Benign prostatic hyperplasia - Symptoms of prostate enlargement

The symptoms of prostate enlargement are caused by the enlarged prostate placing pressure on the bladder and urethra (which carries urine from the bladder to the penis).

This can affect urination in the following ways:

• making it difficult for you to start urinating
• weaken the flow of urine, or cause "stopping and starting"
• cause you to strain to pass urine
• cause you to frequently need to urinate
• cause you to wake up frequently during the night to urinate
• cause a sudden urge to urinate, which can result in incontinence if you cannot find a toilet quickly enough
• cause you to not be able to empty your bladder fully
• cause blood in the urine (haematuria)

In late stages, prostate enlargement can cause urine retention and other complications like bladder stones, bladder infections and damage to the kidneys.

When to seek medical advice

See your GP if you notice any problems with or changes to your usual pattern of urination. Even if the symptoms are mild, they could be caused by a condition that needs to be investigated.

Any blood in the urine must be investigated by your GP, to rule out other more serious conditions.