As you get older, you may notice that sleeping through the night becomes more difficult. For men, waking up to pee in the night can start to cause sleep disruptions. But what’s normal, and when should you be concerned that your nighttime bathroom habits are a sign of prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH)? Here’s what you need to know.

How Many Times are You Waking Up to Pee Each Night?

Getting up once in the night to use the bathroom is fairly common, especially if you like to drink a beverage or two with dinner. However, if you are waking up to pee two or more times each night, that could mean you have nocturia, one of the most common BPH symptoms. As such, it’s worth mentioning the issue to your doctor, to see if you should be evaluated for BPH.

What is BPH?

This condition refers to a prostate gland that has become enlarged for reasons other than cancer. Having an enlarged prostate is very common, affecting more than 50% of men after they turn 60. While not dangerous, the enlarged prostate gland can put excess pressure on the bladder, making it more likely that you’ll need to wake up and pee at night. Some men with BPH also have difficulties fully emptying their bladder, as the prostate gland can block urine’s ability to flow through the urethra. Others experience urgency, or struggle to start or stop the flow of urine. Some BPH symptoms can be managed with lifestyle measures or medication. But when you are waking up to pee multiple times each night, or when other symptoms are negatively impacting your quality of life, medical intervention may be appropriate.

Medical Procedures for Enlarged Prostate

If you have BPH and want to stop waking up to pee at night without undergoing surgery, we encourage you to explore Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE) at the Texas Prostate Institute. This minimally invasive procedure shrinks your enlarged prostate gland, and it can be performed without major incisions, allowing you to avoid general anesthesia and overnight hospital stays while dramatically reducing your risk for sexual side effects. You can learn more about PAE and your candidacy for this BPH treatment by requesting a consultation today.

If you have BPH, (short for benign prostastic hyperplasia and also known as prostate enlargement), you may be seeking BPH treatment. Today, there are several ways to treat this condition. However, if you want to explore the main BPH treatment that avoids surgery, keep reading this post, as our Houston and Dallas interventional radiologists give you a better understanding of how they can relieve your symptoms.

What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

Men with this condition have an enlarged prostate gland. And, to get a BPH diagnosis, that enlargement could result from a variety of causes, excluding cancer.

Following that enlargement, you may experience LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms) due to the prostate gland's location in your body. You see, since this walnut-shaped gland sits at the neck of your bladder, surrounding the urethra, any change in size can impact your urination patterns. And that becomes clear when you explore the most common complaints associated with an enlarged prostate.

BPH Symptoms Revealed

Two common symptoms of BPH are losing the ability to urinate or experiencing urinary dribbling at the end of a bathroom visit. Other symptoms of an enlarged prostate may include:

• Losing the ability to fully empty your bladder
• Incontinence
• Waking up two or more times at night to urinate
• Blood in your urine
• Pain with urination 
• Delayed urination onset
• Having to suddenly and urgently need to urinate

BPH Treatment Options

The best way to relieve LUTS is by treating BPH. Today, there are several available treatment options; the one you choose should depend on your symptom severity and overall health and lifestyle. Initially, you may manage your condition with certain lifestyle changes. Some helpful ways to manage BPH through lifestyle include urinating on a regular schedule, even when you don't need to, or sooner if you feel an urge. (And you should answer that call immediately.)

Also helpful? Pay close attention to your choice of beverage, reducing alcohol and caffeine and avoiding them entirely in the evening. Furthermore, try to cut off all fluid intake two hours before you want to go to sleep. And, throughout the rest of the day, sip small amounts of fluid at regular intervals instead of guzzling a big beverage all in one sitting. Now, try to exercise regularly and reduce your tension, since remaining sedentary and feeling stressed can make symptoms worse. Finally, limit use of antihistamines or decongestant medications, since both can worsen lower urinary tract symptoms.

Medications for BPH Treatment

Certain medications, including finasteride and dutasteride, lower production of hormones in the prostate, thereby reducing the size of the gland. However, with these treatment options, you'll have to wait between three and six months before your symptoms improve.

Another option? Alpha-1 blockers, a group of blood pressure-lowering medications, can also help BPH symptoms by relaxing the muscles in the bladder and prostate, reducing barriers to urination. However, these medications may interact with other prescription drugs, or cause additional side effects. For that reason, some people prefer to explore medical procedures.

