What are the symptoms of an enlarged prostate?

Problems related to prostate enlargement, in general, affect men from the age of 50 onwards. So, if you are under 40 years of age and have any of the symptoms listed below, it is unlikely (but not impossible) that you will have an enlarged prostate.

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland (bph) include:

A need to urinate frequently
Having to get up a few times during the night to urinate
A weak urine stream
Difficulty getting started when needing to urinate
Stopping and starting rather than a steady stream
A feeling that you can’t get to the toilet in time (known descriptively as ‘urgency’)
Feeling that you can’t empty your bladder completely
Loss of libido

We have a Prostate questionnaire which will help give you an idea of whether the symptoms you experience indicate an enlarged prostate. If you feel you have an enlarged prostate, it is important that you discuss this with your doctor.

Note: It is uncommon for an enlarged prostate to give rise to pain. In addition, if you notice blood in your urine or suffer from repeated urine infections or fever, you should see your doctor.

Mature man with BPH

What do I do next?

If you think you have an enlarged prostate gland, the first thing you should do is to see your doctor to have a diagnosis confirmed. This may well involve blood tests and an examination – but it is important to overcome the embarrassment factor as it is vital to rule out more serious conditions such as prostate cancer.

If the diagnosis of prostate enlargement (BPH) is confirmed, your doctor will be in a position to discuss the treatment options with you.

Prostate examination with doctor

What are my treatment options?

Watchful waiting

Not everyone with an enlarged prostate requires treatment. Some men experience very few or no symptoms, and the option to ‘watch and see what happens’ is a valid one.

Drug medication

These medicines work in a number of ways - your doctor will be the best person to discuss which drug treatment for BPH is best for you.

Surgery

For some men, an operation to remove part of the enlarged gland may be recommended by your doctor. This may be the treatment of choice if you suffer from severe symptoms and of course, involves a referral to an urologist at your local hospital.

Herbal remedies

Products containing extracts of saw palmetto berries such as Prostasan, have been traditionally used to treat the urinary symptoms of prostate enlargement in men. Prostasan is a registered herbal medicine. It is a choice of treatment which may be made by men with an enlarged prostate, with a preference for using natural based herbal remedies.