Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, which is a common occurrence as a man ages. In fact, almost half of men between the ages of 51 and 60 have BPH, and 90% of men over 80 have it.

Early in puberty, the prostate gland doubles in size, becoming roughly the size of a walnut. At around age 25, the gland grows again and continues to grow throughout a man’s life. It’s during this growth stage that BPH typically occurs.

Signs and Symptoms

BPH can cause the prostate to press down on the urethra and make the bladder wall thicker, leading to a weaker bladder and urination issues.

Other symptoms include:

• Feeling that the bladder is full, even right after urinating
• A frequent urge to urinate
• Weak urine flow
• Dribbling of urine
• The need to stop and start urinating several times
• Trouble starting urination
• The need to push or strain to urinate

If you’re unable to urinate at all, get medical help as soon as possible, as this is an emergency situation that must be treated immediately.

Treatment

Mild cases of BPH likely won’t require treatment, but in more advanced cases there are several treatment options, including:

• Watchful waiting/active surveillance
• Medical therapies
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Surgery

The Urology specialists at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston can detect BPH through a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test or a digital rectal exam (DRE). If BPH is diagnosed, our team will develop a treatment plan based on your unique needs.