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 Information on Enlarged Prostate
An enlarged prostate, sometimes called benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH, is an enlargement of the gland that produces seminal fluid which, mixed with sperm from the
testes, is ejaculated during male orgasm. It is not cancer. The prostate gland is located just below the bladder in front of the rectum. It surrounds the upper end of the urethra, the tube
that carries urine from the bladder to the end of the penis. The gland grows slowly during childhood, then undergoes a rapid growth spurt at puberty. By 20 base to 25 years, it is
fully developed and is normally about the size of a walnut. Many men experience a second period of prostate growth when they reach their mid- 40s.
This very common condition is usually found in men aged over 50 years. It is uncertain what causes it, but it may be linked to changes in hormone levels caused by the ageing process.
The cells that make up the prostate grow and multiply. This compresses the urethra, making it more difficult both to pass urine and to empty the bladder completely. It also puts
strain on the bladder muscles, which must work harder to expel urine. 
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