Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — the medical term for an enlarged prostate — affects 5%-6% of men aged 40-64. However, that number quickly enlarges (sorry!) as you age: anywhere from 29%-33% of men aged 65 and over have BPH.
Your prostate is a walnut-sized gland that’s located between your rectum and your bladder. It’s the only organ you have that continues to grow with age. And grow and grow.
When your prostate grows large enough, it can press against the bladder and cause a range of urinary problems. You may have already experienced symptoms such as increased urgency, inability to fully evacuate, and pain or burning on urination. You may also have erectile dysfunction (ED).
Alex Lesani, MD, is an expert urologist who doesn’t believe that men have to suffer from BPH as they age. At our Las Vegas, Nevada, office, he helps to keep your prostate healthy through lifestyle interventions and customized treatment plans to avoid or reverse complications, including ED.
Is your ED related to your BPH? It might be.
You shouldn’t try to diagnose BPH on your own. Other conditions, including prostate cancer, often present with symptoms that are similar or identical to those of BPH. Symptoms that may be related to your prostate health include:
If you have one or more of the above symptoms, please contact us for a consultation. Once you have a diagnosis, you can start treatment — whether that’s for BPH, prostate cancer, or another condition or disease.
Whether you have BPH or not, your ED may be completely or partially influenced by a lack of the hormone testosterone (T). Youthful levels of T are responsible for the secondary sex characteristics you developed in adolescence and also for your erections.
If you’re low in T, you may have other symptoms, such as fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog. As part of your workup for ED, we also test your blood for T. If you’re low, we may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help jumpstart your libido and your erections.
Depression depresses more than your mood. It depresses your libido, too. If you’re dealing with present or past trauma, you may not be able to achieve or maintain an erection.
If depression is part of your ED, we refer you to a counselor. Sometimes, feeling better and more hopeful is all it takes to restore your potency.
Your erections can only be as healthy as you are. Conditions such as obesity and diabetes negatively affect various other aspects of your health, including your sexual drive and erections.
Obesity strains your heart and may slow down your circulatory system. Fatty tissue produces more estrogen than men typically need and reduces your output of T.
If you have diabetes, your high blood sugar may have damaged your circulatory system. An erection depends on healthy blood vessels and a strong heart to sustain itself. Fixing underlying health issues often leads to a resolution of ED.
If you do have BPH and ED, then once all other underlying conditions or causes are ruled out, treating your prostate may help your erections, too. Depending on how enlarged your prostate is, we may recommend only lifestyle adjustments, such as:
You may benefit from GreenLight™ laser therapy, which reduces the size of your overly large prostate without surgery. We also offer medications, including Viagra®, to resolve your ED. Viagra may have the incredible bonus of extending your life, too.
Do you struggle with ED? Find out if you have BPH or other conditions and get the treatment you need by calling us today at 702-470-2579 or booking your appointment online.
