Men: As you age, there’s a good chance you may get up several times a night to empty your bladder. The problem is that your bladder doesn’t empty completely. No matter how hard to you try, you can only deliver a trickle before returning to bed. In a few hours, you are up again. The process repeats itself all night. For many men, this frustrating scenario is the result of an enlarged prostate that is squeezing the urethra, which prevents the bladder from emptying completely. When the problem is caused by a noncancerous condition, it’s called benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Until recently, the only way to free the urethra and restore urine flow was to have a physician cut or vaporize the prostate. But this surgery can leave men with a degree of incontinence or impotence. A new alternative that uses steam holds promise in treating BPH. Researchers developed an entirely new approach to treating BPH by using steam to kill prostate cells and shrink the prostate. The outpatient procedure is performed in about five minutes using a local anesthetic. Most men see improved urine flow in three to six weeks and dramatic improvement in three months. Read more.
Source: Cleveland Clinic, October 20, 2017