Benign prostate hyperplasia can cause potentially severe medical consequences if left untreated. These issues may include bladder stones, urinary tract infections, and incontinence. Other issues can also offer serious problems including blood in the urine or urinary retention. Urinary retention is the sudden and complete inability to urinate and occurs when the obstruction from benign prostate hyperplasia progresses to the point that the prostate then blocks the urethra and makes it no longer possible to completely empty the bladder. If urinary retention occurs, emergency medical intervention will be required. In some rare cases, bladder and/or kidney damage can develop from benign prostate hyperplasia.