Enlarged Prostate Gland Treatment

If you have found you have a large prostate, how is it treated? An enlarged prostate gland, also called BPH (Benign prostatic hypertrophy/hyperplasia), can be treated in various ways depending on the amount of growth and. The prostate gland is the male gland that produces the fluid that carries sperm. The prostate gland lies around the tube that passes the urine out of the body, the urethra. An enlarged prostate is a natural ailment the often occurs as a man ages, but it can be quite irritating as it interferes with normal daily function. As the gland grows larger, it puts pressure on the urethra, which causes urination issues. Generally, the condition is found when the patient thinks he has a urology issue and finally consults a doctor.

There are several types of treatments for an enlarged prostate gland. The doctors you consult will help you choose the treatment based on how advanced your symptoms are, you how old you are, and your how healthy you are in general. You may be able to change your lifestyle and just wait it out. Other options include medication or radiation therapy to shrink the gland and prostatectomy, a surgery to completely remove the gland. Herbal treatments can be a part of a lifestyle change to alleviate urinary symptoms. Saw palmetto helps to reduce night time need to urinate and improve urine flow. Prescribed medications can also do this. Since herbal supplements are not regulated, some patients may feel more comfortable with the prescription rather than an over the counter product.

If the gland is overly large, external beam radiotherapy may be used to reduce its size. An x-ray type machine delivers controlled amounts of radiation to a specific target--in this case the prostate gland. Various forms range from photon to proton radiotherapy. "Seeding" is another form of radiation treatment in which radioactive "seeds" are implanting inside the gland. These are radical treatments for more severe cases that may be leaning toward cancer. Another treatment includes prostatectomy, or surgery to remove the prostate gland altogether. This will require the longest recovery of any of the treatments. Using laparoscopic technology, the surgeon can go in and remove the gland with very small holes instead of a long incision. However, it still takes weeks to return to feeling natural again.

Men 60 years old or more are at greater risk of having an enlarged prostate gland, but it can start happening to 40 years old. Note, however, that many men have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. If you catch it early using natural, herbal at-home self-care steps that the doctor can recommend is often plenty to alleviate the symptoms. More radical treatments, such as the radiotherapy and surgery, will be needed only if the symptoms interfere with your daily functions. Once you have a diagnosis of an enlarged prostate gland, it is a good idea to have a yearly physical exam to keep an eye on the progression of your symptoms. If they get worse, you may need to switch to the stronger choices of enlarged prostate treatments.