Currently several treatment options are available for management of BPH, chosen based on certain facts namely, age, general health condition of the said person, presenting symptoms, size of the prostate gland, personal preferences, etc.

Symptoms

The severity of prostate gland enlargement varies from one person to another and the symptoms progressively become worse over years. Commonly occurring symptoms include

• 
  Narrowing of stream of urine
  
• 
  Difficulty in starting passage of urine
  
• 
  Episodes of stoppage and again starting of the flow of urine
  
• 
  Dribbling of urine at the end of urination
  
• 
  Urgency of urination (sudden feeling of urgent urination)
  
• 
  Increased frequency of passage of urine especially during the night time
  
• 
  Straining before starting the urination
  
• 
  Inability to completely empty the bladder
  
• 
  Frequent episodes of urinary tract infections
  
• 
  Stone formation in the bladder
  
• 
  Impaired kidney function
  

Size of the enlarged prostate gland as such has no relation to the severity of the symptoms; lager size of the enlarged prostate does not necessarily mean worse symptoms. Some men with significantly bothersome urinary symptoms may have minimal enlargement of the gland and vice versa. Similarly while in some with passage of time the symptoms appear to become stabilized, in others the symptoms gradually become worse with time.With time the enlargement of the prostate gland can become very serious as it significantly interferes with the ability of the bladder to become empty completely. There are several complications associated with enlarged prostate; these are

• 
  Acute retention of urine: this is characterized by sudden onset of painful inability to pass urine. This type of episodes of acute retention of urine may occur following intake of over the counter available allergy or cold medicines. The doctor passes a tube (catheter) through the tip of the penis (the external urethral opening) to the bladder, sometimes the tube might be placed in the bladder through the lower part of the abdomen (suprapubic catheterization).
  

• 
  Repeated episodes of urinary tract infection are one of the most common bothersome symptoms of elderly people.
  

• 
  Stone in the bladder: inability to completely empty the bladder may lead to accumulation of mineral deposits (bladder stone) may lead to several complications like irritation of the bladder, obstruction to smooth passage of urine, blood in the urine, etc.
  

• 
  Impaired bladder function: bladder function is impaired in patients of benign enlargement of prostate gland as incomplete emptying of bladder may lead to stretching of the muscular bladder wall in an inappropriate way. This may lead to abnormal contractility of the bladder wall.
  

• 
  Kidney damage may also occur following inadequate emptying of the bladder and the subsequent high pressure build up in the bladder which may directly damage the kidney tissue. There is also increased chance of spreading of infections from the bladder to the kidneys. Sometimes, obstruction of urine outflow from the kidneys, due to enlarged prostate gland, may lead to abnormal swelling of the urine forming ducts and the kidneys (hydronephrosis).
  

All the above mentioned complications may not be seen in all the patients suffering from benign enlargement of prostate gland. Both acute retention of urine and impaired kidney functions can be very serious.