Surgery-Free BPH Treatment

Aquablation for BPH is an ultrasound-guided procedure that uses a water jet to destroy excess prostate tissue. It is particularly effective for men who experience urinary retention (the inability to fully empty the bladder. But, while it is a non-surgical procedure, this option does require an overnight hospital stay.

In contrast, there is a new, non-surgical BPH treatment known as Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE) that is growing in popularity. PAE is now an FDA-approved, outpatient BPH treatment option available at the Houston and Dallas locations of the Texas Prostate Institute that does not require overnight hospital stays. Now, not every patient is a PAE candidate. Instead, we recommend this procedure for those who experience ongoing BPH symptoms after trying medication, or for those who wish to avoid surgery or who are not medically cleared for invasive procedures.

Ready to find relief from LUTS and other effects of benign prostatic hyperplasia? When lifestyle measures and medications fail, non-surgical relief is still available. Click here to request an appointment . When you come in, we can discuss PAE as a BPH treatment.

When seeking treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), it’s important to be aware of potential sexual side effects. Surgical options such as TURP (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate) carry a high risk for concerns such as ejaculatory dysfunction. In contrast, studies show that minimally invasive Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE) can still provide relief from BPH symptoms with a dramatically lower risk for sexual side effects.

When to Treat BPH

Most men over the age of 50 will experience some prostate enlargement. When the cause of enlargement is benign, men may choose to manage their symptoms with lifestyle adjustments, including changes in their fluid intake, diet and exercise. However, when BPH symptoms become more disruptive, interfering with sleep or with your ability to complete your daily activities, medical intervention may be necessary. For some men, medications such as Cialis for BPH could provide sufficient symptom relief. But, for others, a medical procedure may be necessary. And, at this point, they will have to ask about the side effects associated with any potential treatment option.

Sexual Side Effects After BPH Treatment

Until recently, men would need to undergo the TURP procedure if they could not find BPH relief with medication. Unfortunately, this surgery is very likely to cause sexual side effects—in fact, according to this study, about 66% of men experience retrograde ejaculation (when semen enters the bladder instead of exiting the urethra) following the procedure. Given the high incidence of sexual side effects associated with TURP, many men were hesitant to treat BPH surgically.

In 2018, the FDA approved Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE treatment) for BPH relief. This minimally-invasive procedure shrinks the enlarged prostate by reducing blood flow to the gland. And because it is a non-surgical procedure, the risk of sexual side effects is much lower. In fact, this study found that just 10% of men experienced ejaculatory dysfunction following PAE, and they appeared to have had more difficulties completely emptying their bladders (referred to as post-void residual volume) prior to undergoing treatment.

Of course, the PAE procedure may not be the best treatment option for every patient. But if you want BPH relief with a reduced risk for sexual side effects, it is an option worth exploring. We encourage you to request a consultation with the Texas Prostate Institute to begin exploring your candidacy for Prostatic Artery Embolization.

Many men who are dealing with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) are looking for a natural remedy for an enlarged prostate. As such, they may try to relieve BPH symptoms by taking supplements such as saw palmetto, an herbal-medicine staple with rumored anti-inflammatory properties. However, supplements such as this are unregulated and their safety may be questionable. Moreover, there is little scientific evidence to suggest their efficacy. So, does saw palmetto have any benefit for someone with an enlarged prostate? Let’s take a closer look.

Saw Palmetto: An Effective Natural Remedy for Enlarged Prostate?

For hundreds of years, saw palmetto has been touted as a supplement that’s beneficial to prostate health. Over the years, some findings suggested it could mimic the effects of finasteride in the body, helping shrink your prostate gland. More recently, however, that idea has been called into question.

Today, the American Urological Association points out the flaws in studies highlighting saw palmetto as a natural remedy for enlarged prostate: they were small, lacking a placebo control group, and conducted for a short duration. As such, this 2024 study sought to correct those flaws. And, despite being conducted over a 17-month period, and despite including a placebo group, researchers concluded that, on its own, taking saw palmetto (also known as Serenoa repens or SR) alone “provides little to no benefits for men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic enlargement.” But, while this supplement may not relieve your BPH symptoms, there are some other natural remedies that may help you manage LUTS without seeking medical intervention.

