“It’s like when your wife drives over the garden hose – it takes forever to water the garden,” joked the 68-year-old Nanuet resident. “I also had to get up more often during the night.”
A condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate, is the most common prostate problem for men over 50, including Davis. His difficulty urinating was caused by two things that commonly happen as men age: the prostate enlarges, and the bladder wall thickens. As the prostate grows, it presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder eventually may weaken and become unable to empty completely. These factors make urination difficult.
Davis, who has owned a dental equipment sales and service company for 27 years, was treated for years by Dr. Mitchell Fraiman, MD, Director of the Division of Urology at Good Samaritan Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). Medication is a common treatment for BPH, but it didn’t work well for Davis.
“His symptoms progressed despite the medications he was on,” said Fraiman. Surgery is another possible treatment for BPH, but it can present its own complications.
Luckily, a revolutionary new treatment option at Good Samaritan Hospital gave Davis relief.
To continue reading Michael's story of how steam treatments helped return his life to normal, click here via Advancing Care in the Hudson Valley.