Symptoms of Enlarged Prostate Pain

Do you know what organ in the body is the only one that continues to grow throughout life?

The male prostate gland.

The symptoms of an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), are perhaps all too familiar to men as they move along in years. The prostate gland surrounds the tube that allows urine out of the body, and as it enlarges it can squeeze this tube.

Problems with urination, especially at night, often result. The American Urological Association has a scale in the form of a quiz that allows men to rate their symptoms, giving the doctor a more accurate picture of the problem. These symptoms usually fall into one of two categories: irritative or obstructive. Surprisingly, however, many men will find that their symptoms spontaneously wane over the years. This article will explore the seven primary symptoms of an enlarged prostate, and how they can seriously affect a man's quality of life.

According to the American Urological Association, BPH has seven distinct symptoms that can be rated and help assist doctors in determining the severity and hence treatment options of their patients. Rated from 0 to 5, with 5 being "almost always" and 0 being "not at all," these symptoms are: a feeling of not being able to completely empty the bladder of urine, having to pee again after having just gone, stopping and starting several times while peeing, a sense of extreme need to urinate, a weak pee stream, having to strain to pee, and getting up to urinate several times during the night. Despite the similarity and number of possible symptoms, these can all be narrowed down into two main categories.

Irritative symptoms include those that involve changes in the urination habits, such as having to go a lot, having to go very badly, and having to go frequently at night. Sometimes these can even include a sensation of burning, which is not an "official" symptom on the AUA quiz. Obstructive symptoms are those that involve having to strain to pee or having a weak stream. In other words, something seems to be obstructing the urine flow.

Some of these conditions can be so severe as to seriously impact some men's everyday lives. Sleep is lost, time is lost, and discomfort prevails.

Fortunately, a large percentage of men's symptoms go away all by themselves. As many as 40% of men will notice their BPH symptoms improve over time, even though the prostate gland remains enlarged. In fact, only 15% of men with an enlarged prostate will have any symptoms at all. The other 45% of men will never have any symptoms at all; notably, this is the most common group (N Engl J Med. 1995; 332: 99-109).

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a major culprit in the lives of men as they move up in age, and its symptoms can directly impact a man's ability to get a good night's rest as well as be able to lead a comfortable life. Although complications from the disease can be severe, the majority of men will note constant improvement as time goes by. For the few that experience an increase in symptoms, there are quite a few methods that enable some relief.