the prostate gland grows as men age with the fastest growth occurring at middle age. by age 50 5 out of 10 men have an enlarged prostate. by age 80 up to 9 out of 10 men have an enlarged prostate. 3 having an enlarged prostate does not always cause symptoms. as the prostate enlarges the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body) may become narrowed or partially blocked. the narrowed or blocked urethra is what causes the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (bph). by age 55 over 2 out of 10 men have some symptoms. by age 75 5 out of 10 men complain of a decrease in the force of their urine streams. 1 in rare cases severe obstruction of the urine flow develops and may lead to complications including complete or partial blockage of the urethra urinary tract infection (uti) bladder stones or visible blood in the urine. every man's experience with bph is different. symptoms may be stable may come and go or may become more bothersome over time. some men find the symptoms to be mild and do not require treatment with medicines. other men find the symptoms bothersome and choose treatment with medicine or less commonly surgery. bph does not cause prostate cancer. but prostate cancer may cause symptoms similar to those of bph. it is important to have your symptoms checked by a doctor to be certain they are not caused by prostate cancer. webmd medical reference from healthwise this information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. © 1995-2011 healthwise incorporated. healthwise healthwise for every health decision and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise incorporated.
what happens to someone when they get benign prostatic hyperplasia bph?