52 THE QUEENS COURIER • SENIOR LIVING • FEBRUARY 13, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
senior living
Treatment options for men with enlarged prostate
If you’re a male over
the age of 45, chances
are you may be
suff ering from a
condition more
common than
prostate cancer
- benign prostatic
hyperplasia
(BPH). More
c ommonly
known as enlarged prostate, BPH can
cause bothersome urinary symptoms
that can worsen with age. In fact,
nearly 40 million men in the
United States are aff ected by
enlarged prostate, according
to research published in the
“Journal of Urology.”
During Men’s Health
Month, consider these steps
from the experts at NeoTract,
Inc., manufacturer of
the UroLift System,
for alleviating
enlarged prostate
symptoms:
Signs you should see a urologist
An enlarged prostate obstructs
the bladder opening and can
lead to a myriad of bothersome
urinary symptoms.
Symptoms of BPH include
frequent urination, a weak
or slow urine stream,
incomplete bladder emptying,
diffi culty or delay
in starting urination and a urine stream
that stops and starts. It’s important to see
a physician if any of these problems arise
or persist.
Enlarged prostate can also cause loss
of productivity and sleep and, in some
cases, can lead to depression. According
to a survey sponsored by NeoTract, one
of the most common symptoms of BPH -
interrupted sleep - is also impacting men’s
partners. Sixty-four percent of women
surveyed who were aff ected by their partners’
BPH symptoms said it impacts their
sleep, too.
Traditional treatment options
Medication is oft en the fi rst-line therapy
for enlarged prostate, but relief can be
inadequate and temporary. Some patients
may suff er uncomfortable side eff ects
from the medications, including dizziness,
headaches and sexual dysfunction,
which can prompt them to quit using the
drugs.
“Medical and surgical treatments for
BPH ranging from medications to surgery
have been used for decades with
varying degrees of success and side
eff ects,” said Dr. David O. Sussman, DO,
FACOS. “Medications can be helpful in
relieving symptoms for some men, but
patients must continue taking them longterm
to maintain the eff ects.”
Th e classic alternative for patients who
opt against medication is surgery that
cuts, heats or removes prostate tissue
to open the blocked urethra. Sussman
said surgical options such as transurethral
resection of the prostate or photovaporization
of the prostate are usually
eff ective. However, these options typically
require general anesthesia, overnight
hospitalization and post-operative
catheterization. Surgery can also increase
the risk of erectile dysfunction or loss of
ejaculation.
An alternative treatment
method
Another option for men looking to
relieve their BPH symptoms without
undergoing major surgery or taking longterm
BPH medications is the UroLift
System treatment, a minimally invasive
procedure that takes less than an hour
and doesn’t require any cutting, heating
or removal of prostate tissue.
A urologist uses the device to lift and
move the enlarged prostate tissue out of
the way so it no longer blocks the urethra
(the passageway that urine fl ows
through). Tiny implants are then used
to hold the tissue in place, leaving an
unobstructed pathway for urine to fl ow
through normally.
Most common side effects are
mild-to-moderate and include pain or
burning with urination, blood in urine,
pelvic pain, urgent need to urinate or the
inability to control the urge. Th e procedure
has a low catheter rate and most
symptoms resolve within 2-4 weeks aft er
the procedure.
To learn more, visit UroLift .com.
— Courtesy of Family Features
/WWW.QNS.COM