The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that sits underneath a man’s bladder and wraps around the urethra. Prostate problems include infection, enlargement or cancer, but solutions and survival rates are improving.
The prostate gland’s main function is to add fluid to sperm to form semen. Although the prostate starts out small, it typically grows as a man ages. Prostate growth is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. Over time, BPH puts pressure on the urethra, leading to urinary problems.
Prostatitis is swelling of the prostate gland that is often caused by bacteria. The condition can come on quickly (acute prostatitis) and usually clears up with antibiotics. However, it can sometimes continue long term, in which case it’s called chronic prostatitis.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, affecting 1 in 7 during their lifetime. Most prostate cancer cases are diagnosed later in life.
Prostate cancer can be found with a PSA test, which measures the level of a protein called prostate specific antigen (PSA) in a man’s blood. At one time, men over age 50 were advised to have a PSA test annually. Yet this test can often produce false positive results, because PSA levels can also rise from BPH and other non-cancerous prostate conditions. Today, cancer organizations recommend that men talk to their doctor about the benefits and risks before having this test.
Prostate cancer symptoms include trouble urinating, blood in the urine, pain in the back or hips, and difficulty getting or sustaining an erection. To diagnose prostate cancer, the doctor will remove a sample of tissue during a biopsy. Once that tissue is examined, doctors assign the prostate cancer a Gleason Score and a stage, which indicate the severity and progression of the disease.
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An infection can occur almost anywhere in the genitourinary system. In fact, urinary tract infections are so common, they’ve been branded with a widely used abbreviation: UTI. Scrotal infections such as epididymitis aren’t as common as UTIs and haven’t earned a convenient abbreviation, but they can be extremely painful and … Read More
Do you have symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)? Pygeum benefits prostate health and might even help protect against prostate cancer. … Read More
Scientists don’t know exactly what causes prostate cancer and there is no one answer to how to avoid prostate cancer. Researchers, however, have studied certain preventive measures and determined they have the potential to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. They have evaluated other measures and found that the evidence … Read More
It’s an understandable question among men as they age: What is BPH?
BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia, a very common condition occurring in approximately 25 percent of men by the age of 55 and 50 percent of men by the age of 75. Despite this prevalence, treatment for BPH is … Read More
In today’s age, the term “digital” may make you think electronic or photographic. But, alas, digital here refers to a finger, so a digital rectal exam (DRE) is an examination of your rectum with the physician’s gloved and lubricated index finger. Both men and women undergo a digital rectal exam, … Read More
The glandular cells of the prostate play an important role in reproduction, producing the fluids that help make up semen. These tiny cells also serve as the birthplace for nearly all prostate cancers. Genes in these cells slowly mutate, leading to the formation of abnormal cells. The cells proliferate and … Read More
In the fall of 2016, actor Ben Stiller revealed that he had been treated successfully for prostate cancer in 2014. Stiller credited his physician and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test for saving his life.
His announcement comes at a time when rates of prostate cancer screening and diagnosis are on … Read More
Anyone who has been faced with the prospect of prostate cancer will encounter the phrase “Gleason score.” And what is the Gleason score? Doctors use it to help them predict the risk of how aggressive a prostate cancer may be and how likely it is to spread beyond the prostate … Read More
There are a variety of different options for treating prostate cancer and improving your prostate cancer survival rate. You and your doctor will decide which treatment regimen (or combination of regimens) is best for you, based on your age, overall health, and stage of your prostate cancer. Here, we’ll provide … Read More
Historically, a man complaining of pelvic pain, urinary problems, and other hallmark signs of prostatitis would visit his doctor and receive repeated, prolonged courses of antibiotics. The thought was that a bacterial infection was the underlying culprit. We now know that such infections occur in only a small percentage of … Read More
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