Prostate Problems

The prostate is a gland the size of a walnut, located between the pubic bone and rectum in men. The main function of the prostate is to produce some of the fluid in which sperm travels. The urethra (the tube through which urine leaves the body) passes through the center of the prostate. There are many kinds of prostate problems, and are common in men from 50 years of age.

Symptoms

Symptoms of prostate problems include:

• Difficulty starting or stopping urination
• Frequent urination
• Need to urinate at midnight
• Painful urination
• Weak urinary stream or unstable
• Urine leakage (incontinence)
• Feeling that the bladder is not completely empty after urination
• Pain at the base of the penis and around it, or discomfort between the scrotum and rectum
• Pus or blood in the urine, or cloudy urine
• Painful ejaculation
• Difficulties getting an erection
• Pain in lower back, hips, or upper thighs

If you have acute prostatitis, you may also present sudden fever, chills, and abdominal pain. Prostate cancer in early stages often has no symptoms.

Types of prostate problems

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate. There are three types of prostatitis: acute bacterial, chronic bacterial and chronic non-bacterial.  Acute prostatitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection, but only about 5% of cases of chronic prostatitis depends on bacterial infection Chronic prostatitis is usually associated with frequent infections of the urinary tract. Another possible cause of chronic prostatitis is an enlarged prostate. Enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, a noncancerous enlargement is caused by the male hormone testosterone and aging. After about 40 years of age, the prostate begins to enlarge naturally in most men. Nearly 90% of men from 80 years of age have an enlarged prostate.

Some men have BPH but have no problems with it. Sin embargo, However, in other enlarged prostate may begin to exert pressure on the urethra, blocking partially or completely the flow of urine and causes symptoms.. If the bladder is completely empty, an accumulation of old urine may lead to bladder infection or urinary tract. In severe cases the enlarged prostate may stop the flow of urine to such a degree that causes kidney problems.

Prostate cancer is the cancer that is diagnosed more frequently, apart from skin cancer among men in the United States. It is the second (the first is occupied by lung cancer) as a cause of cancer-related death among men. Although not well understood the causes of prostate cancer, certain factors can increase your risk:

• Age: Prostate cancer is found mostly in men over age 55.
• Family history. Your risk is higher if your father or brother has had the disease.
• Race. The disease is more common in black men than in Caucasians, and less common in Asians and Native Americans.
• Diet. Some evidence suggests that a diet high in animal fat may increase prostate cancer risk, while one high in fruits and vegetables may lower the risk.

Treatment

If you have symptoms of prostate problems, there are several tests that your doctor can take to make a diagnosis. In a digital rectal exam, the doctor puts gloves and inserts a finger into the rectum to feel the prostate and check for swelling, enlargement, masses or tenderness.
In a test for prostate specific antigen, the doctor measures the level of PSA in a blood sample. The prostate specific antigen is a substance produced in the prostate and circulating in the bloodstream. The concentrations of prostate-specific antigen higher than normal levels may indicate a prostate problem such as prostatitis or cancer.
They can also be tested in urine and semen for bacteria and white blood cells. If your doctor suspects prostate cancer, you need a biopsy, in which small samples are taken from the prostate tissue for testing.
After testing, treatment may be recommended below.