While an enlarged prostate won’t kill you, it can cause serious problems for many men. Symptoms include an increased frequency of urination, especially at night; trouble starting urinating; leaking; and a feeling that the bladder isn’t emptying completely.

Over 12 million American men are currently being treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, more commonly known as an enlarged prostate. BPH is very common as men age. Men over 50 have a 50% chance of having BPH, while men over 80 have a 90% chance of having an enlarged prostate. If all men lived to the age of 100, 100% of men would have an enlarged prostate.

Traditionally, medical treatment for BPH begins with “watchful waiting,” or holding off on treatment until serious problems start to occur. In most cases, BPH doesn’t cause severe problems, but in some instances, it can cause blood in the urine, an inability to urinate, bladder stones, and serious kidney problems.

Until now, the most common treatments for BPH include medication, various procedures, and surgery. However, these are not without risks, so they’re reserved for the most serious cases. But a new treatment, known as aquablation, offers an alternative to these treatments, and it has fewer and less-intense side effects.

Aquablation: A New Frontier for Prostate Treatment

Aquablation involves removing excess prostate tissue using a robot-guided water jet assisted by 3-D imaging.

A study published in the journal BJU International found that aquablation improved men’s International Prostate Symptom Score from 23.2 to 6.7 three months after the procedure. Additionally, the maximum urinary flow rate increased from 8.7 mL/s to 18.8 mL/s. The study concluded that aquablation is safe and effective for treating BPH.

How Aquablation Works

Aquablation is performed in the operating room while the patient is under spinal or general anesthesia. The robotic system removes excess prostate tissue with a heat-free water jet. The procedure takes less than an hour and usually involves an overnight stay at the hospital.

For a few days after treatment, men may experience rectal soreness or feel a slight burning sensation during urination. Regular activities can typically resume within a week or so.

Side Effects of Aquablation

The side effects of traditional BPH treatment include sexual and erectile dysfunction. Aquablation is far less likely to result in these devastating side effects. The most common side effects of aquablation are mild pain, difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, or an urgent need to urinate. Ejaculatory dysfunction and injury to the urethra or rectum have happened with aquablation, but these side effects are rare.

How to Protect Your Prostate

The best thing you can do for your prostate and sexual health is work to naturally reduce your BPH symptoms and improve the health of your prostate. Prevention may mean you’ll never experience severe symptoms associated with BPH, and it can help reduce the chances you’ll need treatment.

Here are some essential ways to reduce BPH symptoms without medication or treatment:

Exercise.

Daily exercise can help not only relieve symptoms of BPH, but it also reduces your risk of prostate cancer.

Healthy Eating.

A healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in processed foods and animal products improves your overall prostate health.

Reduce alcohol use.

Heavy alcohol use can make your prostate problems worse. Strive to consume two or fewer alcoholic drinks each day.

Supplement.

Prostavol’s Prostate Support is a daily supplement with proven research-based ingredients shown to improve the health of your prostate and reduce the urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate.

A healthy prostate requires good overall health. If you’re suffering from an enlarged prostate, talk to your doctor, then take the “watchful waiting” approach to treatment. Meanwhile, make improvements in your lifestyle and include Prostavol Prostate Support in your daily routine to treat your symptoms naturally.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30734990

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/prostate-problems