As every man ages, it becomes more crucial to remain vigilant against any signs of ill health or irregularities in the body – no matter how healthy and active a lifestyle you otherwise lead.
For example, one of the most common afflictions in men as they approach the age of 60 is called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Although strictly speaking a tumor in medical terms, this is not a cancerous affliction of the prostate – but still a source of discomfort, pain and difficulty in urinating effectively.
Treatment for such a condition is highly advised, yet many men feel a sense of reluctance to pursue medical help – even as qualified and as experienced as ours – when BPH or other prostate problems come up.
That’s because oftentimes, if a change in diet or lifestyle doesn’t solve the problem, the classic next step to solve such an affliction is surgery – expensive, time consuming and frankly more than enough to make even the most confident men feel anxious.
Fortunately, interventional radiologists such as those on our team of experts are able to talk with patients via appointment and offer a more modern and far less invasive form of treatment against BPH and similar conditions – Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE).
If you’re interested in hearing more, definitely get in touch – but feel free to read further for more information on what PAE is and how it can help, too.
How does PAE work?
Pain, discomfort or difficulty in urinating as caused by an enlarged prostate can be a remarkably difficult condition for even the most capable man to deal with. Caught early, a medical professional can help you to identify if these symptoms are BPH or something more serious, such as cancerous tissue growth.
That early catch also means a few lifestyle changes can help solve the problem – the alternative has usually been surgery. What makes PAE different is that it treats the source of BPH and enlarged prostate conditions at the source – usually by expertly redirecting the blood flow within your body to not contribute to the pain and discomfort of the problem area.
Yet what is marvelous is that this work is undertaken by our team of highly experienced and talented interventional radiologists. What this means is that the patient is never opened up in the traditional surgical sense.
Instead, technical equipment is slipped through a minor incision and guided into place completely remotely and externally by a medical professional. Using X-ray technology and other imaging techniques, your interventional radiologist is able to put discrete yet effective blockages in the arteries causing the most problems in your enlarged prostate, and thereby redirect the flow of blood to healthier areas – reducing inflammation, pain, discomfort and more.
Better yet, PAE is a treatment that is fast, safe and leaves you ready to get back to your regular lifestyle in no time at all. The procedure itself is ordinarily completed in less than one hour and following an evening of rest most patients are able to get back to regular living the very next day.
Of course, there are a few side effects that our team will help you to talk through when you book an appointment with us – especially if you believe you are susceptible to such things. Those include nausea, vomiting and some pain in the pelvic area as your body adjusts.
Should every BPH patient get PAE for their prostate?
While the best answer to this can be found by booking an appointment to speak with one of our experts, there are still some guiding principles behind PAE as a new kind of prostate treatment that are smart to keep in mind.
For example, if you are still only in the early stages of your prostate symptoms, you may be advised to simply make some lifestyle adjustments to nip the issue in the bud.
Likewise, if you are a patient who has endured heart disease brought on from smoking or diabetes, oftentimes PAE will not be recommended to you.
However, for those patients who either have existing health conditions that make conventional surgery difficult or not recommended – or for those patients who simply do not find the idea of open surgery appealing – PAE represents a fantastic way forward.
Furthermore, any man wanting to treat BPH or similar prostate issues who has no medical reason to opt for PAE can still exercise their right to do so. The best next steps are to book an appointment with one of our highly skilled radiologists.
There, you can expect to talk over your symptoms, any pain you are experiencing and how disruptive the condition is for you overall with a highly trained medical professional – who will also be able to put any concerns or questions to rest during that dialog.
Getting your life back on track after prostate problems needn’t be a hassle – just give our friendly team a call.