If you have Benign Prostatic Enlargement (BPE), you may experience symptoms that include:

• a hesitant, interrupted, weak urine stream
• urgency and leaking or dribbling of urine
• more frequent urination, especially at night

Some men with greatly enlarged glands have little obstruction and few symptoms. Others, whose glands are less enlarged, may have more blockage and greater problems. Sometimes you may not know you have any obstruction until you suddenly find yourself unable to urinate at all. This condition, called acute urinary retention, may be triggered by taking certain cold medications that prevent the bladder opening from relaxing and allowing urine to empty.

Severe BPE can, over time, cause serious problems such as urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence. If your bladder is permanently damaged, treatment for BPE may be ineffective. If BPE is found in its earlier stages, your risk of developing such complications is lower.