What is benign prostatic hyperplasia (bph)?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlarged prostate gland. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. As the prostate gets bigger, it may squeeze or partly block the urethra. This often causes problems with urinating.

BPH occurs in almost all men as they age. It is a common problem in older men. BPH is not cancer. But an enlarged prostate can cause urinary symptoms that need treatment.

BPH causes urinary problems such as:

• Having trouble getting a urine stream started and completely stopped (dribbling).
• Often feeling like you need to urinate. This feeling may even wake you up at night.
• Having a weak urine stream.
• Having a sense that your bladder is not completely empty after you urinate.

Many men with BPH have no symptoms.

In a small number of cases, BPH may cause the bladder to be blocked. This makes it impossible or extremely hard to urinate. This problem may cause backed-up urine (urinary retention), leading to bladder infections, bladder stones, or kidney damage.

Your doctor can diagnose BPH by asking about your symptoms and past health and by doing a physical exam. Your doctor may ask you how often you have symptoms of BPH, how severe they are, and how much they affect your life.

Tests may include a urine test (urinalysis) and a digital rectal exam. The exam lets your doctor feel the size of your prostate. In some cases, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is done to help rule out prostate cancer. (Prostate cancer and BPH are not related, but they can cause some of the same symptoms.)

Your doctor may do other tests to check things such as your kidney and bladder function.

In most cases, you don't need treatment for BPH unless the symptoms bother you or you have problems such as backed-up urine, bladder infections, or bladder stones.

Home treatment can help reduce or control your symptoms. It includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and medicines that make it hard to urinate.

If home treatment doesn't help, BPH can be treated with medicine. It can reduce the symptoms, but it rarely gets rid of them. If you stop taking the medicine, symptoms return.

If you have complications such as not being able to urinate, or your symptoms don't get better with medicines, your doctor may recommend surgery.

• Urinate as much as you can, relax for a few moments, and then try to urinate again.
• Sit on the toilet to urinate.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. These drinks will increase how often you need to urinate.
• Many over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines can make the symptoms of BPH worse. Avoid antihistamines, decongestants, and allergy pills, if you can. Read the warnings on the package.
• If you take any prescription medicines such as muscle relaxants, pain medicines, or medicines for depression or anxiety, ask your doctor or pharmacist if they can cause urination problems.