Treatment Options
If you or your
doctor think you might have BPH, there are a number
of treatment options you can discuss together.
1. Watchful waiting.
Sometimes the symptoms of BPH remain at tolerable
levels for an indefinite period of time. Your
doctor may recommend a period of watchful waiting.
If you are comfortable with this approach, your
doctor will evaluate your symptoms initially and
then recheck them on a regular basis.
This follow-up
strategy allows you to see if your symptoms are
worsening over time, and it enables your doctor
to identify the changes that might indicate the
need for further therapy.
While it is rare,
some men who choose watchful waiting become unable
to urinate before their next evaluation, while
others may develop infections or bleeding. Therefore,
it is important to stay in close contact with
your doctor and report any changes you may experience,
even though your next appointment may be a long
way off.
2. Drug Therapy.
As with other modes of therapy with BPH, there
are several choices available if you and your
doctor decide drug therapy is the best course
of action. Some drugs work to relax the muscles
around the urethra and relieve symptoms while
others relieve symptoms by gradually reducing
the size of the prostate gland, the root cause
of the problem. Your doctor can tell you the potential
benefits and side effects associated with each
of these options. An example of medicine for the
treatment of BPH is finasteride, Finasteride is
the only approved medication that is indicated
to approve all three components od BPH: enlarged
prostate gland, obstruction of urinary flow, and
urinary symptoms.
3. Non-Surgical
Invasive Procedures. If your BPH symptoms are
relatively severe, your doctor may recommend a
more aggressive approach to treatment. There are
several non-surgical invasive procedures that
may provide an effective alternative to major
surgery. They include prostatic symptoms, thermotherapy,
and transurethral needle ablation (TUNA). Your
doctor can explain why a certain procedure may
or may not be right for you.
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