Treatment options for high PSA

Treatment for a high, or elevated PSA depends on the underlying condition that is causing the PSA to elevate. There are a number of conditions that can cause the PSA to elevate.

If you have a high PSA as a result of prostatitis, treatment includes a course of antibiotics. Prostatitis also means a prostate infection, which causes inflammation of the prostate gland. Prostatitis is the most common prostate condition in men younger than 50.  

If you have a high PSA due to prostate cancer, you may have surgery to remove the prostate or radiation. An elevated PSA could indicate prostate cancer. If you have an elevated PSA, your doctor will also do a digital rectal exam to see if there are any suspicious lumps present on the prostate gland. If they suspect prostate cancer, a prostate biopsy will be recommended. It’s also important to monitor any changes in the PSA; if the PSA continues to rise, this may mean prostate cancer. If you continue to have an elevated PSA, but your biopsy is negative, your doctor will most likely recommend follow-up PSA tests and a follow-up biopsy within six months. If prostate cancer is present, the most common and effective form of treatment robotic prostate surgery.

If you have a high PSA due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), you may be treated with medications or a TURP. BPH also means an enlarged prostate gland. This does not mean prostate cancer. BPH is the most common prostate condition men over 50 suffer from. As men age, their prostate naturally gets bigger. This happens regardless of any medical condition affecting the prostate gland.  It can often cause urination problems such as frequent urination or difficulty urinating. Treatment for BPH includes having a surgical procedure called a Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

If you have a high PSA due to a urinary tract infection, treatment includes antibiotics. A urinary tract infection can cause irritation and inflammation in the prostate gland, which can cause the PSA to go up. If you have a UTI, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat it. The PSA should go back to normal after the infection has gone away so make sure to wait until then to have a PSA test. Men with an enlarged prostate have a higher risk for urinary tract infections.

Other things that cause a high PSA that don’t necessarily require treatment include having certain medical procedures or exams or after sex. These conditions may raise the PSA, but with time the PSA will go back to normal. The prostate can sometimes be affected after certain procedures, such as a prostate biopsy or cystoscopy. It can also be affected after having a digital rectal exam. The PSA can elevate after having any of these done because they disturb the prostate gland. It can even rise after having a catheter in place. The PSA should go back to normal within a few days once the prostate has healed. After sex, or ejaculation, the PSA can go up. The PSA usually only goes up very slightly, so it may not even show a difference. The PSA should go back to normal within a few days.