What's a Normal Prostate Size? How to Tell If Yours Is Enlarged

The prostate is a gland necessary for the male reproductive system. A normal prostate size is similar to that of a walnut or golf ball. When it grows larger, it can interfere with urine flow, as it is located below the bladder.

The normal prostate size for an adult male ranges from 15 cubic centimeters, or 0.9 cubic inch, to 30 cubic centimeters, or 1.8 cubic inches, according to the Urological Research Foundation in Hillsboro, Missouri. An increase in size could indicate an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.

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An enlarged prostate is unrelated to prostate cancer and does not cause cancer, Everyday Health notes. It merely causes urinary problems because the enlarged gland squeezes the urethra, resulting in a thickened bladder wall.

A normal prostate size commonly increases after age 40, but the change may occur in men in their thirties. The chances for an enlarged prostate greatly increase as men age, up to 60 percent for men in their sixties and 80 to 90 percent for men in their seventies and eighties, according to a 2005 report in the Reviews in Urology journal, Everyday Health reports.

The first sign of an enlarged prostate for most men is a need to urinate once or twice in the middle of the night, according to WebMD. The need to urinate may increase and even occur throughout the day. The thickened bladder may contract more often and may not be able to empty completely because of the narrowing urethra, creating frequent feelings of the need to urinate.

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Men face increased risk of urinary tract infections, blood in the urine, incontinence, and bladder stones when the bladder is unable to empty completely, says WebMD.

Other symptoms of an enlarged prostate include difficulty in starting to urinate, a weak or slow flow of urine, streams that start and stop, frequent dribbling of urine, and the need to urinate again shortly after urinating.

Consulting a doctor about symptoms or having regular checkups help patients know their treatment options when there is a change from normal prostate size.

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