Lifestyle Measures for BPH Relief

While saw palmetto may not shrink your prostate, some natural remedies can help you reduce your BPH symptom burden. First, you can manage your fluid intake—making sure to stay hydrated, but cutting off your fluid intake at least two hours before you go to bed. (Note: you should not drink less with BPH, since dehydration can actually worsen LUTS.) You may also feel better if you follow this diet for enlarged prostate relief.

Feeling better after trying an effective natural remedy for enlarged prostate? It’s fine to wait and see how you feel before considering a medical intervention like the minimally invasive PAE procedure. But when such measures fail to relieve your symptoms of BPH, the experts at the Texas Prostate Institute are here to help you consider the full range of your treatment options. Simply reach out to our team and request a consultation.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can cause symptoms such as the urgent need to urinate or waking multiple times a night to pee. Treatment can relieve symptoms, and many people turn to Cialis for BPH before exploring procedures to address an enlarged prostate. This post explains how this medication impacts men with symptomatic BPH.  

What is BPH

When you have BPH, the cause of your prostate enlargement is unclear. Depending on the severity of your condition, your BPH symptoms may be mild or extremely disruptive. As such, many men can manage their condition with changes to their diet and lifestyle. But others may turn to medications or other medical interventions.

Over-the-Counter Treatments for Enlarged Prostate

While many men would love to find symptom relief with supposed over-the-counter remedies such as herbs and plant extracts, there is little evidence to suggest their efficacy. You’re likely to enjoy equal relief by managing your symptoms through lifestyle changes involving your drinking schedule, diet and exercise programs.

Tamsulosin (Flomax)

This prescription alpha-blocker relaxes the muscles around your bladder and prostate. In turn, it can make it easier for you to pee if you experience difficulties starting the flow of your urine. However, it may not resolve all your symptoms of BPH, so you may need to seek further or different interventions.

Cialis for BPH

Cialis (or tadafil, as it’s known generically) was first developed to address erectile dysfunction. In 2011, however, the FDA approved Cialis for BPH treatment, based on studies such as this that showed its effectiveness at relieving lower urinary tract symptoms associated with prostate enlargement.  

How does it work? Basically, Cialis increases cGMP levels in the body, increasing blood flow to your penis while relaxing your prostate and bladder muscles.  As a result, when taken once daily, at the same time each day, the medication can make it easier to start urinary flow. It can also reduce night-time wakings to urinate. As an added bonus, the medication can improve male sexual function for 36 hours after taking each Cialis dose.  

Side Effects and Counter Indications

Cialis side effects are typically mild, and include headaches; stomach upset; back or muscle pain; facial flushing; and a stuffy nose. But if you take nitrates or medication to lower your blood pressure, avoid Cialis, as it will increase your risk for a sudden, potentially dangerous drop in blood pressure.  

Cialis for BPH and Other Treatment Options in Texas

While many men with BPH enjoy an improved quality of life when taking Cialis, there are other treatment options for men who cannot tolerate this medication, or those who do not experience sufficient relief from their prescription.  In such cases, our specialists at the Texas Prostate institute encourage you to request a consultation [/tx-appt link] with our team of interventional to learn more about Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE treatment) and to learn whether you’re a candidate for this intervention. As a minimally invasive procedure, PAE treatment benefits include symptom relief and the ability to avoid large surgical incisions, general anesthesia and overnight hospitals.   

If you have an enlarged prostate (also known as BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia), you may experience symptoms such as frequent, urgent urination and nocturia. (Waking up in the middle of the night to pee, often multiple times.) Of course, we all know that fluid intake can lead to urination. As such, many men wonder, “Should I drink less with BPH?” Here’s what you need to know.

 Should I Drink Less with BPH?

While reducing your fluid intake could temporarily improve some BPH symptoms, you should not reduce your daily fluid intake. Why is that the case? If you drink less each day, you could become dehydrated. And, with dehydration, you increase your risk for both kidney and bladder stones. Plus, dehydration can cause bladder irritation that, in turn, can result in an overactive bladder problem that amplifies your existing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Managing Fluid Intake: A Better Way Forward

Instead of drinking less with BPH, it’s important to maintain your daily fluid intake to prevent hydration. For most men, that will mean drinking about 8 glasses of water each day—or more, if you exercise or are out in the hot sun.

