A number of men with BPH do not have many or any symptoms. The men who do have symptoms of BPH usually notice changes to their urination because BPH affects the part of the prostate that surrounds the top part of the urethra.

LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms) is a common term used to describe a range of urinary symptoms. LUTS linked to BPH can be obstructive or irritative, but other symptoms may also happen. Obstructive symptoms include a delay or straining when starting to urinate, and slow or dribbling flow of urine. Irritative symptoms include urgent or frequent urination during the day and night.

Lower urinary tract symptoms - voiding or obstructive
-- Hesitancy - a longer than usual wait for the stream of urine to begin
-- Weak and poorly directed stream of urine
-- Straining to urinate
-- Dribbling after urination has finished or an irregular stream
-- Urinary retention - not all the urine is passed from the bladder causing a need to urinate more often
-- Overflow or paradoxical incontinence - urine overflows from a full bladder uncontrollably even though normal urination cannot be started

Lower urinary tract symptoms - storage or irritative
-- Urgency - an urgent feeling of needing to urinate
-- Frequency - a short time between needing to urinate
-- Nocturia - a need to pass urine more than twice at night.

Other symptoms
-- Perineal pain - pain in the perineum (the area between the scrotum and the anus)
-- Dysuria - painful urination
-- Haematuria - blood in the urine.