Patient's question:
I want to know if benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate enlargement are the same thing. The doctor said I have BPH, and I want to know if hyperplasia means enlargement.Doctor's answer:
Prostate enlargement is different from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH refers to an increase in the number of prostate cells, whereas prostate enlargement occurs when the number of cells remains the same but the size of the cells increases. Untreated BPH can lead to obstruction at the bladder outlet, causing lower urinary tract symptoms such as difficulty urinating, frequent urination, and urgency, which can cause significant distress to patients. Therefore, active treatment should be pursued for BPH. While the treatment for BPH is not difficult, delaying treatment can cause severe harm to overall health.