September 11, 2008

Post Prostate Treatment Issues

Post Prostate Treatment Issues
An enlarged prostate is a painful disorder seen in men as they grow older and many wonder if there is a possibility for doctors to shrink the prostate to bring about relief. The problems related to the enlarged prostate include frequent urination, urinary infections and stones in the bladder. These symptoms most often go unnoticed, mainly due to sheer ignorance or high tolerance for pain and discomfort. However, delaying the treatment of prostate diseases may seriously affect the treatment choices available and the possibility to full recover from them. Early detection and diagnosis by a doctor are critical to the recovery from prostate diseases. A doctor may have several treatment options to shrink the prostate gland. Some of them are described below.

Can Medication Shrink The Prostate?

The first option usually suggested by doctors to shrink prostate is the use of drugs. Finasteride or Dutasteride are the drugs prescribed by doctors to help reduce hormone concentration in the body, if the prostate inflammation is detected at an early stage. These drugs help in controlling inflammation in the prostate, thereby reducing the size of the prostate. Alpha-blockers such as doxasozin or tamsulosin have been found to be helpful in the relaxation of prostate muscles thereby reducing the discomfort caused by the symptoms of an enlarged prostate such as frequent urination. To date, these measures have been found to be effective in the quest to shrink the prostate.

Can Surgery Shrink The Prostate?

In many cases when medications fail to shrink prostate the next option has to be surgery. There are surgical options which can be done on an outpatient basis. These surgical treatments include removal of the prostate tissues in the urethra. The apparatus that is used here is the Catheter which generates heat to expunge the infected prostate tissue in isolated areas.

If outpatient procedures do not work for some patients, then doctors opt for yet another measure to remove the excess prostate tissue through the transurethral resection. In this process an electrical loop is inserted into the urethra to dissect the inflamed and infected tissues on one hand and seal the blood vessels on the other to prevent bleeding. This process involves a short recovery time and has minimal side effects. The main side effect of this treatment is the problem of ejaculation into the bladder during sexual intercourse. Although it sounds very strange for this to happen, it is not as serious or harmful as previously thought.

Prostate Surgery Incontinence

Post prostate surgery incontinence is unfortunately a common side-effect after the surgical procedure. The lack of bladder control is known as incontinence. In this situation the person is unable to prevent leakage of urine out of their body. The most surprising fact is that even though it is common, only a few men come forward with this problem for a cure. This may lead to additional complications. Sometimes the leakage may occur at awkward times and places. Many men with this problem may lose sleep at night since they are under the fear of leaking urine while they are asleep.

The type of incontinence is not significant in itself. What matters most to sufferers is the kind of suffering and embarrassment that they face. Patients with prostate surgery incontinence have a greater relief as the situation can be cured over time. But in many of the cases involving prostate diseases although medical treatments are complete, the chances of recovery is just better but may not be complete. The key to a speedy recovery is early diagnosis and treatment. It is important for men to be alert to the various signs and symptoms. They should seek medical attention promptly when these symptoms are observed. If the diagnosis is delayed the chances of a cure are also likewise delayed.

Men suffering from prostate surgery incontinence can take comfort in the fact that full recovery is possible if the problem is detected early and treatment for the condition started promptly. Oftentimes, men are too embarrassed to report to their doctors of their predicament. They should be advised that what they are experiencing is common for most men who under prostate surgery.

Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit prostate gland health to learn more about advance prostate cancer and other prostate problems symptoms.

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