The prostate is a gland that produces part of the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation. This gland surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine leaves the body.

An enlarged prostate is generally called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is not cancer and does not increase the risk of prostate cancer.

An enlarged prostate means that the gland has become larger and it happens to almost all men as they get older.

Causes

The actual cause of an enlarged prostate is not known. Factors linked to aging and changes in the cells of the testicles can intervene in the growth of the gland, as can testosterone levels. Men who have their testicles removed at a young age (for example, as a result of testicular cancer) do not develop BPH.

Similarly, if the testicles are removed after the man develops BPH, the prostate begins to shrink. However, this is not a standard treatment for an enlarged prostate.

Some facts about the enlarged prostate are:

The probability of having an enlarged prostate increases with age.
BPH is so common that it has been said that all men will have an enlarged prostate if they live long enough.
A small degree of prostate enlargement is present in many men over the age of 40. More than 90% of men over the age of 80 have this condition.
No risk factors have been identified, other than having normally functioning testicles.
Symptoms
Less than half of men with BPH have symptoms of the disease. Symptoms may include:

• Dribbling at the end of urination
• Inability to urinate (urinary retention)
• Incomplete emptying of the bladder
• Incontinence
• Need to urinate two or more times a night
• Painful urination or bloody urine (may be signs of an infection)
• Difficulty or delay in starting to urinate
• straining when urinating
• sudden strong urinary urgency
• weak urine stream