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Enlarged prostate: questions to ask your doctor

Last published:Aug 06, 2021

If you've been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate (sometimes called benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] or lower urinary tract symptoms [LUTS]) you may want to ask your doctor some questions to find out more about this condition and how to deal with it.

Here are some suggestions:

  • How do you know I have an enlarged prostate and not a more serious condition?

  • Is there anything I can do to improve my symptoms?

  • Do you think I should start treatment or wait and see what happens? (This is called watchful waiting or active monitoring.) Why?

  • Will my symptoms get worse if I don't get treatment?

  • Is having an enlarged prostate likely to cause me other problems?

  • Will I need surgery?

  • What are the side effects of surgery?

  • Can I take medicines to help my symptoms?

  • Are there other treatments I can try? What about herbal treatments?

  • What side effects do these treatments have?

  • Will I need to have regular check-ups?

The patient information from BMJ Best Practice is regularly updated. The most recent version of Best Practice can be found at bestpractice.bmj.com. This information is intended for use by health professionals. It is not a substitute for medical advice. It is strongly recommended that you independently verify any interpretation of this material and, if you have a medical problem, see your doctor.

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