Buckingham Palace announced King Charles III is suffering from an enlarged prostate in a statement last week.
The King is set to attend hospital this week to undergo a “corrective procedure” for the benign health problem.
The non-cancerous condition, also known as benign prostate enlargement, is common in men over 50, according to the NHS.
Contrary to popular belief, the risk of prostate cancer doesn’t rise with an enlarged prostate. In fact, the odds of developing the deadly condition are the same for those without benign prostate enlargement.
Around one in three men over the age of 50 will have some symptoms of an enlarged prostate, which is a gland that sits just below the bladder.
While an enlarged prostate is not usually a serious threat to health, it can cause uncomfortable symptoms, including difficulty passing urine or emptying the bladder.
While it is unclear what corrective procedure the King will undergo, there are a few ways of managing benign prostate enlargement, including surgery, lasers and even a steam treatment.
According to Dr Nazia Bandukwala, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), which refers to a surgical procedure that involves cutting away a section of the prostate, is “the most common surgery” to treat an enlarged prostate.
The NHS explains that recovery from this procedure tends to last three to four weeks.
It’s not unusual to feel tired and under the weather for a week or two after having TURP.
The health service also advises against lifting or moving any heavy objects, including shopping, for the first three to four weeks.
The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation, the Palace also said in the statement.
It is thought that the medical update was released last week because the King had to cancel an engagement scheduled for last Thursday.
However, some also claim that the 75-year-old was keen to share his diagnosis to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked.
