If you have found yourself getting up throughout the night to use the bathroom or found that frequent urination got in the way of your normal activities, you may have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate.

BPH is a progressive but manageable condition in which the prostate becomes enlarged and/or the muscles of the prostate and bladder neck constrict causing urinary symptoms such as:

• frequent and urgent needs to urinate
• feeling that your bladder is full even after urinating
• waking up several times during the night to urinate
• dribbling of urine, or the need to stop and start urinating several times (weak stream)
• Trouble urinating, often requiring a push or strain to urinate

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone.  BPH is one of the most common conditions in maturing men. It will affect approximately 50 percent of men between the ages of 51 and 60, and up to 90 percent of men over the age of 80.

When a doctor evaluates you for possible BPH, the evaluation may consist of a thorough medical history, a physical examination (including a digital rectal exam) and a urine test called a urinalysis. There are several other tests that may be offered including a prostate specific antigen (PSA), a blood test to screen for prostate cancer.

There are many treatment options for BPH including medication therapy and in severe cases surgery. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms for BPH.  With treatment, you can get back to living life to the fullest.