However, while we don’t want you to drink less with BPH, we do want you to drink less at certain times of day. Ideally, you will stop drinking water two hours before you go to bed. (You may also wish to stop eating at that time, since the fluid in your food could contribute to nocturia.) Additionally, you should limit intake of irritating drinks—especially ones with caffeine or alcohol—all throughout your day, as they can worsen symptoms linked to urination.

Lasting Relief for BPH: Moving Beyond Coping Mechanisms

When BPH symptoms are disrupting your daily activities and leaving you worried about when and how much water you can drink, you may wish to explore PAE treatment. Unlike lifestyle adjustments that simply help you cope with the effects of BPH, this minimally invasive procedure provides lasting symptom relief by shrinking the size of your prostate gland. Performed without the need for major incisions or overnight hospital stays, it can help you say stop asking “Should I drink less with BPH?” and start focusing on the rest of your life. If you want to learn more, you can contact the Texas Prostate Institute and request a consultation.

As they age, many men will experience prostate enlargement. Also know as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the exact causes of the gland’s enlargement are still unknown. But now, thanks to a new study in Aging, we’re learning more about likely contributing causes.

Causes of Prostate Enlargement

Between the ages of 50 and 60, approximately 50% of men will develop BPH. And by the time they’re 80, close to 90% of men are affected. Clearly, prostate enlargement and aging are related in some ways. But now, this study in the journal Aging is helping us more precisely pinpoint what causes prostate enlargement.

For the study, researchers analyzed blood samples from 144 men with BPH and from 75 men without an enlarged prostate. They discovered that the men with BPH were more likely to show signs of oxidative stress, and/or to have some kind of metabolic syndrome such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity. As such, they concluded, “There is mounting evidence that links the onset of inflammation with the development of prostate diseases, including benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer."

Clues for Prevention

In the wake of these findings, researchers believe there may be new ways to prevent or slow the onset of BPH symptoms. Next, they hope to explore the effects of lifestyle habits such as weight management, exercise and an improved diet on BPH progression.

Now, while explorations are ongoing, there are steps you can take to reduce the impact of BPH on your life. You can try following this diet for enlarged prostate relief.  And, if you are experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as frequent urination and nocturia, you can reduce your intake of irritants such as caffeine and alcohol, and eliminate fluid intake two hours before bed time, in order to reduce your symptom burden.

Of course, none of these measures can reverse prostate enlargement. So, if symptoms persist, you may wish to explore PAE treatment, a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks your prostate by blocking the flow of blood to the gland. Available at the Texas Prostate Institute, you can explore your candidacy by [tx-apt-link] requesting a consultation. [/tx-apt-link].

When you have an enlarged prostate gland, you may develop lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) as the larger gland presses against your bladder and urethra. These symptoms include a frequent or urgent need to urinate, as well as waking several times in the night because you have to pee. Now, night time waking is very common in men over the age of 50—in fact, surveys reveal that, after the age of 50, more than 80% of men wake up to pee at least once a month. Perhaps not surprisingly, that is the age when many men will experience prostate growth due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH.) So, can BPH keep you up at night? And can you resolve enlarged prostate sleep problems? Here’s what you need to know.

Enlarged Prostate Sleep Problems: How BPH Impacts Your Night

According to this study, a significant number of men with symptomatic BPH experience poor sleep quality. And certain BPH symptoms are more likely to keep you up at night than others, specifically:

• The frequent need to urinate, regardless of the time of day
• The urgent need to urinate, often with little warning

Not surprisingly, needing to urinate urgently and frequently is likely to disrupt your sleep. Moreover, waking frequently at night can take a toll on your overall quality of sleep, even when you aren’t up and running to the bathroom. And these enlarged prostate sleep problems don’t just impact men with BPH; about 64% of people whose partners’ have nocturia due to BPH report sleep disruptions, too.

Now, losing sleep isn’t just unpleasant or inconvenient. In fact, it can lead to memory loss; difficulties functioning throughout your day; increased stress; and an increased risk for depression as well as for diabetes. Luckily, these sleep disruptions don’t have to be permanent. By treating BPH, you can find symptom relief and enjoy improved sleep quality and duration.

