The prostate is a small gland that’s part of the male reproductive system. The gland wraps around your urethra just below your bladder and secretes fluid that goes into semen.
Most of the time, you probably don’t give much thought to your prostate. But as you get older, your prostate changes — and those changes can cause symptoms that interfere with your health and quality of life.
Nearly 50% of men develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate, by the time they’re 60 years old. After age 70, that number goes up to 80%. BPH isn’t the same as prostate cancer, but it can cause a range of bothersome symptoms.
The doctors at Advanced Urology provide comprehensive prostate care, and we’re here to help you find the best treatment. Read on to learn more about BPH and UroLift®, a BPH treatment that relieves symptoms at the source.
A healthy adult male prostate is about the size of a golf ball. But it’s not unusual for your prostate to gradually get larger over time. While increased size isn’t always a cause for concern, your prostate can get so large that it starts to squeeze your urethra.
Your urethra is the tube that empties urine from your bladder, and an enlarged prostate that pinches your urethra can interfere with urinary function. BPH is generally diagnosed when your prostate and the tissues around it get so large that you begin noticing symptoms.
The most common symptoms are:
If these symptoms sound familiar, schedule an appointment with our urologists at our offices in Los Angeles, Redondo Beach, San Pedro, and Culver City, California. We can diagnose your condition and recommend treatment to manage your prostate health and your symptoms.
We keep a close eye on your condition. Depending on your symptoms, we may prescribe medication to improve urine flow and/or decrease the size of your prostate. If your symptoms are severe, you may be a good candidate for minimally invasive UroLift.
Many men find relief from BPH symptoms without surgery. But if medication doesn’t work well enough or you experience unpleasant drug side effects, it might be time to consider UroLift.
UroLift is a revolutionary, minimally invasive procedure that offers a long-term solution for BPH symptoms. It doesn’t cause negative side effects, and it doesn’t just manage your symptoms — it eliminates the cause.
At Advanced Urology, we perform UroLift as an outpatient procedure. We use local anesthesia to numb the area, then insert a small UroLift delivery device into your urethra.
We use the device to place small implants into your prostate. The implants are permanent, and they hold the enlarged tissue out of the way of your urethra. We remove the delivery device, and your procedure is complete.
Since UroLift is minimally invasive, recovery is quick. Most men don’t need catheterization following UroLift, and you can expect to return to your usual activities within a few days.
UroLift eliminates the blockage that BPH puts on your urethra. Once the blockage is gone, your urinary symptoms improve or disappear completely.
If you’re living with severe BPH, UroLift could be the solution you’re seeking. Call us today, or to book a consultation online, and learn more about your BPH treatment options.
