More than 50% of men over the age of 50 suffer from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate. BPH is a common condition, and while it is a benign condition and unrelated to prostate cancer, it can greatly affect a man’s quality of life.
For quite some time, the only solutions for treating BPH were medications or invasive surgical procedures, but men now have another option, the UroLift System. Quincy Medical Group (QMG) Urologist Dr. Matthew Knudson now offers this same-day procedure to area patients.
“The UroLift System is less invasive than other prostate procedures that we use typically,” Dr. Knudson explained. “Recovery is much shorter than surgery, and it allows men to stop the use of medication.”
BPH is a condition in which the prostate enlarges as men get older. The condition affects nearly 40 million Americans and over 500 million aging men worldwide. Over 40% of men in their 50s and over 70% of men in their 60s have BPH.
As the prostate enlarges, it presses on and blocks the urethra, causing bothersome urinary symptoms such as:
- Frequent need to urinate both day and night
- Weak or slow urinary stream
- A sense that you cannot completely empty your bladder
- Difficulty or delay in starting urination
- Urgent feeling of needing to urinate
- A urinary stream that stops and starts
Dr. Knudson says patients should speak to their doctor about being referred to a urologist for an assessment if they are having problems with urination.
“If you’re experiencing symptoms, it’s important to be assessed by your doctor to see if you’re a candidate for UroLift,” Dr. Knudson said. “This assessment includes a basic workup to check urine, assess bladder emptying with a bladder scan or ultrasound, and check a PSA in some men. These are basic tests done at most clinics.”
For more information on the Urology team and service at QMG, visit quincymedgroup.com.