Dan had just turned 60. He was active and healthy, wintering in La Quinta with his wife, playing pickleball, and hitting the gym. He was already taking tamsulosin (Flomax), a common alpha-blocker, to improve urine flow, as many men his age do to help control symptoms caused by a large prostate. But life was good. Until suddenly one morning, he woke up with back pain so intense he could barely walk.
“I thought maybe I tweaked something at the gym,” Dan recalls. He tried urgent care and muscle relaxers, but nothing helped. So he made an appointment with a chiropractor. During the treatment session, the chiropractor pressed near his kidney, and Dan nearly came off the table. “He told me to get to a hospital — immediately!”
An ambulance transported him to Eisenhower Hospital, where he underwent an MRI. The results were astonishing — his bladder was twice its normal size from urine retention and pressing on his kidney. Doctors drained two liters of urine, sent him home with a catheter, and handed him a list of urologists to call.
Why Urinary Retention Is a Medical Emergency That Can’t Wait
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that affects most men as they age. But when excess prostate tissue squeezes the urethra, urine flow slows to a trickle or stops entirely, posing a much more serious problem. Left untreated, the backed-up pressure can damage the kidneys, trigger urinary tract infections, and cause bladder stones.
Dan had been managing his lower urinary tract symptoms with medication, but the blockage had become too severe. He developed complete urinary retention with a severely distended bladder, which is one of the more serious complications of BPH.
After leaving the hospital, Dan said things felt dire. “I felt super helpless. We knew no one, no doctors, and so I just called all the numbers on the list,” he explained. “I told them my story and tried to get an urgent appointment. As I was currently catheterized, I needed to see someone as soon as possible. Unfortunately, all I kept hearing was that they were booked out for at least the next couple of months.”
How Dan Found Dr. Houman Through a Personal Connection
Fortunately, Dan had a stroke of luck leading him to Tower Urology. Dan’s daughter lives in nearby Santa Monica, and her partner’s mother, a Cedars-Sinai volunteer, was a longtime patient at Tower Urology. They made a call on Dan’s behalf, and he received an appointment to see Dr. Justin Houman within days.
Leading up to the appointment was nerve-wracking. “I was so stressed,” says Dan. “At that point, I couldn’t decide whether I should just fly home and see someone there.” He spent those anxious days researching Dr. Houman, and what he found reassured him, so he decided to stick around and go to the appointment.
What happened during the initial consultation confirmed he had made the right choice. “From the minute Dr. Houman walked in, everything from his smile to his confidence and manner was all so reassuring. I felt like he was my buddy right from the start.”
How Dr. Houman’s Approach Made Dan Feel Confident
Dr. Houman didn’t rush to the operating room, which Dan appreciated. “He told me I was super healthy, and that as I’d never had this urinary retention issue before, we would figure it out. He told me, ‘You’re going to be fine, and we’ll get through this; you’ll be okay.’ His manner really put me at ease,” Dan recalls.
First, Dr. Houman suggested medication and had Dan self-catheterize at home, giving his body a chance to recover and respond. But after a few days, Dan felt that things weren’t improving, and so he texted Dr. Houman. “He responded immediately, and I was back in his office the next morning,” says Dan.
A scope — a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure using a thin, flexible, camera-tipped tube to examine the urethra, bladder, and prostate — finally revealed the problem.
Dan’s prostate had enlarged inward, essentially kinking the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. The prostate gland, which surrounds the urethra just below the bladder neck, had grown in such a way that standard medications couldn’t fully address it. The symptoms of BPH that Dan was experiencing, like a weak urine stream, dribbling, and ultimately the complete urinary retention, were all traced back to this structural problem.
“Dr. Houman explained that they would need to try a different approach,” explains Dan. “So he laid out all my options. He was calm and confident, and he explained everything in detail.”
Why Dr. Houman Recommended the Rezūm Procedure Over Surgery
Dr. Houman recommended the Rezūm procedure, a minimally invasive treatment to decrease excess prostate tissue and reduce the possibility of side effects while offering Dan an excellent chance of a full recovery. Rezūm uses the natural thermal energy stored in water vapor to target and shrink excess prostate tissue. Injecting small amounts of steam into the prostate destroys tissue cells, allowing the urethra to open.
There is no incision, no hospital stay, and no side effects associated with more aggressive approaches like transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). Unlike traditional surgical options, Rezūm preserves sexual function, carries minimal risk of retrograde ejaculation and urinary incontinence, and doesn’t require a lengthy recovery period. Dr. Houman told Dan the results could last him 10 to 20 years.
