Enlarged Prostate: When to See a Doctor

When Salt Lake City men turn 40, they might start to think about health issues that they hadn’t considered before. One of them might be the health of their prostate. Prostate health isn’t something that Utah men would be inclined to think about unless a friend or relative has experienced prostate cancer.

Prostate problems could develop for many men, though, not necessarily due to prostate cancer. An enlarged prostate can lead to painful and potentially embarrassing symptoms. That’s why it is important to meet with a Salt Lake City doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.

BPH / Enlarged Prostate: Symptoms

• The need to urinate often or an inability to urinate. BPH can cause the urethra to be blocked or otherwise squeezed. You might have difficulty beginning to urinate and then have difficulty again when you are trying to stop.
• Feeling that your bladder is never completely empty. This could be a symptom of an enlarged prostate.
• Lower back pain, or pain in the thighs or pelvis. While muscle aches might stem from exercise, sleeping in an unusual position or improperly lifting a heavy object, they can also be symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

BPH / Enlarged Prostate: Ways to Reduce Symptoms

Not all Salt Lake City men will suffer from BPH, but many will. There are several things that men who have an enlarged prostate can do to manage and even reduce the symptoms:

Cut back on alcoholic and caffeinated drinks. These are diuretics and thus make you want to urinate more often. Drinking decaf coffee and abstaining from alcohol can reduce this BPH symptoms.

• Avoid allergy pills and decongestants. These medications can make it difficult for some men to urinate.
• Change the manner in which you urinate. Go as much as you can, and then after a few minutes, repeat the process. This can help to empty your bladder more effectively.
• Try not to worry. Anxiety about the process can make your symptoms worse and compound your discomfort. If you can take your mind off of it by reading or thinking of other things, that might work. You could also run your bathroom faucet to move your thoughts in a positive direction.

If you are concerned about symptoms of an enlarged prostate, be sure to consult your Salt Lake City physician. Untreated symptoms can worsen over time.

BPH / Enlarged Prostate Treatment in Salt Lake City

JBR Clinical Research in Salt Lake City is recruiting participates for a BPH/enlarged prostate clinical study. Visit the JBR Clinical Research enlarged prostate/BPH clinical study page to see if you may qualify.