Enlarged Prostate (BPH)
Weak stream, straining, getting up at night — benign prostatic hyperplasia is common after 50 and has more treatment choices than ever, many done in the office.
Enlarged prostate (BPH)
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is non-cancerous growth of the prostate that squeezes the urethra. Symptoms build slowly: a weak or intermittent stream, straining, feeling that the bladder does not empty, urgency, and waking several times at night. Left untreated, severe blockage can lead to retention, infections, bladder stones and kidney damage.
Not sure how bothersome your symptoms are? Take the prostate symptom score — it is the same questionnaire we use in the office.
Evaluation
Symptom score, exam, urinalysis, PSA when appropriate, a bladder scan for residual urine, and — when needed — urodynamic testing or cystoscopy to look at the prostate and bladder directly.
Treatment choices
- Watchful waiting for mild symptoms
- Medications that relax the prostate (alpha-blockers) or shrink it over time (5-alpha-reductase inhibitors)
- Minimally invasive office and outpatient procedures that relieve obstruction with minimal downtime
- Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and other surgical options for large glands or severe obstruction
Dr. Sosenko will walk you through the trade-offs of each option so the choice fits your anatomy, your symptoms, and your priorities — including preserving sexual function.
This page is general patient education and is not a substitute for a visit. Every patient is different — Dr. Sosenko will review your history, examination, and test results before recommending treatment.