BPH Symptom Score Calculator (IPSS)
This is the International Prostate Symptom Score — the same validated 7-question index urologists use to grade BPH severity and measure whether treatments are working. Answer honestly about the past month; you'll get your score and evidence-based next steps instantly. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Educational tool — not a diagnosis. Bring your score to a healthcare provider for proper evaluation.
1. Over the past month, how often have you had a sensation of not emptying your bladder completely after you finished urinating?
2. Over the past month, how often have you had to urinate again less than two hours after you finished urinating?
3. Over the past month, how often have you found you stopped and started again several times when you urinated?
4. Over the past month, how often have you found it difficult to postpone urination?
5. Over the past month, how often have you had a weak urinary stream?
6. Over the past month, how often have you had to push or strain to begin urination?
7. Over the past month, how many times did you most typically get up to urinate between going to bed and waking in the morning?
Quality of life: If you were to spend the rest of your life with your urinary condition just the way it is now, how would you feel about that?
(Not scored — but doctors weigh it heavily.)
0/7 questions answered
Understanding Your Score
| Score | Severity | Typical clinical approach |
|---|---|---|
| 0–7 | Mild | Watchful waiting, lifestyle measures, optional evidence-based supplements |
| 8–19 | Moderate | Doctor discussion; conservative options first, medication if bothersome |
| 20–35 | Severe | Prompt urological evaluation; medication or procedures usually discussed |
Tracking your score over time is genuinely useful: clinical trials consider a drop of about 3 points meaningful. If you start a new approach — lifestyle changes, a supplement from our evidence-based rankings, or a medication — re-take the score after 8–12 weeks to judge objectively instead of by impression.
Frequently Asked Questions
The IPSS is a validated 7-question index — also known as the AUA Symptom Index — that urologists use worldwide to grade BPH urinary symptom severity. Each question scores 0-5 for a total of 0-35: scores of 0-7 are mild, 8-19 moderate, and 20-35 severe. It is the same questionnaire you would fill out at a urology appointment.
A score of 0-7 is classified as mild and is generally managed with lifestyle measures and monitoring. Scores of 8 or higher are the level at which treatment discussions typically begin, and 20+ warrants prompt urological evaluation.
No. The IPSS measures symptom severity, not the cause — similar symptoms can come from BPH, overactive bladder, infection, or other conditions. Use your score as a conversation starter with a doctor, who can determine the cause with an exam and simple tests.
Every few months is sensible if you are monitoring mild symptoms or evaluating a lifestyle change, supplement, or medication — the IPSS is exactly the instrument clinical trials use to measure whether a treatment is working. Re-test sooner if symptoms noticeably change.