If your symptoms are not bothering you, BPH may not be a serious disease for you at this time. However, BPH can lead to serious problems, including infections and the inability to urinate. In rare cases, BPH can lead to kidney damage. Take the BPH quiz.

BPH, or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate that is common in men over the age of 50. It is not cancer and is not malignant. If the prostate gets too big it can put pressure on the urethra and bladder, causing problems with urination.

No, there is no cure for enlarged prostate (BPH). However, treatments are available that can offer you significant relief from the symptoms of BPH.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is probably a normal part of the aging process in men, caused by changes in hormone balance and in cell growth.

Your doctor can diagnose BPH by asking questions about your symptoms and past health and by doing a physical exam. Tests may include a digital rectal exam, which lets your doctor feel the size of your prostate, and a urine test (urinalysis). In some cases, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is done to help rule out prostate cancer. (Prostate cancer and BPH are not related, but they can cause some of the same symptoms.

You cannot prevent BPH or the urination problems it may cause. Some people believe that regular ejaculations will help prevent prostate enlargement. But there is no scientific proof that ejaculation helps.

Symptoms of BPH are associated with urinary difficulties such as frequent urination, especially at night; urinary urgency; leaking or dribbling urine; and a weak urine stream.

Treatments fall into four categories: medications (pills), office-based minimally invasive treatments (MITs), laser surgery, and traditional surgery. Another option is watchful waiting. However, this is not a form of treatment. Instead, no action is taken; you pay attention to your symptoms to see if they worsen over time.

Choosing the right treatment is generally based on the severity of your symptoms and how much they bother you as well as the impact of treatment on your lifestyle. The American Urological Association (AUA) BPH Symptom Quiz is a list of questions that can help you determine the severity of your symptoms. You and your doctor should jointly determine the best treatment option for you.

In most cases, treatment is designed to offer relief from the symptoms of BPH. If your symptoms are mild, not treating them is a reasonable course of action. However, if you experience complete urinary blockage or you notice blood in your urine or semen, these may be signs of a more serious condition, and you should contact your doctor immediately. Disclaimer: This material is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for a consultation.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlarged prostate gland . The prostate gland surrounds the urethra , the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. As the prostate gets bigger, it may squeeze or partly block the urethra. This often causes problems urinating. BPH occurs in almost all men as they age. BPH is not cancer. An enlarged prostate can be a nuisance, but it is usually not a serious problem. About half of all men older than 50 have some symptoms.1

Yes. TUNA Therapy and Prostiva RF Therapy are among the few recommended minimally invasive treatments in the American Urological Association Guideline on Management of BPH.

From two to six weeks patients will notice improvement. Full improvement may not occur for two to three months. Follow your physician’s instructions as to when to stop taking your BPH medication.

The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been found in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Mongolia, Malaysia, and North Korea. More recently it has spread to Russia and Kazakhstan. In 2003, there was an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H7N7 strain in the Netherlands and Germany.

The five-year survival (the amount of people alive five years after detection of the disease) is 14% and, until now, has NOT changed significantly in the past 25 years.

Every treatment for BPH has certain side effects and risks. These side effects must be evaluated together with the gains offered by treatment. In many cases, the benefits of symptom relief are greater than the possible side effects of treatment. Your doctor will explain the advantages and disadvantages of specific treatment options.

In some cases, certain treatments can affect sexual function, including erection difficulty, decreased sexual desire, and abnormal ejaculation. Pills called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors commonly cause less semen to be ejaculated and the inability to get an erection (impotence). Pills called alpha blockers may cause sexual side effects such as failure to ejaculate, retrograde (or internal) ejaculation, and less semen to be ejaculated.

No. While it is possible to have both BPH and prostate cancer, having BPH does not increase your risk of having prostate cancer. However, because early symptoms of both conditions are similar, it is important to see your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms associated with a urinary condition. Read more about the signs and symptoms of BPH.

Watchful waiting. If your symptoms are not bothering you, your doctor may suggest monitoring your disease and postponing treatment. Medicines. Multiple medications are available to relieve your symptoms with or without reduction in the size of the prostate. Nonsurgical procedures. Several minimally invasive thermal therapies are available that allow your doctor to access your prostate through your urethra and reduce the size of the prostate or decrease obstruction of the urethra.

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlarged prostate. It is a common non-cancerous condition in older men.

If you are experiencing any of these urinary symptoms you should see a doctor. If you you have blood in your urine, pain with urination, burning with urination or are unable to urinate, you should immediately see your physician. No, BPH is not cancer and cannot lead to cancer, although both conditions can exist together. There are usually no symptoms during the early stages of prostate cancer, and so yearly physical examinations and PSA tests are highly recommended to eliminate cancer diagnosis.