct a physical exam to check the size and shape of your prostate, and may also recommend PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test, urine tests, blood tests to check kidney function, and a bladder ultrasound. Additional tests like cystourethroscopy, urodynamics testing, and biopsy may be recommended to rule out other problems.

Treatment of enlarged prostate

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate can be treated with lifestyle changes (such as exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, limiting caffeine and alcohol intake), medication and surgery (to remove part or all of your prostate). Treatment option depends on your age, size of your prostate, symptoms and other existing health problems.

UroLift System for treatment of enlarged prostate

The UroLift System is a minimally invasive approach for treating enlarged prostate that can be performed as a same-day outpatient procedure. It is a device that is placed permanently to lift and hold the enlarged prostate tissue so that it doesn’t block the urethra.

When should you see a urologist?

If you have any of the above symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, you should see a urologist for an evaluation. Having fever and chills along with painful, frequent, urgent urination is a medical emergency. Blood in the urine, pain or burning with urination, or not being able to urinate at all, these are also emergency symptoms.