Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Adjusting your lifestyle
• Part 2 of 3: Using medications to reduce your symptoms
• Part 3 of 3: Considering surgery
• Tips

The prostate or prostate is part of the male reproductive system and can enlarge with age, putting unpleasant pressure on the urethra. This can cause urinary problems, cystitis and even bladder stones. By adjusting their lifestyle and taking medication, most men can get rid of their urinary problems. However, a few men have to undergo minimally invasive or traditional surgery to correct the problems.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Adjusting your lifestyle

1. Cut down on caffeinated drinks, soda and alcohol. Make sure you drink less coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks every week. Carbonic acid and caffeine can irritate the bladder, making your bladder problems worse.
   • Try to get no more than 200 mg of caffeine daily. That's in about two cups of coffee and about half the maximum recommended amount for healthy adults.
   • Do not drink more than four alcoholic drinks per day and 14 drinks per week. It is best to drink as little alcohol as possible.
2. Drink less fluids in the two hours before going to sleep. Don't drink too much at night before going to bed. Going to sleep with an empty bladder can help prevent urinary problems so that you have less urgency at night.
   • Drink more fluids earlier in the day to make sure you get enough fluids during your day.
   • Try to drink about 3.5 liters of fluids per day.
   • If you exercise intensively or the weather is very hot, drink more fluids as needed.
3. Eat high-fiber foods to ensure regular bowel movements. Eat more high-fiber foods, such as peeled fruits, vegetables, lentils, nuts, and beans to avoid constipation. Constipation can worsen the symptoms of an enlarged prostate and increase pressure on your bladder.
   • Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables include broccoli, apples, pears, carrots, chard, raspberries and strawberries.
   • Get in 30-38 grams of fiber per day, depending on your age. Fiber supplements are safe, but can cause constipation. When possible, try to get fiber by eating the right foods instead of taking supplements.
4. Try to urinate twice to completely empty your bladder. After you have finished urinating, wait about 30 seconds and then try to urinate again. Do not try to squeeze. This can help empty your bladder completely and reduce the frequency of bladder infections.
5. See your doctor if your current medications are causing side effects. Talk to your doctor if you develop urinary problems after starting a medication for another unrelated condition. Certain decongestants and antidepressants can make bladder problems worse and enlarge the prostate.
   • Your doctor can tell you if there is another medication you can try that will help control your condition without developing prostate problems.
   • Do not just stop taking a prescription medication without consulting your doctor.

Part 2 of 3: Using medications to reduce your symptoms

1. Recognize the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Look for a faint stream of urine, drops of urine after urination and more frequent need to urinate at night. It may also be difficult for you to start urinating or you may have to push to empty your bladder. If you notice these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor to get an official diagnosis.
2. Try alpha blockers if you have trouble urinating. Talk to your doctor about alpha blockers, which can relax the muscles around the bladder and prostate. These drugs provide a more powerful stream of urine when you urinate and prevent frequent urination.
   • Alpha blockers don't have many side effects, but they can cause dizziness. The good news is that they usually ease symptoms within weeks.
   • Always use alpha blockers such as tamsolusine according to your doctor's instructions.
   • Most alpha blockers are safe to use with other medications. Ask your pharmacist how alpha blockers interact with the medications you are already taking.
3. Use enzyme inhibitors if your prostate is greatly enlarged. Ask your doctor if enzyme inhibitors such as finasteride and dutasteride may be able to help relieve your symptoms. These drugs shrink prostate tissue to reduce urinary problems and usually work best on a greatly enlarged prostate.
   • Enzyme inhibitors may take several months to reduce your symptoms, as the prostate tissue gradually shrinks.
   • As with alpha blockers, dizziness is the most common side effect of enzyme inhibitors.
   • Ask your pharmacist what interactions enzyme inhibitors have with the medications you are already taking.
4. Try tadalafil if you have erection problems. Talk to your doctor about tadalafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and proven to reduce urinary problems due to an enlarged prostate. You don't have to have erection problems to try tadalafil, but an enlarged prostate and erection problems are common in aging men. If you are affected by both, this drug can relieve multiple symptoms.
   • It is not well understood how tadalafil treats urinary problems, but the drug has few side effects. The most common side effects are back pain and headache.
   • How long it takes for your symptoms to disappear varies from person to person. Discuss your expectations with your doctor.
   • It is not recommended to use tadalafil in combination with other medications, such as nitroglycerin. Ask your pharmacist how tadalafil interacts with the medications you are already taking.

Part 3 of 3: Considering surgery

1. Consider transurethral microwave thermotherapy if you often have a strong urge to urinate. Discuss this procedure with your doctor if you often have to push when you urinate, if you often have the urge, or if you cannot empty your bladder all at once. In this outpatient procedure, microwaves are used to destroy parts of the prostate tissue that cause blockages in urination.
   • This procedure does not overcome bladder emptying problems and is best for mild to moderate blockages.
   • The pain and discomfort of this procedure can be alleviated with local anesthetics and oral painkillers in the outpatient clinic.
2. Consider transurethral needle ablation to increase the force of the urine stream. Ask your doctor about this procedure, which uses high-frequency radio waves to destroy problematic tissue to make the urine stream more powerful. During the procedure, needles are inserted into the prostate to target the tissue that compresses the urethra.
   • This procedure is often performed in hospital, but you do not need to be admitted for it. You will be anesthetized locally to relieve the pain.
   • This procedure may have some side effects, such as painful urination or frequent urination, but these only last for a few weeks.
3. Ask for a stent if you prefer not to have surgery or take medication. Talk to your doctor about placing a stent, which is a small coil placed in the urethra to keep it open. Most doctors don't prefer this, but if your prostate is greatly enlarged and you don't want to treat your symptoms with medication or surgery, this may be a viable option.
   • A stent can shift over time, causing more discomfort and causing a bladder infection more often. A stent is also difficult to remove if it causes problems.
4. If necessary, discuss invasive procedures. If medications and other minimally invasive procedures do not resolve your symptoms, discuss possible surgeries with your doctor. Surgery can seem scary, but it is usually best to get rid of all your symptoms.
   • Your doctor can recommend the surgical procedures that are best for you, based on your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor can discuss different options for treating your enlarged prostate, depending on your age and fertility needs.
   • Operations commonly performed to treat an enlarged prostate include a prostatectomy, laser treatment, and a transurethral incision or resection of the prostate.

Tips

• Be careful with herbal remedies. Some herbs, such as saw palmetto and pygeum, are thought to help treat an enlarged prostate. However, there is no scientific evidence that these drugs actually help. Discuss alternative treatments with your doctor first.