If you are a man over 50, you may have experienced some frustrating urinary symptoms like a weak stream, difficulty emptying your bladder fully, or getting up frequently at night to urinate. These symptoms are often caused by a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate. The good news is that modern medicine offers some excellent treatment options for BPH, including a minimally invasive laser procedure called Greenlight™ Laser Therapy.
As men age, the prostate gland can grow larger and put pressure on the urethra, causing urinary symptoms. Doctors refer to this as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. It is very common, affecting about 50% of men by age 60. BPH is not cancer and does not increase your risk for prostate cancer. However, it can negatively impact quality of life.
Some signs that you may have BPH include:
To evaluate bothersome urinary symptoms, your doctor will likely perform a digital rectal exam to feel if the prostate is enlarged. They may also recommend tests like a PSA blood test, urinalysis, cystoscopy, or ultrasound to check prostate size. These exams help confirm if BPH is the cause of your symptoms.
Depending on symptom severity, BPH treatment options include:
Greenlight™ Laser Therapy is an outpatient procedure that uses laser technology and fiber optics to remove excess prostate tissue. It provides rapid relief from BPH urinary symptoms while avoiding many of the risks and lengthy recovery of traditional prostate surgery.
The Greenlight laser precisely targets prostate tissue blocking urine flow. It delivers high energy in short pulses to instantly vaporize obstructions, while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue. Patients often see symptom improvement in as little as 24 hours.
Compared to traditional prostate surgery, Greenlight offers:
With nearly 500,000 successful procedures performed worldwide, Greenlight laser therapy is setting a new standard of care for BPH treatment.
After checking in at the outpatient center, you will be given anesthesia to keep you comfortable. The doctor inserts a scope into the urethra and guides the laser fiber up to the obstructing prostate tissue. The procedure itself takes less than an hour. Many patients go home just a few hours later with little post-procedure discomfort. Within a day or two you can resume light activities.
If BPH urinary symptoms are interfering with your quality of life, talk to your urologist. For many patients, Greenlight laser therapy offers an excellent option for rapid, lasting symptom relief. With minimal downtime, you can get back to enjoying life quickly. Contact our office today to learn more and see if Greenlight is the right choice for your BPH treatment.
455 Sioux Point Rd.
Dakota Dunes, SD 57049
