Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is also called prostate gland enlargement. It is a common condition as men get older. The prostate gland first grows in early puberty, doubling in size. Once a man turns about 25 years old, the prostate starts growing again and continues for the remainder of his life. BPH occurs when this growth is large enough to cause problems.
One of the most common symptoms of BPH finding it hard to pass urine. If your BPH is severe enough, you may not be able to pass urine at all. This is an emergency situation and must be treated immediately. Other symptoms include:
- feeling like your bladder is still full even after urinating,
- needing to urinate more often,
- stopping and starting to urinate,
- a weak stream, straining to urinate,
- needing to urinate several times during the night
If you have any of these symptoms or a combination of symptoms, consider coming in to see Dr. Chhikara.
The exact cause of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) are not well defined although hormonal changes seem to have some role. BPH occurs mostly in older men. It is thought that as men age and testosterone levels decline, the hormone change may trigger prostate growth. Additionally, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) seems to occur in higher levels in older men which supports prostate growth.
Risk factors of BPH include men over 50, men who’s father had BPH, men who are overweight, men who do not stay active and some men with erectile dysfunction.
You and Dr. Chhikara can discuss which treatments will give you the best results. Your BPH is unique and treatments are determined by the severity of your case. Many times no treatment is recommended other than diet and exercise regimens.
Treatments range from prescription drugs to minimally invasive surgical treatments (MIST) that do not require a hospital stay to more invasive treatments for serious cases. Schedule an appointment if you feel you may have Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
How we can help
Austin Urological Associates can help people with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Man men suffer from BPH. Effective treatment is available. At Austin Urological Associates, we screen patients to determine the cause of the BPH and offer treatments that will help them get back to normal everyday life. Contact us for an appointment at (512) 476-6060
Need more info? Contact us
If you need more information about a condition or one of our procedures, please call us during normal business hours or use this form 24/7.
"*" indicates required fields
If this is an emergency, please do not use this form. Call 911 in case of emergencies or contact us at (512) 476-6060 for urgent matters.