Symptoms of an enlarged prostate

The main symptoms of an enlarged prostate are problems with peeing, such as:

• difficulty starting to pee, or having to push or strain to pee
• a weak flow of pee, stopping and starting, and taking longer than usual to empty your bladder
• feeling like you cannot fully empty your bladder
• dribbling pee after you finish peeing
• needing to pee more often or urgently, including getting up to pee during the night

The symptoms usually develop slowly, and may gradually get worse as you get older.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

• you have difficulty peeing or need to pee more frequently

Try not to be embarrassed. The GP will be used to talking about these symptoms.

Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

• you have blood in your pee – your pee may look pink, red or brown
• you have pain when peeing
• you cannot pee at all

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Important

It's important to get these symptoms checked by a GP because they can sometimes be caused by other more serious conditions, such as prostate cancer.

If they're caused by cancer, finding it early may mean it's easier to treat.