Enlarged Prostate Signs and Symptoms

What is enlarged prostate or BPH?

BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia.Benign means "not cancer," and hyperplasia means too much growth. The result is that the prostate becomes enlarged. BPH is not linked to cancer and does not raise your chances of getting prostate cancer--yet the symptoms for BPH and prostate cancer can be similar.


BPH Symptoms

BPH symptoms usually start after the age of 50. They can include:

Trouble starting a urine stream or making more than a dribble
Passing urine often, especially at night
Feeling that the bladder has not fully emptied
A strong or sudden urge to pass urine
Weak or slow urine stream
Stopping and starting again several times while passing urine
Pushing or straining to begin passing urine

At its worst, BPH can lead to:

A weak bladder
Backflow of urine causing bladder or kidney infections
Complete block in the flow of urine
Kidney failure


BPH affects most men as they get older. It can lead to urinary problems like those with prostatitis. By age 60, many men have signs of BPH. By age 70, almost all men have some prostate enlargement.

The prostate starts out about the size of a walnut. By the time a man is 40, it may have grown slightly larger, to the size of an apricot. By age 60, it may be the size of a lemon.





References


Kirby R, Lepor H. Evaluation and Nonsurgical Management of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. In: Wein AJ, Kavoussi LR, Novick AC, Partin AW, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 87.

Roehrborn CG, Siami P, Barkin J, Damiao R, Major-Walker K, Morrill B, et al. The effects of dutasteride, tamsulosin, and combination therapy on lower urinary tract symptoms in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic enlargement. 2-year results from the CombAT study. J Urol. 2008;179:616-621.