Conditions
Enlarged Prostate
An enlarged prostate (known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) is one of three main conditions that can affect the prostate. Similar to prostate cancer, prostate enlargement usually only affects men over the age of 50, and about half men over this age will have some sort of prostate enlargement. It’s caused by an overgrowth of prostate cells and symptoms include: difficulty passing urine because of weak and slow flow; passing urine frequently (more than 10 times a day); frequently waking up in the night to urinate (nocturia); and incomplete emptying of the bladder. Treatment for an enlarged prostate depends on whether your symptoms are causing you problems, or if there are complications. For mild symptoms, it’s possible to make certain lifestyle changes, such as: avoiding alcoholic or caffeine-based drinks; avoiding drinking late at night; and increasing the amount of fruit and fibre you eat to avoid constipation, which can put pressure on your bladder. Other treatment options can include medication or a prostatectomy (a surgical procedure to remove part of, or the whole, prostate).
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i suffered for quite a while with this worrying and wondering and the answer was very simple once other conditions had been ruled out .I take a slow release medication and my life is worth living again
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I had a painful experience by not being able to empty my bladder and had to have a catheter fitted for a few days. Since then I have had no further problems although I could now fit a catheter myself in an emergency. I am on medication to shrink the prostate and therefore hope an operation will not be necessary. One of the joys of getting older.
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