A Guide to Understanding Prostate Related Problems

Friday, August 24, 2012

The prostate is a gland found in the body of men which is roughly the size of a chestnut, and is located quite close to the bladder, towards the rectum. Derived from Greek, prostate quite literally stands for 'guardian' or 'protector' and can also be found in most other mammals. The prostate can be affected by various medical problems, and most of these can be quite discomforting and painful. Cases of prostate cancer can also lead to death.

Although prostate problems are more common in men over 50, they can also be seen before this age, and for men under this age, the most common problem is prostatitis. In men over 50, prostate enlargement accounts for the most common problem, and this condition is also referred to as BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). While the risk of prostate cancer does increase with age, its occurrence is lesser than that of BPH. However, prostate cancer is amongst the leading causes of cancer related deaths in the U.S.

Signs to Watch Out For:

Following is a list of signs that can indicate problems with your prostate, and if you notice any of these signs, seeking medical help should be the next obvious step.
· Experiencing difficulty in urinating
· Experiencing pain or a burning sensation while urinating
· Marked increased in your frequency of urination
· Presence of blood in your semen or urine
· Problems in getting erections
· Pain while ejaculating
· Persistent pain in your upper thighs, hips, or lower back

Common Prostate Problems:

Here are some of the common prostate related problems that men suffer from.

· Prostate Cancer: Cancer of the prostate progresses quite slowly; and there are numerous instances when the cancer is detected only during autopsies. However, it is important that the condition be identified early, and identifying what stage the cancer is in will help doctors select a suitable therapy. Some common symptoms include a marked increase in the frequency of your urinating, having a problem in starting urinating, blood in the urine and/or semen, etc.

· Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): With age, the prostate continues to grow in size, and as it grows, it can apply pressure on your urethra, thereby affecting the normal flow of urine. Benign simply means there is no infection or cancer, and hyperplasia refers to the enlargement. Symptoms for this condition are quite similar to those of prostate cancer, and this makes getting the condition diagnosed correctly all the more important.

· Prostatitis: Acute prostatitis refers to a prostate infection which is bacterial in nature. Common symptoms include pain while urinating, lower back pain, chills, and fever. Chronic prostatitis refers to a reoccurring infection, and while the symptoms in this case might be milder, the infection would be longer drawn.

Effective Help is at Hand:

Early detection of any kind of prostate related problem will definitely save you a lot of strife, and in different ways. The good this is all prostate related disorders are easy to detect, and can also be treated effectively as long as the diagnoses takes place in time. The treatment, of course, will depend on the diagnoses.

Realize that hesitating going to a doctor, for whatever reason, can get your condition to worsen, and if left untreated for long, it can lead to irreversible damage. The need of the moment, therefore, is to get proficient medical advice, and get it soon. Being safe, after all, is way better than being sorry.

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