In short
- Benign prostate enlargement is very common after 50 and is not cancer.
- It slows the flow of urine: weak stream, frequent urges, getting up at night.
- Treatment ranges from advice and tablets to surgery when needed.
- A check-up rules out other causes and protects the bladder and kidneys.
In this article
Why does the prostate enlarge?
The prostate surrounds the urinary channel just below the bladder. With age and under the effect of hormones, it enlarges in most men. This growth is benign: it does not turn into cancer, but it can squeeze the channel and slow the flow of urine.
Symptoms
The most common signs are:
- Weak or interrupted stream, waiting before urine comes
- Frequent urges and getting up at night
- Feeling the bladder is not empty, dribbling afterwards
- Sudden urges
The urology check-up
It includes a prostate examination, a urine test, often a PSA test, a flow test that measures the strength of the stream and an ultrasound that measures the prostate and what remains in the bladder after passing urine.
Treatment
Treatment is tailored to the symptoms and prostate size:
- Simple advice: drink less in the evening, cut down on coffee and alcohol, do not hold on
- Medicines that relax the prostate and bladder neck, or gradually shrink the prostate
- An operation when tablets are no longer enough or complications occur: the obstructing part is removed, usually through the natural passages, with no scar
When to seek prompt advice
If you cannot pass urine at all (retention), with fever and burning, blood in the urine or repeated infections. These situations need a prompt opinion.
Frequently asked questions
Does an enlarged prostate raise the risk of cancer?
No, they are two different conditions. But they can coexist, which is why the check-up often includes a PSA test.
Does the operation affect sex life?
Erections are usually preserved. However, ejaculation often goes back into the bladder after the operation (retrograde ejaculation): it is not dangerous, and the urologist discusses it with you beforehand.
Learn more
- CareProstate: enlargement, PSA, prostatitisThe prostate grows with age in most men.
- CareProstate surgeryWhen medication no longer relieves an enlarged prostate, an operation removes the part that blocks the flow of urine.
- CareUroflowmetryUroflowmetry measures the strength and volume of your urine flow.
- CareProstate cancerProstate cancer is the most common cancer in men.
More advice
Urinary leakage: what are the solutions for women and men?Leaks on exertion, sudden urges, leaks after prostate surgery: the types of incontinence and the solutions, from pelvic floor exercises to surgery.Read the article
Sudden urges to urinate: understanding overactive bladderSudden, frequent urges, getting up at night, sometimes leaks: the causes of overactive bladder and the treatments that make daily life easier.Read the article
Male infertility: how is a man’s fertility assessed?Trying for a baby: semen analysis, ultrasound, hormone tests, varicocele. How an andrologist assesses male fertility and what solutions exist.Read the articleThis information is general and does not replace a consultation. In an emergency, call 112.
Article published by Dr Ayhan Bakar, urologist in Brussels (INAMI 17718534450).
Reference: European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines.