Problem with Your Prostate?

With Father’s Day coming up this weekend, here’s an article specifically for the guys. Since Prostate Cancer is the second most common cancer in males (aside from skin cancer), this article will focus on three issues that can arise from owning a prostate gland. This walnut-sized gland located beneath the bladder, responsible for producing fluid for semen, may be small in size but can cause big problems.

Prostate Cancer – All men can be at risk especially as they age. Genetics are a risk factor with a higher prevalence in African-American men and/or a family history of prostate cancer. A diet high in fat and cigarette smoking are also risk factors. But the good news is it is treatable if caught soon enough. A simple blood test for prostate specific antigen (PSA) and possibly a digital rectal exam is used to screen for cancer, as there are typically no symptoms. PSA screening can start at about age 50 unless you have the genetic risk factors, then you may want to begin around age 40 but this is something that needs to be discussed with your physician.

Enlarged Prostate – Otherwise known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). As men get older, the prostate gland gets bigger. Though normal, this can cause other problems such as compressing the urethra consequently causing issues such as difficulty and frequency with urination. Extreme cases can be treated with drugs or surgery.

Prostatitis – This is like the male counterpart to a UTI complete with similar symptoms of pain on urinating, and in the pelvis, frequency, fever and chills and is treated with antibiotics. Unlike prostate enlargement and cancer, this is one of the most common urological problems in men under 50.

For all three prostate issues, your best defense is to maintain good health, stop smoking and decrease your dietary fats. So whether you possess a prostate gland or not, encourage  the men in your life to discuss these issues with their doctors.