Symptoms to Note

Frequent need to urinate both day and night Difficulty urinating Weak urine flow Stopping and starting of urine flow Feeling of being unable to completely empty your bladder Dribbling or leaking urine

Learn More

Prostate Health Self Assessment Test Prostate.com Prostate Research Inst. Thermotherapy Understanding Prostatitis www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Treatments _for_Prostate_Cancer

The prostate gland, located just below the bladder, is about the size and shape of a walnut. It's primary function is to produce semen, the fluid that carries sperm. The prostate surrounds a portion of the urethra -- the tube that carries urine from the bladder.

Enlarged prostate, also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), is a non-cancerous condition in which the prostate cells begin to increase in number. This growth, a normal part of the aging process, causes the gland to compress the urethra making urination difficult or painful.

Although it is not known exactly what causes an enlarged prostate, it is a common condition generally affecting men over age 50.

In fact more than half of all men between the ages of 40-60 have symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Enlarged prostate in not life threatening nor is it cancer; however, if left untreated it can lead to more serious health problems over time such as urinary retention, bladder stones, urinary infections or kidney damage.