You know the routine. Up twice a night, maybe three. Scoping out the bathroom before a meeting. A stream that takes its time starting and quits before you feel done. Cutting back on water before a long drive.
Most men assume this is just aging, but an enlarged prostate is one of the most common treatable conditions men face after 50, and there is a discreet, non-surgical path to relief.
Half of Men Over 50 Have BPH
An enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is extremely common. About half of men in their 50s have it, and that climbs to as many as 90% by age 80. It is not cancer, and considered a normal age-related change.
The real gap is not awareness – it’s options. Most men are offered medication or surgery and never told there is something in between.
The Symptoms You’ve Been Quietly Working Around
As the prostate grows, it presses on the urethra. That pressure creates symptoms you have probably been quietly working around:
- Waking up multiple times a night to urinate
- A weak or stop-and-start stream
- Sudden urgency that is hard to control
- Frequent daytime trips to the bathroom
- Feeling like your bladder never fully empties
None of that is inevitable. It is a named condition with real solutions.
Why Pills and Surgery Make a Lot of Guys Freeze
Medication is the usual first step. It helps some men, but it often means a daily pill and side effects. The next option offered is surgery, like a TURP (a procedure that removes part of the prostate), which works but carries recovery time and real concerns about sexual function.
For men who fall somewhere in between – symptoms that are significant but not severe enough to make surgery feel necessary – there has historically been no clear third path offered. That is the gap PAE fills.
How PAE Shrinks an Enlarged Prostate Without Surgery
Prostate artery embolization (PAE) is a minimally invasive, image-guided treatment that shrinks an enlarged prostate with no surgery, no hospital stay, and no tissue removed.
A specialist threads a thin catheter through a tiny access point in the wrist or groin and releases microscopic particles that reduce blood flow to the prostate. The prostate shrinks, pressure on the urethra eases, and symptoms improve.
At ECCO Medical, PAE is performed by Dr. Aaron Kovaleski, a board-certified interventional radiologist and ECCO’s medical director.
Your PAE Questions, Answered
Will PAE affect my sex life?
Because PAE does not cut or remove prostate tissue, it carries a lower risk of side effects like impotence and incontinence than traditional surgery. Results vary, so talk through your situation with your physician.
How long is recovery?
PAE is outpatient. You go home the same day with no general anesthesia, and most men are back to normal activities within days.
How soon will I notice results?
Many men feel relief within a few weeks as the prostate gradually shrinks.
Is PAE covered by insurance?
It is covered by most major insurance plans, and our team can help verify your coverage.
Am I a good candidate?
often fits men with moderate to severe symptoms who want to avoid surgery, or who tried medication without relief. A consultation confirms whether it is right for you.
You've Waited Long Enough. Let's Talk.
If any of this sounded familiar, you are not alone, and relief starts with a conversation. ECCO Medical offers PAE consultations in Lone Tree and Pueblo, Colorado.
Schedule a consultation online or call (720) 668-8818.
