Enlarged prostate is a common problem

Enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), occurs more frequently as men age. When boys enter puberty, the size of their prostate doubles. At around age 25, the prostate begins to get larger again, and this growth continues for most of a man’s lifespan. When the prostate gets too large and begins to cause problems, they may have BPH. Our Austin urologists urge men to have annual rectal examinations and blood tests to help detect BPH early when it’s most treatable.

What causes benign prostatic hyperplasia, and who is most at risk?

Researchers and physicians aren’t exactly certain what causes the prostate to enlarge and cause issues. We do know that certain factors increase a man’s risk for BPH, including the following.

• Aging – men aged 50 and over have a higher risk
• Family history – men whose fathers have had BPH
• Being obese or overweight
• Not being physically active
• Erectile dysfunction, or ED, may increase the risk for some men

What are the symptoms of BPH?

Men like to joke with other men about getting up in the night to go to the bathroom or having a weak stream, but these things are actually symptoms of a health concern and not a laughing matter. If men experience any of the following symptoms, they should see our Austin urologists to find out if they have an enlarged prostate or other problem that we can diagnose and treat.

• Feeling the need to urinate as often as every hour or two, usually in the night
• Feeling like the bladder is still full after urinating can mean the bladder is retaining urine
• Needing to stop and start the flow of urine often while urinating
• Feeling the urgent need to urinate
• Having a weak urine stream
• Having difficulty passing urine or needing to strain or push to urinate
• Waking up more than twice a night to urinate, which is known as nocturia

Our Austin urologists diagnose and treat men who have an enlarged prostate

A physical examination is the first step toward diagnosing an enlarged prostate. Our physicians perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) and also talk to you about the American Urological Association’s BPH Symptom Score Index. This questionnaire helps rate your BPH on a scale from mild to severe. Our Austin urologists may also order urine tests, including the following.

• Urinalysis
• Uroflowmetry to measure the speed of urine flow
• Urodynamic pressure flow study tests to assess how much pressure is in the bladder while urinating
• Post-void residual volume (PVR) test to see if the bladder retains urine after urination

Our physicians may also order imaging tests like ultrasounds or MRIs, or a cystoscopy examination of the bladder or urethra. Some patients need blood tests to rule out cancer.

At our urology practice in Austin, our treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia vary from watchful waiting and medication to state-of-the-art minimally invasive procedures. Men who suspect they may have enlarged prostate should contact us for an appointment.