Enlarged Prostate

Prostate enlargement becomes increasingly common as men age, with about 50% experiencing enlargement by the age of 60 and 90% by age 85. If you would like help dealing with troublesome symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, see Tate Kirk, MD, in White Plains, New York. To schedule a consultation, call the office or request one online today. 

What are the signs of an enlarged prostate?

Signs of an enlarged prostate include:

• Dribbling at the end of urinating
• Difficult urination or inability to urinate (urinary retention)
• Incomplete emptying of your bladder
• Needing to wake up at night to urinate
• Slowed or delayed start of the urinary stream
• Straining to urinate
• Strong and sudden urge to urinate
• Weak urine stream, or starting and stopping mid-urination 

Only about half of men experience these symptoms, so it’s best to be screened for prostate enlargement after age 40 in order to reduce potential complications — such as cancerous changes in your prostate.

What causes an enlarged prostate?

There is no known cause of prostate enlargement, though research has shown that the prostate undergoes a growth spurt, typically after the age of 40. Other possible causes of prostate enlargement include:

• Factors linked to aging
• Cellular changes in the testicles
• Testosterone levels

There are no known risk factors for developing an enlarged prostate either, so it’s best to begin screenings around age 40.

How is the cause of an enlarged prostate determined?

To determine the cause of your prostate enlargement and diagnose your condition, the following diagnostic tests may be utilized:

• Digital rectal exam
• MRI
• Prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test
• Urodynamic tests
• Cystoscopy

Based on the outcome of your tests, the cause of your enlarged prostate may be attributed to:

• Benign prostatic hypertrophy, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Prostate cancer
• Prostatitis

Other conditions, such as urinary tract infections, may cause similar symptoms to an enlarged prostate — including difficult or painful urination — and should be ruled out before beginning treatment.

What treatments are available for an enlarged prostate?

Treatments for an enlarged prostate depend on the severity of your symptoms, your age and overall health, and whether you show signs of prostate cancer. For mild, benign cases, regular monitoring and medication may be used to determine if your symptoms worsen over time.

Cases of BPH that cause disruptions to your daily life or sleep might benefit from prostate artery embolization, which is a minimally invasive treatment that can help improve urinary tract symptoms. Prostate artery embolization is an outpatient procedure that does not require you to spend the night in the hospital and offers significantly lower risks of sexual and urinary side effects compared to more invasive surgery.

To schedule a consultation and learn more about prostate artery embolization with Tate Kirk, MD, call the office or request one online at any time.