What Are the Symptoms and Dangers of Having an Enlarged Prostate?

As men age, their likelihood of dealing with an enlarged prostate increases. Fortunately, knowing what to expect with this condition — and how to address it if symptoms become problematic — goes a long way. 

At Vascular & Interventional Associates in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, we’re here to help with precisely that. With extensive experience treating enlarged prostates, our team supports men throughout northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati, Ohio, area as their prostates change through the years.

How do you know if your prostate is getting bigger? There are a few telltale signs. 

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate

Your prostate keeps growing throughout your life. As a result, most men who live into retirement age will deal with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — the medical term for an enlarged prostate. The gland is enlarged but not cancerous.

As your prostate grows, it causes symptoms such as:

• Urinary frequency, especially at night
• The feeling that you suddenly need to go, called urinary urgency
• Trouble starting or maintaining your urine stream
• Difficulty fully emptying your bladder

These symptoms develop because your prostate gland wraps around your urethra, the tube that moves urine from your bladder out of your body. As the prostate grows, it increasingly interferes with urine moving through the urethra.

When BPH gets dangerous

Here’s the good news: An enlarged prostate is extremely common and usually doesn’t pose any serious health threat. That said, you shouldn’t ignore the above symptoms as you experience them.

If you let your BPH go unchecked, it could eventually fully block your urethra. Without a way to get urine out of your body, you’re facing a medical emergency.

Fortunately, when you see a prostate specialist like one of our team members at Vascular & Interventional Associates, we can monitor your prostate to reduce your risk of this serious complication. We offer a variety of treatments to shrink your prostate, too, if needed.

Some men see results with prostate-shrinking medication or medication to relax your muscles. This is particularly effective in the early stages of BPH. 

If you’re dealing with serious symptoms, your prostate may have grown to the point that medication will be ineffective. In these cases, we offer a treatment called prostate artery embolization (PAE). PAE gives you a safe, proven, and minimally invasive way to shrink your prostate by decreasing blood flow to the gland. 

To get relief from your urinary symptoms and to prevent your BPH from becoming a serious health issue, call our office staff at Vascular & Interventional Associates or request an appointment online today.