If you’re a man nearing or over age 50, it's important to understand the prevalence of enlarged prostate, enlarged prostate symptoms, and enlarged prostate treatment. This condition, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is surprisingly easy to diagnose and treat.  

If you’re worried about BPH or want to know more about enlarged prostate treatment, here are the four things your doctor wants you to know about what it means to have an enlarged prostate:

1. An Enlarged Prostate Usually Isn’t A Big Deal

The prostate is a small gland found below the bladder and in front of the rectum and is part of the male reproductive system. In its normal state, your prostate should be approximately the size of a walnut. As you age, it can slowly increase in size, reaching roughly the size of a lemon in an enlarged state, usually after turning 50. Although receiving a diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia might sound scary, one of the most important words in the name of the condition is "benign", meaning it’s not cancerous. 

Typically, if it’s treated, it does not cause serious health problems.

2. Enlarged Prostate Is Treatable

Depending on your diagnosis, most cases of BPH are treatable. Some patients experience a minor case of BPH, where simple observation by one of our doctors is sufficient. Your condition can be monitored and left untreated if it does not pose a threat to your health or if it doesn’t worsen. Other patients may experience a slightly more severe case and need treatment. 

At Mississippi Urology Clinic, we have a variety of treatment plans available depending on your individual health as well as the severity of your condition. The physicians of Mississippi Urology offer the UroLift® System for the treatment of BPH. UroLift® offers a minimally invasive approach that lifts or hold the enlarged prostate tissue, which in turn no longer puts pressure on or blocks the urethra.

Contact Mississippi Urology for an assessment.

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3. BPH Is Extremely Common

With BPH, the question you should ask is if, not when, you will experience this condition. Almost 50 percent of men between ages 51 and 60 have BPH, with that percentage reaching 90 percent once you’re older than 80.

4. BPH Shouldn’t Be Ignored

Yes, it’s common and it’s not usually very serious, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. If left untreated, it can cause discomfort while urinating, difficulty emptying your bladder, a long-term reduced capacity to store urine, kidney damage, or bladder infections. Diagnosing BPH is usually fairly simple. It can be found during a routine rectal exam, a urine test, or blood tests. You should come in for an exam if you’re experiencing any of the common symptoms of BPH, which include having trouble urinating, straining to urinate, feeling the frequent and sudden need to urinate, or generally having less control over your bladder.

If you find yourself nodding along to this list, then it’s time to make an appointment with Mississippi Urology Clinic. Our team of doctors has the experience, resources, and equipment needed to diagnose any of your urology needs.