Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate, is one of the most common conditions men face:
- About half of men in their 50s have BPH
- Nearly 9 in 10 men over 80 experience symptoms
But here’s the problem: most men don’t get help.
Nearly 2 out of 3 men with urinary symptoms wait more than a year to see a doctor, avoiding treatment until their quality of life is affected. Why the hesitation?
A lot of men don’t want surgery. They’re worried about invasive procedures. Or they’ve been told symptoms are just “part of getting older.”
If BPH symptoms are affecting your life, there are safe, minimally invasive ways to treat it. Knowing your options is the first step toward relief.
What Is BPH and Why Do Men Delay Treatment?
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlargement of the prostate gland.
As the prostate grows, it puts pressure on the urethra, which can lead to a range of urinary symptoms:
- Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
- Sudden, urgent need to urinate
- Weak or slow urine stream
- Difficulty starting urination
- Feeling like the bladder isn’t completely empty
At first, these symptoms may seem a minor annoyance. Many men chalk it up to aging and don’t feel the need to bring it up with their doctor. Others try to manage around the problem themselves – cutting back on fluids before bed, planning outings around bathroom access, and just hoping it will go away, or that they’ll “learn to live with it.”
But left untreated, BPH can get progressively worse. Sleep suffers, daily routines get disrupted, and in some cases, complications like bladder damage or urinary retention can occur.
The good news? You don’t have to wait for symptoms to get severe.
Non-Surgical Relief with Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
For decades, men with BPH had limited choices: Live with the symptoms, take medications (that often came with side effects), or undergo surgery like TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate), which involves removing prostate tissue through the urethra.
It’s no surprise that many men chose to put off treatment.
Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) is changing that.
PAE is a minimally invasive, non-surgical treatment performed by an interventional radiologist. Instead of going through the urethra, the doctor accesses the arteries that supply blood to the prostate using a thin catheter inserted through a small incision in the wrist or groin.
Once the catheter is in place, tiny particles are injected to block blood flow to the enlarged areas of the prostate, causing them to shrink. As the prostate shrinks, pressure on the urethra is relieved and urinary symptoms improve.
Here’s why many men are now choosing PAE over traditional options:
- No general anesthesia required
- No cutting or removal of prostate tissue
- No hospital stay (patients go home the same day)
- Effective, long-term symptom relief
- Covered by most insurance providers
- Preserves sexual function
- Short recovery times
In short: PAE offers effective relief without the risks of surgery.
What Research Shows About PAE
Prostate Artery Embolization isn’t experimental – it’s a well-studied, proven treatment that’s helping men worldwide manage BPH symptoms without surgery.
Research shows that PAE is both safe and effective:
- A large clinical study published in The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology found that PAE significantly improves urinary symptoms and quality of life, with long-term results lasting several years.
- Another study reported by the Society of Interventional Radiology concluded that PAE offers a durable, low-risk alternative to surgical options.
At Sound Vascular & Vein, we’ve seen these results firsthand. Most of our patients report fewer nighttime trips to the bathroom, stronger, more consistent urine flow, less urgency, and better sleep and quality of life.
For men who’ve spent years managing life around BPH symptoms, PAE has been a life-changing option.
Want to know if it’s a good option for you? Learn more about PAE at Sound Vascular & Vein and schedule your consultation today.
Take Action Now
BPH is common but that doesn’t mean you have to live with it. If frequent trips to the bathroom, poor sleep, or other symptoms are affecting your life, now is the time to take action.
Learn more about Prostate Artery Embolization and schedule a consultation with our team. You have options, and we’re here to help.
