Enlarged Prostate

Diagnosing BPH

You should see a doctor if you are experiencing any problems with urination. Common symptoms of an enlarged prostate include frequent urination, incontinence, difficulty starting and stopping urination, nighttime waking to urinate (nocturia) and pressure or pain while urinating.

Your primary care physician can diagnose and prescribe medications to treat mild BPH. If medications do not alleviate your symptoms, you should consider seeing a men’s health specialist for comprehensive evaluation and treatment.

Your men's health specialist at UC San Diego Health conducts a comprehensive evaluation when you come to us with concerns about an enlarged prostate, including cancer screening, to offer you the most effective treatment plan. Your provider will ask detailed questions about your symptoms, past health issues and any medications you take, as some can worsen BPH symptoms.

You will also have a physical exam, including a digital rectal exam, and a urine test. Because symptoms of prostate cancer and an enlarged prostate are similar, we usually recommend a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to rule out prostate cancer. If needed, you may also have:

• Ultrasound imaging to see how much urine is left in your bladder after you urinate
• A urinary flow test to measure the strength of your stream
• Cystoscopy to see inside the bladder and rule out other conditions, such as bladder stones, that could block normal urine flow

Comprehensive BPH Care

Your care team will personalize your treatment plan based on the severity of your symptoms and the shape and size of your prostate, where the enlargement is interfering with urination, and your sexual and overall health, including your risk of bleeding. Your UC San Diego Health urologist will carefully listen to your concerns and preferences and discuss which treatments are best for you.

We offer medical therapy, nonsurgical approaches and surgical interventions — including minimally invasive robotically assisted surgery and open surgery — to provide a full range of treatment options.

Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)

TURP is a common and highly effective surgical procedure to remove prostate tissue that is restricting normal urine flow. TURP allows your surgeon to remove more prostate tissue than in other procedures. This has advantages for some men. It's one of the most common procedures for treating BPH and easing symptoms. The TURP surgery takes about one hour and can be done under general or spinal anesthesia.

UroLift System

With the UroLift system, your surgeon does not remove prostate tissue but instead implants permanent sutures in the prostate that widen the channel around the urethra. The eight-minute, minimally invasive procedure is done under light sedation and has a low risk of side effects.

Holmium Laser Enucleation of Prostate (HoLEP)

The Holmium laser is a surgical laser used to remove prostate tissue that is blocking urine flow through the prostate. HoLEP is a treatment option for severe prostate enlargement. It's performed through the urethra, so there is no incision.

GreenLight Photoselective Vaporization

This is a relatively new type of laser therapy in which your surgeon uses high-energy beams of light to melt away prostate tissue interfering with normal urination. This surgery is performed under general or local anesthesia and takes about an hour. It offers quick recovery with minimal side effects.

Rezum Water Vapor Therapy

In this minimally invasive approach, a doctor injects steam into the prostate to shrink the tissue surrounding the urethra. The 10-minute procedure is done under light sedation; it does not require general anesthesia. It’s a relatively new technique with minimal side effects.

Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)

Prostate artery embolization is another minimally invasive approach in which tiny spheres are released into the prostate arteries to reduce blood flow to the gland. This treatment is done under conscious sedation and has few side effects. UC San Diego Health is among the first medical centers in the region to offer this nonsurgical BPH treatment.

Find an Interventional Radiologist who Treats BPH