Benign Enlarged Prostate
Benign Prostatic Enlargment, also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), is a very common condition affecting nearly all men as part of the male ageing process.
Overview of Benign Enlarged Prostate
The prostate is normally 20-30ccs when a man is in his 20s or 30s. It is naturally the shape of a ring-doughnut with the bladder emptying and the urine passing through the middle of the ring-doughnut. As the prostate enlarges, the hole through the middle of the prostate becomes smaller, obstructing the flow of urine and obstructing the natural emptying of the bladder.
It is important to also consider that lower urinary tract symptoms in a man are most commonly due to benign prostatic enlargement but can also be a sign of prostate cancer.
Symptoms of Benign Enlarged Prostate
Symptoms associated with the lower urinary tract in men are often due to enlargement of the prostate but can be caused by a number of other reasons.
Lower urinary tract symptoms can be divided into: voiding or emptying symptoms; including decrease in the flow rate of the urine; intermittency, stop and starting again whilst urinating; a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder; straining or hesitancy / delay in starting to empty the bladder.
Urinary tract symptoms can also be due to difficulty storing urine within the bladder. These storage symptoms can be the need for the bladder to empty frequently during the day or at night time (nocturia). The need for the bladder to empty in an urgent manner giving little time to get to the toilet or postpone urination.
Your urologist may want to objectively quantify your symptoms using the International Prostate Symptoms Score (I-PSS). Click here to download this form.
Diagnosing Benign Enlarged Prostate
Prostate cancer is assessed via blood test (PSA) plus an examination by a consultant or experienced doctor.
If there are any concerns about these then a consultant urologist would organise a multi-parametric MRI scan of the prostate. If you have any concerns in this regard please do not hesitate to contact us here at the Urology Partnership and we can put you in contact with Mr Adam Jones, a consultant urological surgeon with a sub-specialty interest in prostate cancer, diagnosis and treatment.
Next Steps
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If you would like more information or wish to arrange a consultation with one of our specialist consultant urological surgeons then please either Call 0118 920 7040 or complete the form below.
Insured patients
Contact your GP and ask for a referral to the Urology Partnership.
All consultations, investigations and treatments are covered by major insurance companies (depending on policy).
Funding your own treatment
Self-funding initial consultation fee is £205. Follow up fees are £165.
Consultation charges are exclusive of any tests and other investigations that the consultant may wish to carry out.