By the time a man turns 85, he has a 90% chance of living with an enlarged prostate. In most cases, the issue is caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), so it doesn’t increase your cancer risk. But it can still cause symptoms that interfere with your quality of life.
Here at Vascular & Interventional Associates in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, our team of expert providers is available to help men throughout northern Kentucky and in Cincinnati, Ohio, with enlarged prostates and the problems they can cause. Do you need to talk to our team about this condition? Here are the top warning signs of BPH.
Because your prostate is located just below the bladder and wraps around your urethra, its size plays a direct role in your urinary processes. As your prostate grows, it can put pressure on your bladder, meaning you find yourself taking more and more trips to the bathroom.
The issue is that an enlarged prostate doesn’t develop overnight. Instead, the prostate slowly grows over the years. And this leaves many men thinking their increased urinary frequency is just a normal part of aging when, in fact, it could be reversed with proper treatment.
More frequency isn’t the only urinary problem an enlarged prostate can cause. Because it encases part of your urethra, its growing size can make it difficult to empty your bladder like you used to. Common warning signs of an enlarged prostate include:
Ultimately, BPH can make a task you once thought simple — urinating — a challenge. So if you’ve noticed changes in your body’s ability to empty your bladder, don’t hesitate to talk to our team.
Again, this stems from the fact that a bigger prostate can put pressure on your bladder and urethra. A common symptom of BPH is getting up during the night to urinate. This can lead to lost sleep and the host of difficulties that come with fatigue.
If you used to sleep soundly through the night and now find yourself regularly getting up to use the restroom, your prostate could be to blame.
The good news about BPH is that it’s treatable. Many men respond well to medication. If the more conservative treatments aren’t effective for you, a targeted, minimally invasive procedure called prostate artery embolization can shrink your prostate and put a stop to your unwelcome symptoms.
If you think you might be living with an enlarged prostate, call our team at Vascular & Interventional Associates or request your appointment online today.
