Enlarged Prostate

Enlarged prostate is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is one of the most common health issues for men over 50. This noncancerous condition causes your prostate gland to get bigger over time. The prostate’s function is to help make functional semen and it starts out at about the size of a walnut following puberty.  It sits below your bladder and in front of your rectum. The urethra (the tube through which urine leaves your body) flows though the center of the prostate.   

An enlarged prostate does not usually lead to major health issues, but as it squeezes and narrows the urethra it can significantly impact your quality of life. Increasing pressure/obstruction can make it difficult for you to urinate or ejaculate. In some cases, the obstruction can prevent you from urinating and some patients need to use a catheter (a flexible tube inserted into the bladder) to empty their bladder. Incomplete urine emptying can also increase your risk for other health problems. These can include bladder infections or bladder and kidney damage.  

Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate 

An enlarged prostate affects everyone differently. Some people experience several symptoms. Others have only a few or none.  

The early signs of BPH can include: 

• Difficulty starting to urinate 
• Getting up at night to urinate 
• Inability to fully empty your bladder 
• Incontinence (leaking urine) 
• Pain after ejaculation or while urinating 
• Urgency (sudden need to urinate) 
• Weak stream (slowness or dribbling during urination) 

Some less common symptoms include: 

• Blood in your urine 
• Not being able to urinate at all 
• Urinary tract infections 

Prostate enlargement has a variety of treatments, including lifestyle changes, medications and multiple surgical options. Emory Urology emphasizes a patient-specific approach where patient preferences help drive treatment selection rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.