Enlarged prostate (BPH)

The prostate is located inside the male body, just below the bladder. The urethra, through which all urine passes, goes straight through the prostate. When the prostate grows, which it normally does when men get older, it squeezes the urethra, which can make urination difficult or even impossible.

By the age of 50, one in two males experiences prostate enlargement and by the age of 80, this figure reaches about 90%. Why men's prostates become enlarged is uncertain, but the known risk factors are age and functioning testes (testicles that still produce sperm and the male sex hormone testosterone).