BPH Treatment Options

When your enlarged prostate is causing sleep problems, you may find relief with a variety of treatment options. Some men will sleep better by eliminating all fluid intake in the two hours before bedtime. (It’s also helpful to limit or eliminate caffeine and alcohol intake, since both drinks can increase your need to urinate.) Other men may find symptom relief with medications such as Cialis for BPH.  But for lasting relief that shrinks your prostate—without surgery—you can explore PAE treatment (prostatic artery embolization). This minimally invasive procedure reduces blood flow to the prostate, in turn reducing its size and helping alleviate enlarged prostate sleep problems. A great option for men who wish to avoid surgery—and its associated side effects—you can explore your candidacy for PAE by requesting a consultation at the Texas Prostate Institute.

The prostate is a small gland that produces semen in your body. It typically enlarges as you age, causing symptoms in your lower urinary tract because it's located below the bladder. Now, some symptoms are minorly irritating, while others can be serious. So, how can you tell when to seek help for prostate problems? This is what you need to know.

Detecting prostate problems

Varying prostate problems share common symptoms, including:

• Urgency, or the frequent urge to urinate
• Getting up at night to urinate (nocturia)
• Hematuria, or blood in the urine
• Burning or pain upon urination
• Painful ejaculation
• Lower back pain, hip, pelvis, rectal and/or thigh pain or stiffness
• Difficulties with urinary flow

Be sure to mention any of these symptoms to your healthcare provider. Getting a complete picture of your health can help narrow down the cause of your prostate problems.

Diagnosing prostate conditions

Many conditions affecting your prostate present with similar symptoms. Some causes to consider include:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia, (BPH). What is BPH? This condition describes prostate enlargement that's not caused by cancer. It can be treated with medication, changes to your diet and lifestyle, or with PAE treatment in Texas.
• Acute or chronic prostatitis, a bacterial infection of the prostate that usually requires treatment with antibiotics.  
• Prostate cancer

By providing your physician with a complete description of your symptoms, and by seeking prompt medical care, diagnosing BPH, an infection or cancer should be simple. And, when BPH is causing prostate problems, simply request a consultation with the Texas Prostate Institute, where we can review your candidacy for minimally invasive, non-surgical Prostate Artery Embolization.

If you are experiencing symptoms such as frequent or urgent urination; nocturia (waking at night to urinate); or difficulties stopping or starting the flow of urine, you could have an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). But what’s involved in diagnosing BPH? And when should you see your doctor? Keep reading to learn more.

Understanding Prostate Enlargement

What is BPH? This condition affects about half of all men over 50; with BPH, your prostate cells grow faster than they normally would, causing your gland to become enlarged. In turn, the gland can press against the urethra, resulting in some of the BPH symptoms highlighted above. Recently, scientists have found a genetic link that increases susceptibility to BPH, but any person with a prostate can develop enlargement of the gland.

Diagnosing BPH

Men who experience lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) typically associated with prostate enlargement may see a healthcare provider for relief. But before treating symptoms, the doctor must determine the cause of the enlarged gland by diagnosing BPH and ruling out other conditions, including prostate cancer.

To determine the correct diagnosis, your doctor will likely begin your exam by conducting a digital rectal exam, inserting a gloved finger into your rectum to determine if your prostate is enlarged or if you have any other abnormalities. A blood test may be ordered to measure your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. If your numbers are high, you could have prostate enlargement, but you could also have other conditions.  As such, your doctor may order other tests, including a urine test; ultrasound; or even a biopsy. In combination, the diagnostic results will help with diagnosing BPH and ruling out other possible causes for prostate enlargement.

After the Diagnosis: What Comes Next?

After diagnosing BPH, your doctor will help guide you towards your ideal treatment options. Some men can manage their condition with lifestyle modifications, focusing on diet and fluid intake, and reducing bladder irritants such as caffeine and alcohol. Other men may manage their symptoms with medication—an exciting possibility since this new study reveals that certain BPH medications could help protect you from Lewy body dementia. Finally, if you are unable to find symptom relief from these treatment options, you may wish to explore Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE) a minimally-invasive procedure to shrink the prostate. An ideal option for those who wish to avoid surgery, you can learn more about PAE and explore your candidacy by requesting a consultation at the Texas Prostate Institute.