Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Symptoms and Which Tests

Benign prostatic hyperplasia sounds frightening, but in essence it is a benign condition familiar to most men with age. Let's go through it calmly and to the point: what benign prostatic hyperplasia is, what its symptoms are, which tests to take and how to tell it from prostatitis and cancer. This is about symptoms and the work-up, not about choosing treatment — that is a separate task for the doctor.

What Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Men Is

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an age-related enlargement of the prostate due to overgrowth of its tissue. It is benign: it is NOT cancer and not inflammation. The enlarged gland squeezes the urethra, which is why the main symptoms of an enlarged prostate involve urination. With age this condition is very common in men.

Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate: Urinary Problems

The classic symptoms are so-called lower urinary tract symptoms: a weakened, sluggish stream, the need to strain, an intermittent stream, a sense of incomplete emptying of the bladder. Urination becomes "difficult" and drawn out. These complaints build gradually, so men often get used to them and see a doctor late.

Frequent Urination and Nighttime Urges

The other half of the symptoms are "irritative": frequent urination in small amounts, sudden strong urges and especially nighttime trips to the toilet (nocturia). Nighttime urges hit sleep quality hard and are often what finally prompts a work-up. With an enlarged prostate these symptoms usually come together with a weakened stream.

Which Tests to Take for an Enlarged Prostate

The work-up usually includes a PSA test (prostate, ruling out other causes), a urinalysis, an assessment of urine flow rate — uroflowmetry — and a symptom questionnaire. From tests and complaints the doctor gauges the degree of the problem. The set of tests for an enlarged prostate is chosen by a urologist individually for the picture.

Ultrasound and Residual Urine

An important part of the work-up is a prostate ultrasound: it shows the gland's volume, its structure and, importantly, the residual-urine volume (how much stays in the bladder after urination). A large residual means the bladder does not empty fully. Ultrasound complements PSA and uroflowmetry, giving the doctor a fuller picture.

Enlargement, Prostatitis or Cancer: How Not to Confuse Them

The symptoms of an enlarged prostate, prostatitis and prostate cancer partly overlap, especially urinary complaints, so self-diagnosis is unreliable. An enlarged prostate is a benign growth, prostatitis is inflammation, and cancer is a separate condition; PSA can also be raised with an enlarged prostate. They can be told apart only from the whole of tests and an examination with a urologist.

What to Do with Results and When to See a Doctor

An enlarged prostate is a benign and well-studied condition: it matters not to delay a visit if the stream weakens and nighttime trips become frequent. Warning signs — blood in the urine, acute urinary retention — call for urgent care. If your test results are unclear, you can upload the report for decoding and go through the values in plain language before seeing a urologist.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace a doctor's consultation. The diagnosis and approach for an enlarged prostate are determined by a urologist from tests and examination.