Men's Health
Steps to treating an enlarged prostate
Drugs can often help, but sometimes surgery is needed.
As men age, they often experience a new kind of growth spurt, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or an enlarged prostate gland.
Your prostate is located just below the bladder. Over time, it can grow from about the size of a walnut to as large as a lemon. It weighs about 30 to 35 grams in your 50s, but can balloon to as much as 100 grams. A growing prostate can place pressure on the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis and out of the body (see image).
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About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
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