You may be worrying about how many times you get up in the night to use the bathroom or that your urine stream is weak, or perhaps you leak urine throughout the day. It may be due to a common noncancerous condition that affects aging men called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It’s estimated that roughly half of all men age 75 and older suffer from BPH symptoms, which is caused by an enlargement of the prostate gland.
Dr. Craig Herman and Dr. Steven Kester at Urology Center of Florida in Pompano Beach offer world class care and advanced treatment options for your bladder control problem. Here they share more about the condition and what you can do to minimize symptoms.
When your prostate enlarges, it puts pressure on your bladder and urethra. Over time, this constant pressure compromises the strength of the bladder and leads to a number of frustrating symptoms. If left untreated, BPH can advance to incontinence, urinary tract infections, or kidney stones.
While age is the most significant risk factor for BPH, your chances of developing it increase further if you have diabetes or heart disease, or if you’re carrying excess weight.
We encourage you to seek an assessment in our office if you have any of the following symptoms:
In addition to evaluating your symptoms, to make a diagnosis of BPH our team may also get a blood and urine sample, perform a quick digital rectal exam, and conduct a bladder ultrasound.
If your BPH is mild, our team may recommend treatments that modify your lifestyle in order to minimize your symptoms. We may ask you to:
In some cases, medication is the next best step. If your symptoms are severe, your treatment options may include:
Based on your health history, current condition, and symptoms, we’ll help guide you to the best solution for you.
If you’re having problems with urination, you’re not alone. There’s help for you at the Urology Center of Florida. Call our office to schedule a consultation or use the online scheduling feature.
