Health Chasinglions

Introduction

Most men as they age will develop BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or an enlarged prostate. Fortunately most of these men will only experience mild urinary symptoms and not develop significant urinary symptoms from this condition. If you do develop serious urinary symptoms you may want to undergo minimally-invasive treatment on the excess tissue in your prostate.

Though there is no single drug that can cure men of BPH, there are medical procedures that can be performed to reduce the excess tissue created by BPH.

Treating Symptoms Of BPH

Men who have BPH develop urinary symptoms such as dripping, weak urine stream, frequent urination and urine retention. Though bothersome, these symptoms can lead to some significant medical conditions such as:

• Urinary Tract Infection
• Acute and Chronic Urine Retention
• Weak Bladder Muscle
• Bladder Stones
• Damaged Kidney

Because there is no cure for BPH, men look to reduce these symptoms. In addition medicines that men take to reduce the symptoms are not always effective for all men.

Surveys also show that men who are taking these medications stop using the drugs because they are not effective, cost too much or because of the side effects that develop. Side effects include such conditions as lightheadedness, dizziness, or retrograde ejaculation.

Men then turn to minimally-invasive therapies for relief from the symptoms of BPH.

Minimally-Invasive Therapies

Minimally-invasive therapies can reduce the size of your prostate without actually cutting the prostate and at the same time relieve symptoms of BPH. The two treatments that are most popular for treating BPH with heat above 140 degrees is transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) and transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT).

• TUNA- Was invented in the 1920s and used on humans in 1993. It heats the excess prostate tissue to 140 degrees by inserting interstitial radiofrequency (RF) needles through the urethra tube. With new techniques being used this procedure has been in decline.
• TUMT – Invented in the 1920s and was first used in 1985 This procedure requires the insertion of a urethra catheter in the bladder. This will allow a microwave antenna in the catheter to go to the prostate and heat the excess flesh to 150 degrees.

Advantages Of Minimally-Invasive Treatments

These medical procedures have many advantages over the surgical procedure transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). These advantages include such things as:

• Performed on an outpatient basis
• Fewer complications
• Overall patient comfort

Conclusion

If you develop severe symptoms of BPH, you may want to consider minimally-invasive treatments to relieve your symptoms.