How Can I Tell If I Have an Enlarged Prostate?

If you hang around older men long enough, you’ll likely hear a tale or two about enlarged prostates. And because you’re not getting any younger, you may wonder whether an enlarged prostate is in your future and how you’ll be able to tell if you have one.

An enlarged prostate, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is extremely common, affecting up to a third of men aged 65 and older. This number jumps to about 90% of men by the age of 85.

As a board-certified urology expert, Dr. Robert J. Cornell treats prostate issues and BPH regularly. Based on our team’s extensive experience with this condition, we want to outline key signs of BPH that should prompt you to see us for an evaluation and treatment. And there are some excellent treatments for BPH.

Prostate basics and why BPH is so common

Let’s first get into some background about your prostate and BPH. Your prostate is a gland that surrounds your urethra, right where it meets your bladder. This gland produces the ejaculate that carries and nourishes your sperm as it makes its way down your penis to its final destination.

During puberty, your prostate doubles in size as your reproductive health comes online. Once you hit your 20s, your prostate enters a much slower-growing phase that lasts the rest of your life. What this means is that, over time, the gland continues to grow and can eventually start to become symptomatic as it interferes with other functions, mainly urination.

Signs of an enlarged prostate and BPH

As your prostate continues to grow, it can place pressure on your urethra, which can cause your bladder to thicken. When this happens, you might experience increasing issues with:

Frequent urination

Most people urinate about 7-8 times per day, give or take. If you find yourself getting up to pee more often than that, for no obvious reason, an enlarged prostate might be to blame.

Nocturia

If your more frequent need to pee extends into the nighttime and you’re getting up to pee at least two times a night, this is a sign of BPH.

Inability to empty your bladder

One of the reasons you might be urinating more frequently is because you can’t empty your bladder fully each time. As a result, you need to urinate again shortly after just going.

Weak stream of urine

If you have a weaker-than-normal stream of urine, this can indicate BPH, as your prostate interferes with the flow of urine in your urethra.

Stopping and starting urination

Many men with BPH need to stop and start urination several times to get the flow going.

Straining to urinate

You have to pee, yet when you try, you struggle to initiate the flow. This is a common sign of BPH.

As you can see, most signs of symptomatic BPH involve urination, so any changes in your lower urinary tract are worth having us investigate. 

How to seek help for possible BPH

We offer many different treatment options for BPH, and the sooner we can tackle the problem, the easier your life will become.

For a comprehensive assessment of your prostate and expert diagnosis and care of BPH, contact our Houston office to schedule a consultation.