Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, BPH – Hector Pimentel, MD

Transcript:

Tim Doty: It’s a part of life. As we get older our body doesn’t work as well anymore. And one of the most frustrating issues for men is called benign prostatic hyperplasia. Dr. Hector Pimentel of Spectrum Health Medical Group explains.

Dr. Pimentel: Basically a gland that’s below your bladder that wraps around the urine tract. And that gland, if it gets too large, we call it an enlarged prostate or benign...or BPH.

Tim Doty: And BPH can wreak havoc with everyday life, causing repeated trips to the bathroom.

Dr. Pimentel: If you’re losing sleep because you’re getting up at night, multiple times a night, not getting a restful sleep, not being able to do the things you need to do during your day or not being able to do your job because you’re going to the bathroom every 30, 40, 50 minutes, that’s a very good reason to come in and see us.

Tim Doty: Blood in the urine, inability to urinate at all, and repeated infections are warning signs of potentially bigger trouble ahead. But whether it’s a major or minor problem, any sort of urinary issue can cause a man to miss out on enjoyable moments.

Dr. Pimentel: Some people won’t go on trips because of it, especially plane rides. Or they won’t go to other...their granddaughter’s recital because they’re embarrassed of having to leave and get up in front of the audience all the time. So...

Tim Doty: Annoying, yes. But men tend to ignore an issue rather than seeking treatment. And in this case they may be doing it because they’re afraid of a cancer diagnosis. Dr. Pimentel says while there are some small connections, urinary issues usually don’t mean cancer.

Dr. Pimentel: And that’s because the enlargement...the benign type of enlargement happens on the inside of the prostate, where it could block the channel. Fortunately, the cancer tends to be on the outside of the prostate, where it grows outward. And those symptoms tend to happen later on with cancer. Like we said, we have multiple treatments from medications, changing your behavior, all the way up to surgery. And they’re all very safe and minimally invasive.

Tim Doty: We’ll look at some of them in next week’s Medical Moment. Tim Doty, FOX 17 News