The International Prostate Symptom Score is a validated 7-item questionnaire developed by the American Urological Association (AUA) to measure lower urinary tract symptom severity in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

What do the score ranges mean?

Scores of 0–7 indicate mild symptoms (watchful waiting), 8–19 indicate moderate symptoms (medication may be considered), and 20–35 indicate severe symptoms (surgical options are often discussed).

Is this tool a medical diagnosis?

No. The IPSS calculator is an educational tool to help you understand your symptom burden before consulting a healthcare provider. It does not diagnose BPH or any other condition. Always consult a qualified urologist for diagnosis and treatment.

What is the quality-of-life question?

The QoL question asks how you would feel if you had to live with your current urinary symptoms for the rest of your life, scored 0 (delighted) to 6 (terrible). It is not added to the IPSS total but provides important context for clinical decisions.

How often should I retake the IPSS?

Urologists typically reassess IPSS every 6–12 months for men on watchful waiting, and 4–6 weeks after starting or changing treatment, to monitor progress.

Can women use the IPSS?

The IPSS was developed for male BPH assessment. Women experiencing LUTS are evaluated using different, gender-specific questionnaires. This tool is intended for use by men.

IPSS Prostate Symptom Score

Name: IPSS Prostate Symptom Score
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Answer 7 validated questions to calculate your International Prostate Symptom Score and assess BPH / lower urinary tract symptom severity.

Symptom Questions

Rate each symptom over the past month using the scale below.

Question	Not at all 0	<1 in 5 times 1	<Half the time 2	About half 3	>Half the time 4	Almost always 5

Quality of Life (QoL)

If you were to spend the rest of your life with your urinary condition the way it is now, how would you feel about that?

Answer all questions and click
Calculate Score to see your result.

Summary

Answer 7 validated questions to calculate your International Prostate Symptom Score and assess BPH / lower urinary tract symptom severity.

How it works

Answer each of the 7 symptom questions by selecting how often you experience that symptom (0 = not at all, 5 = almost always).
Answer the optional quality-of-life question to see how your symptoms affect daily living.
Click "Calculate Score" to compute your IPSS total.
Review your score classification: mild (0–7), moderate (8–19), or severe (20–35).
Use the interpretation panel to understand what next steps your urologist may recommend.

Use cases

Pre-appointment self-assessment before seeing a urologist.
Tracking BPH symptom progression over time.
Evaluating whether current treatment is improving symptoms.
Educating patients about how urologists quantify prostate symptom burden.
Research or clinical audit use for standardized symptom capture.
Helping men decide whether to seek professional evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-09 · Reviewed by Nham Vu