What Is Flomax Used For? (Cont.)

Flomax for BPH

Flomax is licensed as a BPH treatment for men who have symptoms. It is licensed to help improve enlarged prostate symptoms, but it does not help to shrink the prostate. Flomax is not a cure for BPH.
 

How Flomax Works

Flomax is part of a class of drugs known as alpha blockers. It works by blocking alpha-1 receptors in the body. This helps the muscles of the prostate and the bladder neck (where urine leaves the bladder) to relax. While Flomax does not help to shrink the prostate, it can help to relieve BPH symptoms caused by the enlarged prostate.
 

Flomax Use in Children

Flomax has not been adequately studied in children and is not approved for use in children.
 

Off-Label Flomax Uses

On occasion, a healthcare provider may recommend Flomax for something other than the condition discussed above. This is called an "off-label" use. At this time, there are a few off-label Flomax uses, such as:
 
  • Treatment of urinary retention (difficulty emptying the bladder) in women

 

 

  • To help the passage of ureter stones (also known as bladder stones), which are kidney stones that have passed into the ureter (one of the tubes from the kidneys to the bladder).

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;