Enlarged Prostate Signs & Symptoms

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• QWhat should I do if I have symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?

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  A Dr. Marc B. Garnick, MD , Hematology & Oncology, answered

  If you experience symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate, see your doctor. During an initial evaluation, the doctor will take a medical history. Expect questions about your urinary flow problems, how long the symptoms have been present, and any prior genitourinary surgery or procedures. Most likely, he or she will ask about your health habits and any medications that may have made the symptoms worse. Your doctor may also ask you to complete a questionnaire, such as the American Urological Association Urinary Symptom Score, to help evaluate the severity of your BPH.
  
  An adequate physical exam and diagnostic workup includes a digital rectal examination (DRE) and, if you and your doctor concur, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. It also includes several other laboratory tests, such as a urinalysis. This allows your doctor to rule out bacterial infections and look for untreated diabetes, which can produce frequent urination, particularly at night.
  
  In a sense, your lifestyle will determine how burdensome you find BPH. The symptoms that disrupt the day-to-day activities of one man may have less of an effect on another who perhaps spends much of his day at home. Work with your physician to determine what, if any, treatment is the best choice.

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• QWhat are the symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  The symptoms of BPH can be similar to those of prostatitis: You feel as if you always have to go to the bathroom, you feel an incomplete emptying of the bladder, and you may feel burning when you urinate. Because you have an incomplete emptying of the bladder, you may dribble like a Harlem Globetrotter. And you may have to get up at night to pee more frequently than an on-call intern stops for coffee. Contrary to popular belief, these symptoms don't increase your risk of getting prostate cancer.

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• QWhat are the symptoms of an enlarged prostate?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  As men age, the prostate tends to become enlarged and often cancerous. In fact, most older menshow signs of having microscopic cancers in their prostates. The enlargement, from both cancers and noncancerous causes (then called benign prostatic hypertrophy), can be highly uncomfortable. A swollen prostate cuts off urine flow, increases the need to urinate, and often makes urination painful. Sexual performance can become limited. And that ages us physiologically and psychologically.

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• QShould I talk to my doctor about my enlarged prostate symptoms?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  If you are a man displaying symptoms of an enlarged prostate, you should contact your doctor and consider getting tested. Symptoms primarily involve difficulty urinating: pain, a slow flow, trouble starting and stopping, or a bloody discharge. You are at particular risk if you are over 40 years old and have a family history of prostate problems. If not treated, an enlarged prostate will continue to grow, worsening symptoms and possibly damaging your kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract. Getting tested by your doctor can also help determine if there is another reason for your urinary problems, like prostate cancer.

• QDoes an enlarged prostate increase my chances of getting prostate cancer?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Having an enlarged prostate does not affect your chances of getting prostate cancer. Although the two ailments have similar symptoms, like difficulty controlling urination, pain and bleeding while urinating, they are not related. However, this doesn't mean that someone with an enlarged prostate does not have prostate cancer. Sometimes cancer can be difficult to detect, so usually when a portion of the prostate is removed during surgery for an enlarged gland, it's tested for cancer.

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• QHow does enlarged prostate affect my quality of life?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Men older than 40 should be on the look out for signs of an enlarged prostate, specifically symptoms like difficulty controlling urination, pain while urinating, and blood in the urine. Once signs are noticed, men should be tested quickly to prevent the symptoms from getting worse. The older men get, the more likely they are to have an enlarged prostate, especially if there is a family history of such problems. However, testing shouldn't be necessary unless symptoms arise.

• QWho should be tested for an enlarged prostate?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Men older than 40 should be on the look out for signs of an enlarged prostate, specifically symptoms like difficulty controlling urination, pain while urinating, and blood in the urine. Once signs are noticed, men should be tested quickly to prevent the symptoms from getting worse. The older men get, the more likely they are to have an enlarged prostate, especially if there is a family history of such problems. However, testing shouldn't be necessary unless symptoms arise.

• QWhy is it difficult for men to urinate when they get older?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  It's a normal part of getting older: as men age, their prostate (the walnut-shaped gland under the bladder that helps produce semen) begins to thicken, compressing the urethra and making it difficult for urine to pass through. So men may go to the bathroom constantly, but take a long time to actually urinate or finish - and feel like they have to go again right away.

  
  
  This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com