Michael Swikehardt, MD
Prostate Health

Why am I always looking for a bathroom?

Understand the cause first. Then compare medication, urologic procedures, surgery, and prostate artery embolization.

Prostate and bladderBladderProstateUrethra
Schematic anatomy illustration; not to scale.
Urinary Symptoms 101

Frequent urination is a symptom — not a diagnosis.

BPH can narrow the urethra and make the bladder work harder, but urinary frequency can also come from overactive bladder, infection, medications, diabetes, sleep disorders, neurologic disease, or other causes.

Storage symptoms

  • Frequency
  • Urgency
  • Nocturia

Voiding symptoms

  • Weak stream
  • Hesitancy
  • Straining
  • Incomplete emptying
Urgent evaluation may be needed for inability to urinate, fever with urinary symptoms, significant blood in the urine, or rapidly worsening illness.

The BPH choice is a comparison.

Medication

Alpha blockers, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, tadalafil and bladder-directed medicines may help depending on the symptom pattern.

UroLift / Rezūm

Office or transurethral options that open or shrink obstructing tissue in selected anatomy.

TURP / HoLEP / Aquablation

Tissue-removing procedures that more directly open the urinary channel.

PAE

Arterial embolization performed from the wrist or groin. The prostate gradually shrinks after its arterial supply is reduced.

Where PAE fits: it is one option among the full BPH treatment spectrum. Urologic evaluation helps confirm that the prostate is actually driving the symptoms.
Take It With You

Build your prostate / urinary visit guide.

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Reach out

Contact Mike Swikehardt, MD directly.

Texts are answered only during business hours or when I am on call.

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