As they get older, many men experience what are referred to as “obstructive urinary symptoms” (or “lower urinary tract symptoms”). These include:

• Decreased urinary flow (poor stream)
• Having to wait for the flow of urine to start
• An interrupted flow
• A feeling of incomplete emptying
• Waking at night to pass urine
• Passing urine more frequently during the day
• Feeling like you urgently need to pass urine

These symptoms are most often caused by obstruction of the urethra by an enlarging prostate gland. This is a normal part of the ageing process: most men will experience some enlargement of the prostate gland from age 50 onward.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia: an enlarged prostate disrupts normal bladder function.

The condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, and simply means a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

Many men present concerned that their symptoms of benign prostatic bladder neck obstruction may be indicative of early prostate cancer: early prostate cancer does not cause symptoms of bladder dysfunction. The decision to investigate and treat should be made on the basis of how severe your symptoms are rather than a fear of cancer.