In-office procedures for treatment of frequent, urgent, or slow urination

One of the most exciting developments in the treatment of urinary symptoms is the use of heat treatments in the office. The condition causing frequent, urgent, or slow urination is often called LUTS for lower urinary tract symptoms, and is usually caused by an enlarged prostate that does not allow the bladder to empty properly. Traditionally, LUTS has been treated by medications or hospital-based surgery to remove the portion of the prostate compressing the urine passageway (the urethra).

Men’s Health Boston is pleased to provide an alternative to these older therapies by using heat treatments in the office. There are several advantages to these treatments- no need for general or spinal anesthesia, excellent improvement in symptoms in most men, and no need for daily medications.

There are two main types of procedures, one using microwave therapy (TUMT, for transurethral microwave therapy) and one using radiofrequency (TUNA, for transurethral needle ablation). Both are offered at Men’s Health Boston, with the choice depending primarily on the anatomy of the prostate.

Both TUMT and TUNA heat the prostate in the area surrounding the urethra, causing it to shrink back over the following several weeks. Symptom relief is usually seen 4-8 weeks later. These procedures take an hour or less, and most men experience only a sense of heat in the pelvic area during the treatment. A mild sedative and a pain-killer is all that is needed for comfort. Some men even sleep through the procedure!

If you are suffering from frequent visits to the bathroom at night, or if you have needed to learn the location of every toilet along your commuting route in order to avoid a leaking accident, then perhaps it is time to look into these excellent treatment options for your enlarged prostate.