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Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) - Home Treatment
If your urination problem caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is mild to moderate and does not bother you, home treatment may be all you need to help keep your symptoms from interfering with your daily activities. Your doctor may want to see you regularly to check on your symptoms.
The following tips may help minimize your symptoms:
- Practice "double voiding." Urinate as much as possible, relax for a few moments, and then urinate again.
- Relax before you urinate. Worrying about your symptoms can make them worse.
- Take plenty of time to urinate.
- Urinate while sitting down instead of standing.
- While you are waiting, think of other things or read.
- Turn on a faucet or picture running water in your mind. This may help get your urine flowing.
- Do not limit your fluid
intake to avoid urinating. You could become
dehydrated, which can cause other problems.
- Drink fluids throughout the day.
- If you often wake up because you need to urinate, limit your fluid intake in the evening, and empty your bladder before bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol. These substances make your body try to get rid of water and can make you urinate more often.
- If possible, avoid medicines that can make urination difficult, such as nonprescription antihistamines, decongestants (including nasal sprays), and allergy pills. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about all of the medicines you take.
You may want to try an herbal therapy for BPH, such as saw palmetto or beta-sitosterol. Before you start an herbal therapy, talk to your doctor about whether it might be helpful.
Call your doctor if:
- You are completely unable to urinate.
- Urination is painful and you have a fever over 100F, chills, or body aches.
- You have pain in your lower back, just below your rib cage, that is not related to an injury or physical activity.
- There is blood or pus in your urine or semen.
- Your symptoms are getting worse.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Topics
Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
ENABLEX is a prescription medicine used in adults to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder:
- · having a strong need to go to the bathroom right away (also called "urgency")
- · leaks or wetting accidents (also called "urinary incontinence")
- · having to go to the bathroom too often (also called "urinary frequency")
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
You should not take once-daily ENABLEX if you have certain types of stomach problems, glaucoma, or have trouble emptying your bladder. Side effects of ENBLEX include blurred vision, and more commonly dry mouth, constipation, indigestion, and abdominal pain. Use caution when doing certain activities until you know how ENBALEX affects you.
