About BPH
If you don't have much time and want an overview of the condition, you'll find the At a glance section below useful. There's also a Tell me more guide, which will provide more detail and should answer most of your questions. And if you want to know all there is to know, head straight for our Comprehensive guide.
At a glance
BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is not malignant (i.e. not cancerous) but rather a simple enlargement of the prostate gland that occurs in the majority of men. The prostate gland is about the size of a chestnut and can be found just underneath the bladder in men and, if it enlarges, it can interfere with the flow of urine in the urethra. The urethra is the tube that passes through the prostate to take urine from the bladder out through the penis.
BPH is very common. Young men aren't often affected but, overall, one in four (25%) men over the age of 40 can expect to suffer from the urinary symptoms of BPH1 as they get older.
BPH can really affect your enjoyment of life. Symptoms of BPH include needing to go often, including at night, difficulty starting to pee, a weak or stop-start urine flow and feeling that your bladder isn't properly empty afterwards. So if you are a BPH sufferer, you might feel tired because you can't get a decent night's sleep, and feel embarrassed at social gatherings when you have to keep disappearing to the loo.
There are some men who are happy enough to live with their symptoms or undergo 'watchful waiting' where they work with a healthcare professional to monitor their symptoms closely, without any treatment.
However, there are a number of treatment options available to help with these symptoms. Please speak to a healthcare professional if you would like to discuss the treatment options available to you.