The outcome is usually very good after treatment.
Some men develop symptoms early, while others do not develop any effects until the prostate becomes significantly enlarged.
You may also continue to leak or dribble when you have stopped urinating.
Illustration by Verywell
You are more likely to experience incontinence if you develop a UTI.
If you have blood clots in your urine or are completely unable to urinate, get urgent medical attention.
If the obstruction is severe enough, it can result in kidney damage.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Causes
Men have a prostate gland and women do not.
In men, the urethra runs inside the penis to outside the body.
As the prostate enlarges, it impinges the flow of urine through the urethra.
There are several reasons why the prostate may become enlarged.
Half of men in their 50s and 90% of men over age 80 have BPH.
The prostate enlarges when exposed to male hormones such astestosterone.
Prostatitis
Prostatitisis inflammation of the prostate.
This may occur as the result of an infection, an inflammatory process, irritation, or an injury.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancermay result in an enlarged prostate, although it doesn’t always cause symptoms.
Prostate cancer can often bediagnosedearly andtreatedsuccessfully.
However, if left untreated, prostate cancer can metastasize (spread) to other areas of the body.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
And sometimes, PSA can be normal in men who have prostate cancer.
Specialized Tests
Several tests can assess your ability to urinate.
Treatment
There are different approaches to thetreatment of an enlarged prostate.
Symptomatic management is important, and treatment of the underlying cause is often vital.
This involves placing a thin tube into the urethra to release urine.
Some medications help ease urinary symptoms by relaxing the muscles around the urethra.
Prostatitis triggered by a bacterial infection can be treated with antibiotics.
Surgery and Specialized Procedures
There are several procedures used to treat an enlarged prostate.
These procedures can also be used to remove prostate cancer.
Many newer procedures have also been introduced for BPH.
These include:
A Word From Verywell
Prostate enlargement is common.
Often, when there are no symptoms, treatment is not necessary for BPH.
However, treatment is always necessary in cases of prostate cancer.
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