There’s help for male urinary urgency symptoms 

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH, is a common condition in which the prostate enlarges as men get older. Over 40% of men in their 50s and over 70% of men in their 60s have BPH. While BPH is a benign condition and unrelated to prostate cancer, it can greatly affect a man’s quality of life.

As the prostate enlarges, it may press on and block the urethra, causing bothersome urinary symptoms such as frequent and/or urgent need to urinate, weak urinary stream, a sense that you cannot completely empty your bladder or urinary stream that stops and starts.

If left untreated, BPH can force the bladder to work harder, and over time may lead to permanent bladder damage and permanent symptoms due to the obstruction. Intervening earlier with treatments that address the blockage may preserve bladder health.

Prescription medications are the most common treatment for BPH. Medications can work well for mild symptoms yet may not be appropriate for men with severe symptoms. Prostate medications may also cause side effects that impact sexual function and blood pressure.

For men who do not respond to medication or who prefer to not take medications, a procedure may be advised. Most prostate procedures are minimally invasive and can be performed as an outpatient. I am excited to offer my patients the most commonly performed prostate procedure – UroLift.

In this procedure, a camera is advanced into the urethra and small implants are placed into the prostate to pull and lift the obstructing tissue out of the way. Patients go home the same day usually without a catheter. Symptom relief is rapid – most men see significant improvement within two weeks and most report excellent long-term symptom improvement.

The advantages of the UroLift system is that it is proven to be safe and effective and is the only leading enlarged prostate procedure that does not require heating, cutting or removal of prostate tissue and is shown not to cause new and lasting sexual dysfunction. The procedure is also covered by Medicare, national and commercial insurance plans.

Early intervention with BPH is key to good outcomes. If you’re a man experiencing urinary urgency or weakness or if you’re currently taking medication for these symptoms and want to explore options for improving your quality of life, the UroLift procedure may be an option for you.

Jason Anast, MD, is a board-certified urologist. He sees patients at Bothwell Urology Services and at Kansas City Urology Care. He graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed his residency in urology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Dr. Anast has performed over 450 UroLift procedures and is recognized as a UroLift Center of Excellence. He is also a UroLift faculty member training other urologists on performing the UroLift procedure.