Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlarged prostate gland. BPH is a common condition as men get older. The prostate is a small gland that starts out about the size of a walnut. As men age, the gland becomes enlarged.

About half of men with the condition have no symptoms other than the change in size. For others, urinary and sexual issues can result, including impeded of urine flow, leading to bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems.

You can do a lot to take care of yourself and give your body what it needs. Still, as you get older, your body changes in ways you can’t always control. For most men, one of those changes is that the prostate gets bigger.

Your prostate surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of your penis. When you have BPH, your prostate is larger than usual, which squeezes the urethra. This can cause your urine stream to be weak, waking you up a lot at night to go to the bathroom. It also could lead to other bothersome urinary symptoms. When you have BPH, your prostate is larger than usual. The large prostate can squeeze the urethra.

BPH isn’t prostate cancer and doesn’t make you more likely to get it.

It’s a common condition, and there are a lot of treatments for it, from lifestyle changes to medication to surgery. Your doctor can help you choose the best care based on your age, health, and how the condition affects you.