All your life you have slept like a rock, but now there are nightly annoying trips to the bathroom. For most men this is the first sign of an enlarged prostate. Then it tends to progress. Meetings and car trips that were once part of your life now need to be planned accordingly. Like crow’s feet, creaky joints and gray hair, prostate enlargement is a natural by-product of getting older. Left untreated these bothersome symptoms edge into your day-time routine.
This condition is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and occurs when the prostate gland increases in size. “The good news is that it’s not cancerous and doesn’t raise the risk for prostate cancer. However, it does come with symptoms that get in the way of everyday living,” explains Dr. David LoPresti, an interventional radiologist with CiC at Tatum and Shea in Phoenix.
When the prostate gets larger, it presses against the urethra, making it difficult for men to empty their bladder completely. Symptoms include difficulty urinating, a feeling of urgency, and getting up frequently at night to go to the bathroom.
“These symptoms shouldn’t be ignored or written off as just part of getting older,” says LoPresti. “While in many cases it’s BPH, the same symptoms can be an indication of more serious conditions, like prostate cancer, which is why it’s important to be evaluated by a doctor.”
There are treatments available for BPH. First line therapy starts with medication, which can be very effective in reducing the symptoms, but there are potential side effects like sexual dysfunction, fatigue and male breasts. “If you can’t tolerate the side effects or the medication isn’t adequately controlling your symptoms, there is another option,” explains LoPresti.
One of the newest, most exciting breakthroughs for treating BPH is Prostate Artery Embolism (PAE). While this is a new procedure, embolization is not a new technique. “It has been used for years to treat liver cancer and tumors,” says LoPresti. “Embolization reduces the blood flow in a targeted area, which causes the target, in this case the prostate, to shrink.”
There is less risk, reduced pain, no hospital stay and a shorter recovery time than with traditional procedures. “PAE can reduce the prostate up to 40% which relieves pressure on the urethra and improves symptoms,” says LoPresti. In many cases, men begin to feel relief within a few weeks. The doctor encourages men suffering from this condition to reach out and asks questions about all treatment available to them.
To learn more, contact Dr. David LoPresti at 480-374-7354 or visit https://www.ciccenters.com.
