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What are common BPH treatment options?

Diagnosed with BPH? Here’s what you can do about it.

Have you been diagnosed with BPH? Is your ability to urinate freely impacting your quality of life? While an enlarged prostate may be inevitable as you get older, there is something you can do about it.

Treatment options range from behavior modification and watchful waiting to medications, minimally invasive procedures and surgery. Which is right for you? It all depends on the amount of discomfort you’re in, your age, health, the size of your prostate and your post-procedure expectations. Read on, take our BPH Quiz to learn more.

Non-Surgical Treatments

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Watchful Waiting

If your BPH symptoms are mild to moderate and don’t interrupt your daily routine, your doctor may recommend a watch-and-wait approach. It includes active monitoring before considering other treatments.  

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Behavioral Modification

You can help control BPH symptoms by making lifestyle changes such as following a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Getting regular exercise.  Maintaining a healthy weight. Reducing stress in your life. Limiting caffeine, alcohol and other beverages in the evening. And avoiding decongestants and antihistamines and other medications that can aggravate symptoms.1

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Medications

Alpha blockers relax the muscles in the bladder and prostate, making it easier to urinate. And alpha reductase inhibitors help shrink the prostate gland by blocking hormones. But they may not work for everyone. In some cases, side effects and cost make medication a less desirable option.

Learn More
Explore Surgical Treatment Options

References

  1. American Urological Association Education Research, Inc. American Urological Association Guideline: Management of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Revised. 2010. Appendix 280, 283-5.
  2. McVary KT, Gange SN, Gittelman MC, et al. Erectile and ejaculatory function preserved with convective water vapor energy treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia: Randomized controlled study. J Sex Med. 2016 Jun;13(6):924-33.

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