“I wasn’t concerned one bit,” Dan says. “I knew this would work and that he was just the person to do it, even though he was out of my insurance network,” Dan jokes, “I just liked him so much. He’s a real, genuine human being, and I felt safe in his hands.”
Dan’s Recovery Was Smooth, and Dr. Houman Was There Every Step
The procedure went perfectly. Dan stayed one night in the hospital, not because he had to, he admits, but because he was a little nervous, and Dr. Houman picked up on that. He gave Dan his personal number, promised to check in before discharge, and did exactly that.
“Before I went home, I was catheterized again so I could heal, but Dr. Houman had given me instructions to follow during recovery,” he states. “I followed them to the letter, and everything just went smoothly.”
Two weeks later, during his post-op visit, the catheter was removed. Dr. Houman tested Dan’s urine flow, and it was strong. There were no complications or setbacks. “All of my prostate symptoms were gone,” Dan reports. “I just felt so comfortable and happy.”
“My wife and I just think he’s the greatest,” Dan says. While Dan doesn’t regularly see Dr. Houman, he notes, “I’ll still randomly text him because he’s just a great guy. I feel like he’s a friend. I’m just so blessed that I found him and Tower Urology and that they took me in as a patient so quickly and took such good care of me.”
What Dan Wants Every Man to Know About Prostate Health
Dan came away from his experience a vocal advocate for prostate care — and for the kind of honest, open conversation that too many men avoid. He’d had an elevated PSA and an enlarged prostate gland on his radar, but now he knows firsthand how quickly a manageable large prostate issue can become a crisis.
He also knows what a difference a PSA blood test and a digital rectal exam can make in managing things like BPH, both of which are straightforward parts of a physical exam. Monitoring the size of the prostate can catch problems, including prostate cancer, early. The sooner the problem is diagnosed, the broader the treatment options are, and the better the outcomes. If a UPJ obstruction or another structural issue is contributing to urinary problems, a good urologist will find it.
“So many men don’t talk openly about prostate issues,” Dan says. “Since my experience, I really advocate for PSA testing and prostate health. If you catch these things early, even if it’s cancer, most of the time it’s very treatable.”
Dan is back in La Quinta, playing pickleball, hitting the gym, and urinating without a second thought. His quality of life has been restored because he found the right doctor fast.
Why Choose Tower Urology for BPH and Minimally Invasive Prostate Treatment?
At Tower Urology, specialists like Dr. Justin Houman offer comprehensive men’s health care, from the first signs of an enlarged prostate through treatment and long-term follow-up. Whether you’re managing lower urinary tract symptoms through lifestyle changes, dealing with a sudden urinary crisis, or exploring minimally invasive procedures like Rezūm, exceptional urological care is available at Tower.
We invite you to establish a care plan with Tower Urology. Please request an appointment online or call us at (310) 854-9898.
Tower Urology is a proud affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, ranked #1 in California and #2 nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. Our years of experience and access to world-class facilities ensure exceptional urological care.
Tower Urology is conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Burbank, Glendale, and Downtown Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions About BPH and Urinary Retention
Yes. Prescription BPH treatments such as tamsulosin (Flomax), finasteride (Proscar), and other alpha blockers can help manage symptoms but don’t eliminate the underlying prostate enlargement. In some men, the prostate continues to grow inward until it fully blocks the urethra, causing complete urinary retention that requires immediate drainage and intervention regardless of medication use.
A scope (cystoscopy) is often the most direct way to assess what’s happening. If imaging or a physical exam reveals that the prostate has grown in a way that structurally obstructs the urethra, medications alone are unlikely to restore normal urine flow. A urologist can review the size of your prostate, PSA levels, and symptom history to recommend the right next step.
Rezūm is specifically valued among minimally invasive procedures because it carries a low risk of retrograde ejaculation and erectile dysfunction, side effects more commonly associated with more invasive types of surgery like TURP or prostatectomy. Most men return to normal sexual function after the brief recovery period.
Most patients use a catheter for a short period after the procedure while the prostate tissue reduces and the urethra heals. Significant improvement in urine stream and bladder emptying typically becomes noticeable within a few weeks, with full results developing over two to three months.
Sources:
How Does Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy Work
https://www.rezum.com/what-is-rezum/how-does-it-work.html
Enlarged Prostate (BPH)
https://medlineplus.gov/enlargedprostatebph.html
Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1477608/
