The prostate is one of the main organs of the male reproductive system. In adult men, the prostate acts mainly to add important fluids to the semen that nourish sperm and protect them against the natural acids in the vagina.

In many men, the prostate begins to grow when they are in their 50s, and it may continue to grow for the rest of their lives. An enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in medical terminology, can put pressure on the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body. This increasing pressure on the urethra can lead to bothersome urinary symptoms.

An enlarged prostate is not a cancerous condition and it does not lead to cancer. It is not life threatening, but you and your doctor need to keep an eye on it so that it does not get worse.

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate include:

• Difficulty when you start to urinating
  
  
• Difficulty emptying your bladder completely - urine may dribble after you are done
  
  
• The stream of your urine is weak and may start and stop
  
  
• You urinate more often, especially at night
  
  
• You feel the need to urinate more often
  
  
• You get sudden strong urges to urinate
  
  
• You feel bothered about the difficulty your urinary problems are causing you
  
  

• At least half of all men 50 years or older have an enlarged prostate
  
  
• The older you get the greater your chances are of having symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate
  
  
• At least 90% of all men will have an enlarged prostate by the time they are 80 years old