Frequently Asked Questions


What is a prostate?

The prostate gland (or, simply, prostate) is a chestnut-shaped organ found just underneath the bladder in men. It’s normally about 4cm wide and 3cm thick.33 It produces a milky fluid that, together with sperm and other secretions, makes up semen.

The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the penis, and runs through the middle of the prostate.

Do women have a prostate?

No, women don’t have a prostate.

What can go wrong with the prostate gland?

The three main things which can go wrong are:


What is BPH?

BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is an overgrowth of the cells in the prostate gland. As the prostate gets bigger, it starts to obstruct the urethra because it is near the bladder. This is what causes the symptoms of BPH such as needing to go to the toilet often or taking a while to get started. These urinary symptoms can have an extremely negative impact on a man’s quality of life.

How will my partner know if he’s got BPH?

He will probably have what doctors call lower urinary tract symptoms or LUTS. The symptoms include:

  • Needing to pee more often than usual, including at night
  • Finding it difficult to start peeing, even though he might need to
  • Having to push to get the pee out
  • Having a weak flow of pee that stops and starts
  • Continued dribbling when he’s finished
  • Needing to pee urgently

He may seem to take a long time when he goes to the loo and have to go frequently, sometimes running off in the middle of something.

Can these symptoms be caused by anything else?

Although BPH is the most common cause of these symptoms in men over the age of 40, a number of conditions can also cause similar symptoms. These include urinary tract infections, prostatitis (infection or inflammation of the prostate) and prostate cancer. The only way to be sure that it is BPH and not another condition is to get advice from a healthcare professional.

How common is BPH?

The prostate gets larger as most men get older and, overall, one in four (25%) of men over the age of 40 can expect to suffer from the symptoms of BPH34. The chances of having BPH also increase with age. By 60, around six out of 10 men are affected. This rises to nine out of 10 in 85-year-olds.35

Does it have any other names?

Yes, you might also hear it being called prostatism, benign prostatic hypertrophy, benign prostatic obstruction or just enlarged prostate (EP). It can also be referred to by the symptoms it causes – LUTS or lower urinary tract symptoms.

What can my partner do to make the symptoms better?

The symptoms may be improved by him taking his recommended prescription medications regularly. Pelvic floor exercises, bladder re-training, altering fluid intake and eating a high-fibre health diet may also help36.

Can BPH be treated?

Yes, in most cases BPH can easily treated – it is not a condition your partner has to put up with. There are prescription medicines he can take that can relieve the symptoms or slow the enlargement of the prostate. If these don’t work, there are other options that he can discuss with a healthcare professional.

What should he take with him to the GP?

It may help his doctor if your partner took a urine sample with him when they visit him or her. If they have been using the online Symptom Tracker or Diary they might also want to print these off and take them with them to help their GP assess the severity of their symptoms.

Why does it happen?

Doctors don't know why some men get BPH symptoms and others don't. It is related to ageing, with older men more likely to have it, but even some younger men over about 40 have urinary symptoms due to BPH. BPH may also be linked to the amount of testosterone a man has in his body.37 Some doctors think that as a man gets older, prostate cells become more sensitive to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, which is related to testosterone. There may also be genetic, environmental and dietary links.38

Can my partner prevent it?

There is no evidence to suggest that BPH can be prevented but eating a balanced diet, low in saturated fats39, and taking regular physical activity will increase your partner's chances of staying generally healthy. Some doctors believe high levels of physical activity could help to prevent BPH.40 However, it is important to remember that in most cases, BPH itself is not a life-threatening condition and occurs in most men as they get older.

Can it affect sex?

It might. Some men with BPH may also have problems with sex. Your partner may have problems getting or keeping an erection, he may find that it hurts when he ejaculates, and there may be less semen when he ejaculates.41 This might put him off having sex. These symptoms may well improve by treating the BPH. However, some medicines can cause a reduction in the amount of semen when ejaculation occurs. This is caused by the bladder neck relaxing, causing the semen to go up into the bladder. This will not cause you any harm and, in fact, can be a sign that the medicine is working.

Will having sex make the BPH worse?

No, there is no evidence to suggest that having sex will have any impact on your partner’s BPH.

Does having BPH mean my partner is more likely to have prostate cancer?

No. There is no greater risk of prostate cancer in men with lower urinary tract symptoms than in men without symptoms.

Should I encourage him to reduce the amount of fluid he drinks to try to reduce the number of times he has to pee?

Men with LUTS should in fact drink more as this will help to prevent infection caused by urine not being moved through the bladder. However, many men will find that restricting their fluid intake at specific times of the day can help – such as not drinking too much just before bed.

If the prostate is located just under the bladder, why is it examined via the rectum?

The prostate can be felt by putting pressure on the wall of the rectum by a gloved finger. This is possibly due to its close proximity to the rectum.

Can a man live without a prostate gland?

Yes, although it is not common to have the prostate gland completely removed due to BPH that has not responded to medicines. The more common operation is to remove part of the prostate gland, rather like coring an apple.

What happens if he does nothing?

It is essential that your partner speaks to a healthcare professional if he thinks he might be suffering from BPH. Although in a few men nothing will happen if they do not treat the condition, many find their symptoms get worse and affect their quality of life more and more.42 In addition, If BPH is not monitored by a healthcare professional, it can lead to more serious complications.

I think my partner may have BPH - what should I do?

If you think your partner is suffering from the symptoms of BPH, you should encourage him to see a healthcare professional for advice. The earlier the treatment, the earlier the symptom relief.

I think my partner may have BPH but don't know how to talk to him about it.

It can be a difficult topic to talk about but it's important that he’s aware of how you feel. Start by explaining that you are worried about him and that you’ve been doing some research. If it is affecting your life too, you may want to explain how this makes you feel and the reason you've brought up the subject now. As the conversation continues, you can reassure him that his symptoms are very common and can be easily treatable. Knowing this, he may feel happier going to discuss it with his GP.

Are there any good ways to broach the subject?

You’ll know your partner best so it’s worth giving some thought to what will work with him. However, some good ways that other people have used are to use friends as examples or compare his health with yours. For example, you could mention how important it is to go for smear tests and breast checks. Leaving information lying around can help bring the topic into conversation too.

My partner may have BPH but refuses to do anything about it. What can I do?

Whilst you can’t force someone to go to the doctor, it may help to present him with some of the facts. For example, you could print some of the pages from this website. If he understands how common and easily treatable BPH is, he may be encouraged to make an appointment. It is also important to ensure he understands how it is affecting you. You can explain that you are getting worried about him and it would reassure you if he sought help. And you could explain that you're finding it increasingly harder to deal with the disruptions – such as him getting up a lot during the night. If you think it will work with your partner, you can always ask him to go to the doctor for your peace of mind, or he may be the type of man that will respond to an appointment being booked for him.

Should I go with him to visit the doctor?

This is very much up to you and your partner to decide. It shouldn’t be a problem if you want to go to the appointment together.

Is there anything I can do to help relieve the symptoms?

Take a look at the 'top ten tips' page. Here, there are a number of recommendations that you may be able to help implement or advise your partner to do.

Is there any chance I could catch BPH from my partner?

BPH is a condition relating to the prostate gland. Only men have prostates so if you are female you will not be suffering from BPH. If you have bothersome urinary symptoms, please visit your doctor for advice.