As men age, it is normal for the male prostate to gradually swell. When the prostate becomes large enough that it starts to pose a problem for you, it is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), more commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate.

Because of its location around the urethra where it attaches to your bladder, BPH can cause many problems ranging from mild urinary inconveniences to very serious bathroom issues or even severe pain and, if left completely untreated, complications can be potentially life-threatening.

Some of the most common symptoms of an enlarged prostate include:

• Frequent need to pee
  
• The need to pee waking you up more than once per night (nocturia)
  
• Difficulty starting to pee
  
• Weak urine stream
  
• Dribbling/interrupted urine stream
  
• Inability to empty your bladder completely
  

If left untreated BPH can cause:

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
  
• Inability to pee (urinary incontinence)
  
• Blood in semen/urine
  

By the age of 60, roughly half of all men will have BPH. Because it’s so common, these symptoms of BPH are often written off as natural aging processes but BPH can be treated by medication or surgery, especially if caught early.

There are other less common potential conditions that may cause similar symptoms to BPH. These include:

• UTI
  
• Prostate inflammation (prostatitis)
  
• Narrowing of the urethra (urethral stricture)
  
• Scarring in bladder from a past surgery
  
• Bladder/kidney stones
  
• Nervous system problems
  
• Prostate cancer/bladder cancer
  

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, set up an appointment with your doctor and they can help narrow down the cause. It’s always a good idea to keep in touch with your own body, and with regards to urinary issues, proudP can help you to keep tabs on what you might not notice on your own. If you manage to catch any urinary condition early, you can get to living your life with peace of mind before symptoms get worse in the first place.