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BPHProstate healthJuly 8, 2026· 6 min read

Understanding an enlarged prostate (BPH): symptoms, options, and what to expect

A plain-language guide to BPH — what it is, why it happens, and modern treatments that don't require major surgery.

By Palm Springs Urology Medical Group

If you're waking up at night to urinate or noticing a weaker stream, you're not alone. Benign prostatic hyperplasia — BPH — is one of the most common conditions men experience with age.

What BPH actually is

The prostate is a small gland that surrounds the urethra. As it grows, it can press on that channel, changing how you urinate. BPH is not cancer, and having it doesn't mean you'll develop cancer.

Common symptoms

  • Waking up at night to urinate
  • Weak stream, hesitancy, or dribbling
  • Frequent daytime urination
  • A sense that the bladder isn't fully empty

Modern treatment options

Treatment is guided by how bothered you actually are — not by how big the prostate is on a scan. Most men do very well without major surgery.

  • Medications that relax the prostate and shrink it over time
  • UroLift®: an in-office procedure that lifts tissue out of the way
  • Rezūm™: gentle steam therapy that reduces prostate tissue in a short in-office visit
  • Da Vinci robotic surgery for larger prostates when needed
The goal isn't a smaller prostate on a scan. It's helping you sleep through the night and feel like yourself again.

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