An enlarged prostate, or BPH, affects a large share of men as they age, yet the treatment conversation is full of outdated assumptions. Many men in Bergen County put up with a weak stream, urgency, and waking through the night to urinate because they believe their only real choice is a surgery they would rather avoid.
Let us clear up five common myths about non-surgical treatment, including prostate artery embolization, so the decision is based on facts rather than fear or hearsay.
Myth 1: Surgery Is the Only Effective Option
Surgical procedures such as TURP are effective and well established, and for some men they are the right choice. But they are not the only effective path. Prostate artery embolization, or PAE, reduces blood flow to the enlarged prostate so it shrinks over time, easing the obstruction and the symptoms. It is performed through a small catheter, not an incision, and is done as an outpatient procedure. For many men, especially those with very large prostates or those who want to avoid an operation, it offers meaningful relief without surgery.
Medication is also part of the picture for milder cases. The point is that the path runs from lifestyle changes and medication, through minimally invasive options like PAE, to surgery, and most men have more steps available than they realize.
Myth 2: If It Is Minimally Invasive, It Must Not Work as Well
Minimally invasive does not mean minimally effective. PAE works by addressing the blood supply that keeps the prostate enlarged, and the body of evidence reported by interventional radiology societies shows meaningful symptom improvement for appropriate patients. The trade is not effectiveness for safety. It is a different mechanism with a lighter recovery.
It is fair to say that the best results come from matching the right patient to the right procedure. PAE is particularly useful for larger prostates and for men who are not good surgical candidates. An honest evaluation will tell you whether you are likely to see strong results or whether another option fits your anatomy better.
Myth 3: Treatment Always Affects Sexual Function
Fear of sexual side effects keeps many men from seeking care at all, which only prolongs the symptoms they are living with. One advantage often cited for PAE is a lower risk of certain sexual side effects compared with some surgical options, including a lower risk of retrograde ejaculation, where semen travels into the bladder instead of out.
No procedure is completely risk free, and your individual risk should be discussed directly with your physician based on your health and your goals. But the blanket assumption that any treatment will harm sexual function is not accurate, and it should not be the reason a man avoids getting help.
Myth 4: Recovery Means Weeks of Downtime and a Catheter
Many men picture a long hospital stay and an extended period with a urinary catheter. PAE is typically an outpatient procedure with same day discharge. Many patients return to normal activity within a few days. Some discomfort is normal as the prostate responds, and there can be temporary urinary symptoms in the early days, but the heavy downtime people fear is more associated with major surgery than with embolization.
Because PAE uses light sedation rather than general anesthesia for the typical case, many men find the day itself far less involved than they expected. Knowing this often removes the single biggest barrier that keeps men from seeking treatment.
Myth 5: I Should Just Wait Until It Gets Bad Enough for Surgery
Waiting has costs. Ongoing obstruction can strain the bladder and, over time, affect the kidneys, and quality of life suffers in the meantime. Lost sleep, planning daily life around bathroom access, avoiding long drives, and skipping travel are real burdens that men quietly carry for years.
Knowing that a less invasive option exists earlier in the process can change the calculus entirely. You do not have to let symptoms reach a crisis point to qualify for help. There is rarely a good reason to suffer for years before acting, especially when an outpatient option is available.
What the Truth Means for You
The straightforward framing is simple. BPH is common, treatable, and not a problem you must endure or solve only with surgery. The right option depends on your prostate size, your symptoms, your overall health, and your preferences. PAE is one strong tool among several, and it is worth understanding before you decide anything.
At MinVasive Medical in Paramus, the evaluation looks at your specific situation and explains every option, surgical and non-surgical, so you can choose with clear information rather than old assumptions.
Who Tends to Be a Good Candidate for PAE
PAE is not the right answer for every man with BPH, and a good evaluation is honest about that. It tends to be a strong fit for men with moderate to severe symptoms that have not responded well to medication, men with very large prostates where some surgical options become more difficult, and men who are not good candidates for surgery because of other health conditions or who simply prefer to avoid an operation.
It can also appeal to men who are concerned about preserving sexual function and want to weigh that into the decision. On the other hand, certain situations point elsewhere. Significant urinary issues with other causes, advanced vascular disease that makes the arteries difficult to access, or specific anatomy may make another approach more appropriate. The only way to sort this out is an evaluation that reviews your symptoms, your prostate size, and your overall health together, then lays out the realistic options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does PAE take?
The procedure is typically performed in an outpatient setting and usually takes a few hours including preparation and recovery, with same day discharge for most patients.
Does PAE affect sexual function?
PAE is often noted for a lower risk of certain sexual side effects compared with some surgical options, including a lower risk of retrograde ejaculation. Your individual risk should be discussed with your physician.
Am I a candidate for PAE?
Many men with moderate to severe BPH symptoms, large prostates, or reasons to avoid surgery are candidates, but an evaluation of your symptoms, anatomy, and health is needed to confirm whether PAE fits your case.
Why So Many Men Wait Too Long
It is worth naming the pattern, because recognizing it is often what finally moves a man to seek care. BPH symptoms tend to creep in gradually. A slightly weaker stream, one more trip to the bathroom at night, a little more urgency. Each change on its own seems small, so the situation is tolerated, then quietly accommodated. Travel gets planned around bathroom access. A full night of sleep becomes rare. The symptoms become the background of daily life rather than a problem to solve.
Add in the myths above, the fear of surgery, the worry about sexual side effects, the assumption that nothing short of an operation will help, and it is easy to see why men delay. The reality is more encouraging. BPH is one of the most treatable conditions in this category, the options run from medication through minimally invasive procedures to surgery, and a procedure like PAE has made it possible to get real relief without an operation. There is no prize for waiting, and a short evaluation can replace years of guesswork with a clear plan.
Sources
- Society of Interventional Radiology, prostate artery embolization patient information
- American Urological Association, management of benign prostatic hyperplasia
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, prostate enlargement and BPH
- RadiologyInfo.org, a joint resource of RSNA and ACR, on prostate artery embolization
