There are two main types of medications for BPH: alpha-blockers and 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors. Alpha-blockers relax muscles near the prostate while 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors shrink the prostate gland.

These medications when combined can improve your symptoms.

Alpha-blockers help treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by relaxing smooth muscle tissue found in the prostate and the bladder neck. The relaxing of the muscles near the prostate relieves pressure and lets urine flow more freely, but doesn’t shrink the size of the prostate.

5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, known as finasteride or dutasteride, can help shrink the prostate.  This can relieve symptoms by blocking an enzyme that acts on the male hormone testosterone to boost organ growth. When the enzyme is blocked, growth slows down. This helps to:

• Shrink the prostate
• Reduce blockage
• Limit the need for BPH surgery

You may need to take 5 alpha reductase for at least 6 months to a year before you can increase urine flow and reduce the symptoms of BPH.  It seems to work best for men with very large prostates.   Unfortunately, this medication must be taken continuously to prevent symptoms from coming back.

5 alpha-reductase inhibitors can cause the following side effects in a small percentage of men:

• Decreased interest in sex
• Trouble getting or keeping an erection
• Smaller amount of semen with ejaculation.

It is important to note that taking this drug can lower your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test levels. There is also evidence that finasteride lowers the risk of getting prostate cancer, but whether it lowers the risk of dying from prostate cancer is still unclear.

In general, these medications are usually taken by mouth one to two times a day.  Most men will notice a significant improvement within the next couple days, but definitely in the first two weeks.

It is important to use a combination of an alpha-blocker with a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, which may help your symptoms more than either medicine alone.

If your bladder is completely damaged, the medications may not be effective and surgical intervention may be required.  If possible medications should be attempted before an evasive surgery.

There are also many prostate medications for prostate cancer treatment.  With cancer, you may undergo hormone therapy.  Hormones are drugs that can affect the growth of prostate cancer cells.  This therapy may be used with radiation treatment or surgery to make sure the cancer cells are destroyed.