Anyone who is middle-aged or older may experience an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This condition can cause embarrassing and annoying symptoms, such as urinary frequency, difficulty starting a stream of urine, weak or interrupted urine flow, and nocturia. Fortunately, there are lifestyle changes, medications, and even surgery that can help. Reducing fluid intake before going out in public or before bedtime can help mitigate mild BPH symptoms.
It is also beneficial to avoid or reduce alcohol and caffeine consumption. Additionally, reducing medications such as decongestants, antihistamines, antidepressants, and diuretics is often recommended. Exercising your pelvic floor muscles can also be beneficial. If lifestyle changes are not enough to control symptoms, medications can be used.
Alpha-blockers relax the muscles that contract the prostate and bladder neck, allowing urine to flow more freely. Two alpha-blockers, doxazosin and terazosin, are available as generics. A third drug, tamsulosin (also known as Flomax), was more recently developed for BPH. Many men who take alpha-blockers report a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms. Another type of medication, finasteride (also known as Proscar), actually reduces the size of the prostate by about 20 percent.
However, it is not as useful as an alpha blocker. For men who cannot be helped otherwise, surgery may be necessary. This involves cutting much of the tissue inside the prostate. Enlarged prostate can also lead to sleep problems. Getting up in the middle of the night repeatedly to go to the bathroom not only prevents you from getting a good night's rest but it can also disrupt your partner's quality of sleep.
Nocturia and frequent urination lead to fragmentation of sleep, resulting in insufficient night rest and increased sleepiness. Treating underlying sleep apnea can help improve sleep quality for those with enlarged prostate. Researchers have found that most men with enlarged prostate and lower urinary tract symptoms reported better sleep after undergoing prostatic artery embolization (PAD). It is recommended that physicians who follow patients with BPH who report frequent awakenings from sleep to urinate should suspect that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a possible cause and treat them accordingly. In conclusion, an enlarged prostate can cause embarrassing and annoying symptoms that can disrupt your sleep quality. Fortunately, there are lifestyle changes, medications, and even surgery that can help alleviate these symptoms.
Additionally, treating underlying sleep apnea can help improve sleep quality for those with enlarged prostate.
