The prostate is a gland which surrounds the urethra–the tube which carries sperm and urine from the body. In younger men the prostate is the size of  a walnut, but as a man gets older, his prostate continues to grow. For some men this can cause some difficulties and can lead to a disease of the prostate.

There are three common conditions which can affect the prostate:

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

This is a benign condition that causes discomfort. It can range from mild to severe but is non-life-threatening. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tends to affect men over the age of 50 and is very common. As the prostate grows it begins to squeeze the urethra leading to symptoms such as needing to urinate more often, dribbling when urinating, difficulty in starting, pain when urinating and urgency.

BPH can be treated with medication and/or surgery.

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