What is an enlarged prostate? Key symptoms as King in hospital for treatment

Charles, 75, was seen entering The London Clinic in London on Friday morning

King Charles arrived at a London hospital with the Queen by his side today as he was admitted for treatment on his enlarged prostate.

Charles, 75, was seen entering The London Clinic in London on Friday morning, where the Princess of Wales is recovering after undergoing successful abdominal surgery.

The King took time to visit his daughter-in-law, who is on the 11th day of her hospital stay, ahead of his treatment for the benign condition.

Charles was diagnosed on 17 January while staying at Birkhall in Scotland, after going for a check-up because he was experiencing symptoms.

He is understood to have wanted to share the news to encourage other men to get themselves checked.

The king is being treated at the same hospital where the Princess of Wales is recovering (REUTERS)

The Palace spokesman said: “The King was this morning admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment.

“His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week and is delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.”

So what is an enlarged prostate, and what are some of the symptoms? We take a look below:

What is an enlarged prostate?

According to the NHS, benign prostate enlargement (BPE) is “the medical term to describe an enlarged prostate, a condition that can affect how you pee”. The prostate is a small gland in the pelvis, found between the penis and the bladder.

It’s not cancerous, nor does it increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.

It’s common in men over the age of 50 – it can affect younger men, but that is a lot rarer.

What are the causes?

The causes of an enlarged prostate are largely unknown, but there are two risk factors that make it more likely.

One is age – you’re more likely to get it if you’re over the age of 50 – and the other is hormone levels.

“The balance of hormones (oestrogen and testosterone) in your body changes as you get older. This may cause your prostate to grow,” Prostate Cancer UK notes.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptom of an enlarged prostate are changes in how you pee. This is because when the prostate is enlarged, it puts pressure on the bladder and the urethra.

According to Prostate Cancer UK, urinary symptoms can include:

• A weak flow when you urinate
• A feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied properly
• Difficulty starting to urinate
• Dribbling urine after you finish urinating
• Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
• A sudden urge to urinate – you may sometimes leak before you get to the toilet.

Around one in three men over the age of 50 has urinary symptoms, Prostate Cancer UK says, and the most common cause of this is an enlarged prostate.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or suspect you might have enlarged prostate, see your GP.

However, not everyone with an enlarged prostate has symptoms, the charity adds.

How is it diagnosed and treated?

You might be able to undergo tests for an enlarged prostate at your GP surgery – such as a urine test – but you might also be sent to a urinary specialist at hospital.

The NHS says some tests might need to be done to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms, such as prostate cancer.

Treatment tends to fall in three different categories, and will depend on how severe your symptom are: lifestyle changes, medication and surgery.

Suggested lifestyle changes might include regular exercise or drinking less alcohol and caffeine.

Those suffering from moderate to severe symptoms might be prescribed medicine to reduce the size of their prostate and relax the bladder, the NHS says. In instances medication doesn’t work, surgical options might be explored.

The NHS says there are some complications of BPE – including urinary tract infections (UTIs), chronic urinary retention (when you can’t empty your bladder fully), or acute urinary retention (when you can’t pass any urine at all).

If you suffer from any more serious symptoms – including suddenly not being able to pee at all or severe lower tummy pain, it could suggest acute urinary retention and you should go to your nearest A&E.