Typically, when men visit their doctor or urologist and enlarged prostate is brought up, they are often prescribed some form of daily medication to try and treat the symptoms of BPH. Here is a list of some of the most common BPH medications that are prescribed to patients:
Alpha blockers help treat enlarged prostate by relaxing the muscles around the bladder, this makes it easier to completely empty your bladder. However, you will most likely need to take this medication daily for the rest of your life. As the prostate continues to enlarge, the drug’s effectiveness may begin to decrease. Along with that, there are side effects that come along with taking alpha blockers such as:
5-alpha reductase inhibitors such as Proscar work by slowing the release of the hormone that is telling your prostate to continue to grow. While alpha blockers take effect very quickly, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can take up to months to notice any effect. Once again you will likely need to take this daily for the rest of your life. These also come along with possibility for some more unpleasant side effects such as:
If side effects are not an issue, medication can be a solution for those men who experience mild symptoms. While at one time drug therapy or surgery were the only solutions, in the last 30 years there has been clinical innovation to create minimally invasive, non-surgical treatments for men with BPH. Such options give lasting relief to men without the need for daily medication or surgery.
Click on to learn about the different minimally invasive treatments
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