An enlarged prostate is also sometimes referred to as a benign prostatic obstruction, or BPO, and also sometimes as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. An enlarged prostate occurs when there becomes an overgrowth of prostatic cells making the prostate push against and partially block the urethra, blocking the flow of urine, making urination difficult.

The prostate is a gland about the size of a walnut which is only present in men. It is found just below the bladder, and it surrounds the urethra, which is a tube through which urine flows from the bladder to the penis. One of the main functions of the prostate is to produce seminal fluid, the main component found in semen. An enlarged prostate is not able to efficiently produce seminal fluid.

Men suffering from an enlarged prostate are subject to various symptoms including pain and difficulties urinating. It is estimated that by the age of 80, 25% of all men will have had some kind of treatment for symptoms related to an enlarged prostate. Even though an enlarged prostate is not prostate cancer, men should be familiar with the symptoms because of their similarities in both conditions.

Some of the symptoms that can signal an enlarged prostate are hesitancy and difficulty in starting passing urine, feeling the need to urinate urgently and frequently, and nocturia (having to go to the bathroom frequently during the night). Other symptoms of an enlarged prostate include a weak or intermittent urine stream, and a feeling that your bladder is not completely emptied after urination. There may also sometimes be pain in the back or lower abdominal area and in the groin, and there may sometimes also be blood present in semen and/or urine. Additionally a decrease in semen production could be attributed to an enlarged prostate.

Although it isnt fully known why some men develop an enlarged prostate and others do not, advancing age is certainly the number one factor. An enlarged prostate is easier to treat if it is found early, therefore symptoms of an enlarged prostate should be addressed as soon as possible with a doctors visit. An enlarged prostate diagnosis, may require a rectal exam performed by a physician. Although uncomfortable, it is not painful procedure.