Common prostate problems

The two most common prostate problems are benign prostatic hyperplasia (also called benign prostatic hypertrophy) and prostatitis.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

This is when the prostate increases in size. It’s part of the normal ageing process and is common in men over the age of 50.

BPH can cause the following symptoms:

• difficulty in starting to pass urine, or having a restricted flow of urine
• passing urine more often than usual, especially at night
• an urgent need to pass urine
• blood in the urine or sperm, although this is rare.

BPH is not the same as prostate cancer.

Prostatitis

This is when the prostate gland is inflamed or has an infection. In some men, it may not cause any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can include:

• repeated urine infections
• pain at the end of the penis
• a dull ache in your testicles, inner thighs, the area between your testicles and back passage (perineum) or your lower back
• pain during ejaculation or blood in the ejaculated semen.

Prostatitis is not prostate cancer. It can be caused by an infection, which is treated with antibiotics. It can also be caused by physical injury to the prostate gland, or by some autoimmune diseases in which the body’s immune system damages the body’s own cells.

BPH and prostatitis can both cause the PSA test to show a raised level of PSA in the blood.