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Symptoms of a constant and urgent need to urinate, waking up in the night several times to urinate and a week urine stream could mean prostate cancer or a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is also known as enlarged prostate. After an evaluation your doctor has prescribed Flomax. This is a good sign since it rules out prostate cancer at this time.

Situated just below the bladder, the prostate gland is a walnut sized gland. It is actually part of the reproductive system not the urinary system. The real function of the prostate gland is producing fluid for semen. During puberty, the prostate gland grows rapidly in normal males. After this, it stays about the same size until around 40 years old. At this time, it resumes growing again. For many males, it could become enlarged.

The problem is not the enlarged prostate. The real trouble comes from the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder. This tube passes through your prostate. As the prostate grows, it puts more and more pressure on the urethra. Nerves control the contracting or tightening of the muscles surrounding the prostate. More specifically a type of nerve called alpha-adrenergic. This nerve releases a chemical similar to epinephrine or adrenalin. This then causes the symptoms and difficulties that are treated with Flomax.

Flomax is in the drug class of alpha-adrenergic blockers. This stops the alpha- adrenergic nerve from releasing its chemical to control the muscles. This then works by causing the veins and arteries to relax and expand and blood then is able to pass through them easier. This then makes it easier to urinate as it relaxes the prostate and the bladder.

Flomax is the most prescribed medication for BPH. It was the first and is the only medication that was developed for BPH exclusively. It is prescribed to improve the following urinary symptoms associated with BPH and to improve your quality of life. It is good to know that Flomax doesn't shrink the prostate. Instead as stated, it just relaxes the muscle around it, freeing the flow of urine, and decreasing these urinary symptoms.

* Frequent Urination
* Straining
* Urgency
* Stopping and starting
* Weak stream
* Incomplete emptying
* Frequently waking up at night to go

Flomax may have been prescribed for another reason. There are other drugs that will block alpha-adrenergic nerves in the body and can be used. However, Flowmax is more active with the prostrate and bladder neck alpha-adrenergic nerves and has less of an effect on these same nerves in other parts of the body. Because of this, Flomax has fewer side effects than other possible prescriptions that could be used.

In conclusion, a doctor will prescribe Flomax after an examination has shown a condition called BPH. This will reduce the symptoms that are present with this condition and has fewer side effects. This will not reduce the enlarging of the prostate gland but will allow you to return to a more normal life style.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Flomax.