Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (an enlarged prostate) affects half of men over 50 and 90% of men over 80. The renowned specialists at the Urology Surgery Center Northwest in Spokane, Washington, understand the problems an enlarged prostate can cause. They provide the most advanced solutions at the ambulatory surgery center to improve your quality of life. Call the office now or click on the online scheduler for help.
An enlarged prostate (BPH) occurs when the walnut-sized gland swells over time. While it’s not a cancerous condition, an enlarged prostate can press on the urethra (the tube urine travels through), leading to difficulties with urination and a poor quality of life.
An enlarged prostate is extremely common, affecting about half of men in their 50s. The incidence rises with every decade of life; by 80, the vast majority of men have an enlarged prostate.
Fortunately, an enlarged prostate is easily diagnosed and treated.
An enlarged prostate frequently causes various urination problems, including:
These symptoms are extremely common. In fact, enlarged prostate symptoms are the most common reason that men see a urologist.
Diagnosis starts with a detailed review of your symptoms. The BPH symptom score index from the American Urological Association can determine how severe your symptoms are. In addition, you’ll usually undergo:
BPH symptoms mimic other conditions, so you’ll need blood tests, like the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, to look for problems like prostate inflammation and prostate cancer.
The Urology Surgery Center Northwest offers several BPH treatment plans. Many men experience good results with medication that relaxes the muscles around the prostate or shrinks the prostate gland.
However, medications aren’t right for everyone. If you can’t tolerate the drug’s side effects or don’t get good results, a minimally invasive procedure might help.
One option is UroLift®, a procedure from Teleflex Inc. Using UroLift, the surgeon positions small implants to move the swollen prostate away from the urethra, restoring urine flow. Some options shrink the prostate with radiofrequency energy, water vapor, laser energy, or other methods.
Some BPH cases require surgery to remove part or all of the prostate gland. The experienced Urology Surgery Center Northwest surgeons use minimally-invasive approaches like robotic surgery to perform most prostate surgeries.
The Urology Surgery Center Northwest can help you find the most effective procedure so that you can enjoy a better quality of life. Call the office now or click the online scheduler for BPH help.