What Does It Mean to Have an Enlarged Prostate?

This Mayo Clinic News Network article features Dr. Scott Cheney, who uses a simple analogy—an orange with a straw running through it—to explain how the prostate grows outward and inward as men age. When the inner tissue expands, it presses on the urethra, which restricts urine flow and causes symptoms like weak stream, urgency, nighttime urination, and incomplete emptying.

The article emphasizes that BPH is not cancer and does not increase cancer risk, although symptoms may overlap. Many men ignore mild symptoms, assuming they’re “normal aging,” but effective treatments are available. Options include lifestyle adjustments, medications, minimally invasive therapies, and surgery, depending on symptom severity and prostate size.

This summary provides a clear understanding of why symptoms occur and why evaluation matters, especially if symptoms begin to affect daily activities.

Read the full article on Mayo Clinic News Network