Enlarged Prostate? What is BPH?

Enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a natural condition where the prostate gland slowly grows, causing pressure on the urethra, similar to a clamp on a garden hose.

This common non-cancerous condition effects one half of all men over 60.⁵ If left untreated, an enlarged prostate can cause permanent urinary problems.

Common Symptoms of enlarged prostate include:

• Frequent urination, especially at night⁶
• Sudden need to urinate⁶
• Difficulty beginning urination⁶
• Pain or burning⁶
• Feeling that your bladder never completely empties⁶
• Dribbling or leaking⁶
• Weak urine stream⁶

Understanding the Prostate

This muscular, walnut-shaped gland in men is located right below the bladder. It surrounds the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body) and is responsible for making the fluids that carry sperm.

As a man ages, the prostate slowly enlarges and may begin to squeeze the urethra, causing problems with urination.

While it may be a natural part of the aging process, that doesn't mean you have to live with it. There are effective options for treatment, including the minimally invasive thermotherapy treatment called TherMatrx®.

 

Treatment Options

⁵

Therapy selection is a decision between you and your physician. Each option has advantages and disadvantages that should be explored in detail.

 

Diagnosis

You may first notice symptoms of enlarged prostate yourself, or your doctor may find that your prostate is enlarged during a routine checkup. When enlarged prostate is suspected, you may be referred to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in problems of the urinary tract and the male reproductive system.

The American Urological Association (AUA) has drafted a simple survey to help assess the severity of your urinary symptoms. If you are experiencing urinary symptoms, please complete this survey and take a copy to your urologist.

 

Finding Relief

Your doctor may recommend prescription drugs to reduce the symptoms of your enlarged prostate. Drug therapies are safe and effective, but they can be expensive and do not work for all men. They also may have unpleasant side effects like dizziness, nasal congestion, and sexual side effects.⁵

Surgery is an option for some men whose symptoms have progressed or have other related urinary tract complications. But surgery requires a hospital stay as well as a lengthy recovery time.^5,7

There is another choice. TherMatrx®.

TherMatrx is a safe and effective treatment for relief of enlarged prostate symptoms. It is a form of transurethral microwave therapy (TUMT) - commonly called thermotherapy - that applies gentle heat to a very precise area of the prostate resulting in long-term symptomatic relief. The procedure can be performed in your doctor's office in about an hour, with only a mild oral sedative.¹

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1. Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy System. TherMatrx TMx-2000™. PMA P000043 summary of safety and effectiveness data. Approved June 29, 2001. Available at: www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf/p000043.html.

5. BPH: A guideline on the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). AUA guidelines. 2003/updated 2006. at: www.auanet.org/guidelines/bph.cfm

6. Treating your enlarged prostate. Patient Guide. Clinical practice guideline number 8. U.S. Dept. Health and Human Services. AHCPR Pub No. 94-0584. Feb 1994

7. Wojcik M, Dennison D. Photoselective vaporization of the prostate in ambulatory surgery. AORN J. Feb 2006;83(2):330-4 337-40, 343-5, 347-50.

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