Health problems inevitably begin to develop as we get older and one problem which you are very unlikely to escape if you live long enough is that of an enlarged prostate.

The problem in normally first seen in men once they pass the age of 45, although it can occasionally appear at earlier ages, and you will have about a 50 percent chance of developing an enlarged prostate by the age of 60. Once passed the age of 60 the odds of developing the condition increase substantially and, by the age of 80, your chances of suffering from an enlarged prostate will be as high as 90 percent.

The prostate gland, which sits just below the bladder and forms part of the male reproductive system, grows rapidly during puberty and by the time a man reaches maturity it weighs about one ounce and is roughly the size of a walnut. What it often not realized however is that this is not the end of its growth and the prostate gland will then continue to grow very slowly throughout the rest of a man's life.

However, in middle age cell growth typically begins to accelerate in one particular area of the prostate gland which partially surrounds the urethra, which is responsible for carrying urine from the bladder out of the body.

Initially this accelerated growth of cells, which are non-cancerous, is still relatively slow and many men will experience no symptoms at all from it, or the symptoms will be so slight that they will be dismissed as simple a case of 'getting older'.

In time however, as the prostate gland continues to enlarge, it will start to pinch the urethra interrupting the flow of urine from the bladder and the symptoms of the problem will begin to become evident. At first these will not be painful, or even particularly discomforting, but they will become increasingly irritating as you begin to experience difficulty in urinating, the need to get up during the night to visit the bathroom and perhaps the embarrassing tendency to continue to dribble urine even after you have visited the bathroom.

An enlarged prostate is technically referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and, as the name suggests, it is not a serious or life-threatening condition. The presence of an enlarged prostate and its accompanying systems should not be confused with prostate cancer, which can of course be life-threatening, and benign prostatic hyperplasia can often be treated with medication. Where this does not do the trick, or where enlargement is already sufficiently advanced before treatment is started, then there are a variety of surgical procedures which can be used to reduce the size of the prostate gland.

You should however consult your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of a prostate problem because, although the condition may indeed be benign, it is also possible that the problem may be caused by prostate cancer or, perhaps more importantly, an enlarged prostate may be masking the underlying development of prostate cancer.

If caught early enough, prostate cancer can be treated extremely effectively.

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