How to Correct an Enlarged Prostate

The prostate is a small walnut shaped gland that wraps around the opening of the male urethra where it meets the bladder. Although the prostate gland is present at birth, it does not begin to grow until puberty and stops at age twenty. During a man's forties, the prostate gland begins to grow again as natural part of aging. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). An enlarged prostate can also occur as result of prostate cancer or a prostate infection. An enlarged prostate should be treated by a medical professional to avoid urinary and sexual complications.

Instructions

• 1

  Recognize the signs of an enlarged prostate. The prostate gland actually wraps around the male urethra so if it gets bigger, it can squeeze the urethra and cause urinary problems. You may have problems urinating or only have a very weak stream during urination. In severe cases, you may not be able to urinate at all. An enlarged prostate can also cause pain during urination or ejaculation.

• 2

  See your health care provider and explain your symptoms. He will perform a prostate exam to evaluate the size of your prostate exam. He will also look for abnormal growths in the prostate gland, which is a sign of cancer. (If your does find abnormal growth, he may also take a small sample of the prostate gland tissue to further test for cancer.) Your doctor will also ask you to provide urine and blood samples. Your urine sample will be tested for the presence of bacteria, which can be a sign of a urinary or prostate infection. Your blood sample will be tested for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which help liquefy semen. Elevated levels will suggest an enlarged prostate.

• 3

  Treat the underlying reason for your enlarged prostate. If a prostate infection has inflamed your prostate gland and caused it to swell, your doctor will prescribe antibiotic treatment. If your doctor finds prostate cancer, he may suggest removal of the entire or portions of the prostate gland. After you treat the underlying condition for an enlarged prostate, you will find that it returns to its normal size. The only exception is the benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is a normal part of a man's aging process.

• 4

  Consider prescription drug therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Depending on your overall health condition, your doctor will suggest enzyme inhibitors or alpha-blockers to reduce the effects of an enlarged prostate. Alpha-blockers will relax the pelvic muscles, including those around the bladder and the prostate. Enzyme inhibitors will shrink the prostate gland, but take longer to work and only work in very large prostates.

• 5

  Consider noninvasive, nonsurgical therapies, including microwave therapy and radiofrequency therapy. These procedures use radiation to destroy the area of the prostate gland that is blocking or constricting the urethra. You should be aware that these procedures could have negative effects on a man's fertility. Professional prostate massage can alleviate some of the pain associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia, but is not known to reduce the size of an enlarged prostate. However, it has not been shown to affect fertility in any way.

• 6

  Consider surgical reduction or removal of the prostate gland for severe cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This step should only be taken at the last resort for cases where urination and ejaculation are nearly impossible. Prostate surgery is invasive and can take up to a month to heal completely. Prostate surgery can also affect fertility and be quite painful.