'GET ANY CHANGES CHECKED OUT'

As it's revealed King Charles is suffering from an enlarged prostate, we explain the symptoms and treatments for this common condition

- SOPHIE BARTON

King Charles, 75, won praise for revealing that he has needed treatment for an enlarged prostate, and for good reason. This walnut-sized gland may start off small, but over time it causes trouble for nearly 50% of men. Yet it's something many of us know little about. So what exactly is the prostate, and what symptoms should we - and the men in our life - be looking out for?

"The prostate sits underneath the bladder," explains Hamid Abboudi, prostate disease expert and consultant urologist at New Victoria Hospital and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. "It produces a fluid that mixes with sperm to produce semen, and starts around the size of a walnut. But when men are in their thirties, it often begins to grow. While a normal prostate weighs around 25g, an enlarged prostate can reach the size of a tennis ball, weighing as much as 500g."

Sounds painful, doesn't it? It can certainly prove uncomfortable. While it's not usually a health threat, an enlarged prostate can press on the bladder and urethra, restricting the flow of urine and causing erectile issues.