Understanding the prostate and BPH

What the prostate is

The prostate is a small gland. It sits just below the bladder. It wraps around the top of the urethra, the tube that carries urine out.

The prostate is part of the male body. It helps make semen. Only men have one.

At birth, it is the size of a pea. In adult men, it is about the size of a walnut. From the age of forty, many men's glands grow larger year by year.

What BPH is

BPH means a non-cancer growth of the prostate gland. "Benign" means not cancer. "Hyperplasia" means more cells.

BPH is not an infection. It is not spread by sex. It is not caused by anything a man did or did not do earlier in life.

BPH is a feature of ageing. The gland grows slowly. The tissue around the urethra can thicken, and the tube can narrow over time.

How common BPH is

BPH is a common condition in older men. Urinary symptoms linked to BPH affect many men over the age of sixty[¹]. The older the group, the more men who report symptoms.

Not every man with a large prostate has trouble. Some men notice no change even with a big gland. Others have bothersome symptoms earlier.

Your own risk depends on your age and family history. Your health as a whole plays a part. Your clinician can help put your picture in context.

Why BPH causes symptoms

The urethra runs through the middle of the prostate. A larger gland can press on this tube. The bladder then has to push harder to empty.

Over time, the bladder itself can change. It may grow stronger but less flexible. It may also feel more sensitive, which can make the urge to pass urine feel sudden.

This mix of changes explains what men often describe. A weak stream, a sense of not fully emptying, and frequent or urgent trips to the toilet are all common patterns.

What BPH is not

BPH is not prostate cancer. Both can happen in the same man, but one does not cause the other. Having BPH does not raise your risk of prostate cancer.

A raised PSA blood test can come from BPH or cancer. A PSA number alone cannot tell the two apart.

Your clinician looks at the full picture. That picture is your symptoms, your exam, your urine test, and sometimes a scan.

What to do next

If you notice new urinary symptoms, write them down. The IPSS tool on this site can help you put a number on them. Bring your score to your next visit.

If you have not yet talked about the prostate with a clinician, an early chat helps you make calm choices later, before things start to bother you.