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Frequent urination
Urine urgency
Peeing problems
It is difficult to pee
I feel urine remained after urination
Difficult to urinate
I am peeing again within in 2 hours
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What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?
Non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. Age-related changes in male hormone levels are thought to be the cause. Incidence increases with age with an estimated 80% of men over the age of 70 with BPH. Symptoms may include a weak urinary stream, leakage of urine after voiding and urinating frequently at night (nocturia).
Typical Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
- Having difficulty urinating or producing less urine
- Urine flow stops and starts
- Needing to pass urine again, despite just passing less than 2 hours ago
- Urine stream is weaker than before
- Need to strain or bear down to pass urine, in the past month
- Feeling that the bladder is not completely emptied after urination
- Increased urine frequency
- Sudden urge to urinate
Diagnostic Questions for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Have you been experiencing difficulty urinating or producing less urine?
- Does your urine flow stop and start?
- Have you felt urge to pass urine again, within 2 hours after using the bathroom?
- Is your urine flow weaker?
- Have you had difficulty urinating recently?
Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Mild cases do not require treatment. However, your primary care provider or a specialist may recommend treatment if the condition is causing significant symptoms. Treatment options include medications to shrink the prostate over time or procedures and surgery to remove all or part of the prostate.
Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Nao Saito, MD (Urology)
After graduating from Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Dr. Saito worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Toda Chuo General Hospital, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, and Ako Chuo Hospital before becoming Deputy Director (current position) at Takasaki Tower Clinic Department of Ophthalmology and Urology in April 2020.
Content updated on Feb 19, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Decreased urine output
- Incomplete bladder emptying
- Not peeing enough
- Drinking lots of water but not urinating much
- Weak urine stream
- Frequent urination at night
- No urine output in 12 hours
- Urinating less than normal
- Feeling of incomplete urination
- Very difficult to urinate
- Reduction in urine volume
- Weak urine stream
- Unable to empty bladder completely
- Trouble starting urine stream
- Frequent urination at night
See full list
Symptoms Related to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Diseases Related to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
FAQs
Q.
How Do I Differentiate Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Vs Prostate Cancer?
A.
Doctors differentiate between BPH and prostate cancer using a mix of tests like PSA blood tests, digital rectal exams, imaging, and sometimes biopsy, since both may cause similar symptoms but have different causes and outcomes.
References:
Lilja H, Ulmert D, Vickers AJ. Prostate-specific antigen and prostate cancer: prediction, detection and monitoring. Nat Rev Cancer. 2008 Apr;8(4):268-78. doi: 10.1038/nrc2351. Erratum in: Nat Rev Cancer. 2008 May;8(5):403. PMID: 18337732.
McNally CJ, Ruddock MW, Moore T, McKenna DJ. Biomarkers That Differentiate Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia from Prostate Cancer: A Literature Review. Cancer Manag Res. 2020 Jul 1;12:5225-5241. doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S250829. PMID: 32669872; PMCID: PMC7335899.
Gravestock P, Shaw M, Veeratterapillay R, et al. Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: Biopsy Approaches. In: Barber N, Ali A, editors. Urologic Cancers [Internet]. Brisbane (AU): Exon Publications; 2022 Sep 12. Chapter 12.
Q.
Does Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Lead to Cancer?
A.
No, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate and does not cause cancer, though both conditions can sometimes occur in the same age group.
References:
Miah S, Catto J. BPH and prostate cancer risk. Indian J Urol. 2014 Apr;30(2):214-8. doi: 10.4103/0970-1591.126909. PMID: 24744523; PMCID: PMC3989826.
Dai X, Fang X, Ma Y, Xianyu J. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and the Risk of Prostate Cancer and Bladder Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 May;95(18):e3493. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000003493. PMID: 27149447; PMCID: PMC4863764.
Q.
Can Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Cause Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?
A.
BPH may contribute to erectile dysfunction because many of the same underlying factors that cause urinary problems can also affect sexual function.
References:
Bruskewitz RC. Quality of life and sexual function in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Rev Urol. 2003 Spring;5(2):72-80. PMID: 16985624; PMCID: PMC1473005.
Glina S, Glina FP. Pathogenic mechanisms linking benign prostatic hyperplasia, lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction. Ther Adv Urol. 2013 Aug;5(4):211-8. doi: 10.1177/1756287213488236. PMID: 23904860; PMCID: PMC3721438.
Q.
Does Alpha Blockers Work for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) ?
A.
Yes, alpha blockers are an effective treatment for BPH because they help relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, which eases urinary symptoms.
References:
Edwards JL. Diagnosis and management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. _Am Fam Physician_. 2008;77(10):1403-1410.
Miernik A, Gratzke C. Current Treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2020 Dec 4;117(49):843-854. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2020.0843. PMID: 33593479; PMCID: PMC8021971.
Q.
Does Prostate Massage Help with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) ?
A.
Some research suggests that prostate massage might provide some relief from urinary symptoms in BPH, but it is not a proven cure and should be used with caution.
References:
Hennenfent BR, Lazarte AR, Feliciano AE Jr. Repetitive prostatic massage and drug therapy as an alternative to transurethral resection of the prostate. MedGenMed. 2006 Oct 25;8(4):19. PMID: 17415302; PMCID: PMC1868377.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874303X01002010020
Q.
What Kind of Medications Are Used to Treat Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (aka: BPH)?
A.
The most common medications to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) work in two major ways: relax the smooth muscles so urine flows out more freely and shrink the size of the prostate that is blocking urine flow. Alpha-adrenergic receptor blockers (alpha-blockers) and PDE5 inhibitors are the most common and help relax smooth muscle. 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors work by shrinking the size of the prostate.
References:
Langan RC. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Prim Care. 2019 Jun;46(2):223-232. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2019.02.003. Epub 2019 Apr 1. PMID: 31030823.
Ng M, Leslie SW, Baradhi KM. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. [Updated 2024 Jan 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.
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Chughtai B, Forde JC, Thomas DD, Laor L, Hossack T, Woo HH, Te AE, Kaplan SA (2016). Benign prostatic hyperplasia. Nature reviews. Disease primers.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27147135/Mobley D, Feibus A, Baum N (2015). Benign prostatic hyperplasia and urinary symptoms: Evaluation and treatment. Postgraduate medicine.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25823641/Bushman W (2000). Etiology, epidemiology, and natural history of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Urologic clinics of North America.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19942041/