About Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

By Kevin on

Name of the medical condition and other names that it’s been known by

  • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

  • BPH

  • Enlarged Prostate

  • Prostate gland enlargement

What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is when a man's prostate gland gets bigger as he gets older. The prostate is a small gland that sits below the bladder in men. It helps make semen, the fluid that carries sperm.

As men age, it's common for the prostate to grow larger. This isn't cancer, and that's why it's called "benign." When the prostate gets bigger, it can squeeze the tube that carries urine out of the body. This can make it hard to pee.

Some common problems men with BPH might have, are:

  • Needing to pee a lot, especially at night

  • Trouble starting to pee

  • A weak stream of urine

  • Feeling like you can't empty your bladder all the way

  • Dribbling after you finish peeing

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is very common in older men. About half of men between 51 and 60 have it, and up to 90% of men over 80 have it. Just because you have BPH doesn't mean you'll have symptoms. Some men with large prostates have no problems, while others with smaller prostates might have many symptoms.

Doctors aren't sure exactly why the prostate grows larger with age, but it might have to do with changes in male hormones as men get older. BPH isn't caused by cancer and doesn't increase your risk of getting prostate cancer.

How is it diagnosed?

  • Your doctor asks about your symptoms and health history

  • Physical exam, including a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate

  • Urine tests to check for infection or other problems

  • Blood tests to check your kidney function and look for prostate cancer

  • A test to see how fast your urine flows

  • Ultrasound of your prostate

  • Sometimes, a test involves peeing into a special toilet that measures how much and how fast you go

How is it treated?

  • Watchful waiting: If your symptoms are mild, you might just keep an eye on them

  • Lifestyle changes: Drinking less before bedtime, avoiding caffeine and alcohol

  • Medicines to shrink the prostate or relax the muscles around it

  • A special machine that uses heat to shrink part of the prostate

  • Surgery to remove part of the prostate (only for severe cases)

  • New treatments that use water vapor or tiny implants to reduce prostate size

Trend

  • In the United States, about 14 million men have it.

  • Around 30 million men have had it in the last five years.

  • The number is expected to grow as the population ages.

History

People have known about prostate problems for a long time, but they didn't always understand what caused them. In the early 1900s, doctors started doing surgery to help men with severe prostate problems. In the 1970s, new medicines were developed to treat BPH without surgery. Today, there are many ways to treat BPH, from pills to minimally invasive procedures. Doctors always look for new and better ways to help men with this common condition.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) - Source of Information

For informational purposes only. Consult a medical professional for advice.


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