The Treatment Options
There are primarily three treatment options for Enlarged Prostate.
1. Lifestyle Changes
2. Medicines
3. Surgery
If lifestyle changes don't work and the symptoms are not severe enough then being on mediation can be source of great relief. However, a person has to be careful that you tell your doctor if you are already on any medication to avoid any harmful consequences of drug interference and mixing.
The Medicines for Treatment
Alpha Blockers
Medicine Type: Tablet
How it works :
Alpha-blockers loosen the prostate muscles also relaxing the muscles around the opening of the bladder. Although the medicine isn't a complete cure to the problem but it is quiet effect in relieving the problematic symptoms and discomforts. However, this isn't given in case a person has a very large prostate.
Relief and effects:
Upon taking Alpha Blockers you may experience an improvement in your symptoms usually within a few hours to days but the medicine takes its full effect after a few weeks of consumption. This can be a successful option for every 3 in 5 men and can be effective for several years. In case the treatment doesn't show any sign of improvement then a higher dose may be recommended or another treatment option suggested.
Side Effects:
Every medicine comes with certain side effects which may vary individual to individual. The side effects go away once the medicine is stopped and off course one may not experience all the side effects at the same time. To name a few
Nausea or headache upon standing up
Fatigue
Blocked nose
Erectile dysfunction (3 per cent chances)
Dry orgasm (2 per cent chances)
5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs)
Type : Tablet or Capsule
How It works:
This medicine works by shrinking the prostate preventing it as a result from pressing on the urethra so that a person can urinate with ease.
Relief and effects:
Usually the prostate can shrink up to a quarter after being on this medication for about 6-12 months. It might be possibility that the prostate might shrink further if the medicine is continued for a longer duration. Although it may take up to six months for urinary symptoms to improve but the effects of the medicine improve the symptoms in the longer run. Studies evidence a continuous symptomatic improvement for up to four years after taking 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. The drug is also shown to help prevent acute urine retention and requirements for surgery. This is usually the first course of treatment offered in cases where the prostate is very large and is found to work particularly well.
Relief and effects:
Usually the prostate can shrink up to a quarter after being on this medication for about 6-12 months. It might be possibility that the prostate might shrink further if the medicine is continued for a longer duration. Although it may take up to six months for urinary symptoms to improve but the effects of the medicine improve the symptoms in the longer run. Studies evidence a continuous symptomatic improvement for up to four years after taking 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. The drug is also shown to help prevent acute urine retention and requirements for surgery. This is usually the first course of treatment offered in cases where the prostate is very large and is found to work particularly well.
Side Effects:
Erectile dysfunction (4 or 5 per cent chances)
A drop in libido (2 to 3 per cent chances)
Tenderness in chest (2 per cent chances)
Dry orgasms or retrograde ejaculation (1 per cent chances)
IMPORTANT: This drug drops the PSA levels in the blood therefore one has to make sure that your doctor is aware if you are on is medication and have been asked to undergo a PSA test.
Other Medicines:
Anticholinergics help with urinary symptoms like wanting to urinate with sudden urgency, feeling like the need to urinate again and again and even leaking urine on the way to toilet. This drug works in similar ways to an alpha-blockers and can lead to side effects like constipation, dry eyes and dry mouth.
Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor makes it easy to urinate by relaxing muscles in the prostate and the opening of the bladder. it may cause side effects like rhinitis (swelling in nose), back pain, itchiness, indigestion and head ache.
Mirabegron (Betmiga®)
These are given incase Anticholinergics are not effective in relieving urinary symptoms. This new type of drug can help in case of people having very sudden and frequent urgency to urinate. The drug may give side effects like headache, increase blood pressure and urine infections.
Desmopressin
This drug taken at bed time is effective in case a person gets up a lot at night to urinate and has a disturbed sleep. This drug works by signalling the kidney to produce less urine for 6-8 hours. However, it is not recommended for use in people with chances for heart failure or who are above the age of 65. Regular blood tests are also accompanied to monitor kidney function.
Loop diuretic
This capsule is generally taken during late afternoon and causes a person to urinate a lot by the time one goes to bed, therefore reducing the chances to get up frequently during the night. One can have a better sleep.
Combination Treatment
In case of men it has sometimes been found that taking a combination of two medicines work better than taking one single drug. Therefore, one may be given the following combination treatments.
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