Benign Prostatic hyperplasia or BPH is an extremely common concern that most men will experience in the later years of their lives. It is estimated that about 50% of men over the age of 50 and 80% of men over the age of 80 will experience BPH. But with the word “benign” in its name, is there anything to worry about?
The Answer Is Nuanced
On one hand, BPH is not prostate cancer. Nor does it lead to prostate cancer in the future. Second, most cases of BPH, especially early on, do not lead to serious consequences and therefore can often be watched by your urologist for progression and worsening.
However, many men believe that there’s not much they can do about their BPH and therefore live with the often-difficult lifestyle issues associated with the condition. Frequent urination, difficulty starting a stream, urgent need to use the bathroom and more can all lead to embarrassing situations. Many men avoid socializing the way they want, simply because they are worried about their BPH.
So, to that end, while you shouldn’t lose sleep over BPH, you should address it at its earliest stages. BPH is imminently treatable and often, patients are started on medication such as FlomaxTM which allows for a better more consistent stream. However, medications, along with potential side effects, often lose their effectiveness over time. Eventually, patients will no longer receive a benefit. From there, Dr. Kapadia considers in office minimally invasive BPH therapy such as Rezum as a low-risk, high reward next step.
For qualified patients, an in-office BPH therapy can often offer five or more years of relief from symptoms with minimal risk and without precluding future therapies which may include surgery known as Transurethral Resection of the Prostate or TURP, or further in-office therapies.
If you are suffering from the symptoms of BPH and would like to understand more about potential treatment options including in-office therapy, we encourage you to contact our office and schedule a consultation with Dr. Kapadia.