How Do You Identify The Signs Of Prostate Problems?
Author: Donald Saunders
Category: Health
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It may seem odd but for many years men knew very little about their prostate and it is only in recent years as prostate cancer has gained in prominence that men are starting to ask just what the prostate is and what its function is.
The prostate is a vital component of a man's reproductive system which manufactures the clear liquid which makes up a substantial proportion of a man's seminal fluid. Sperm is carried from the testicles to the prostate where it is mixed with proteins and prostatic fluid to make semen.
A healthy prostate is approximately the size of a walnut, weighs approximately one ounce and lies just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is also regularly described as being shaped something like a donut and partly wraps around the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder and out of the body.
Through a man's life the prostate grows, although from the early twenties until the mid-forties this growth is extremely slow and is more or less undetectable. When a man passes approximately forty-five however it is extremely common for the growth of the prostate to accelerate and the vast majority of men will start to experience the symptoms of an enlarged prostate during their forties or fifties.
In many cases an enlarged prostate simply leads to some mild discomfort which a lot of men simply learn to live with. In some cases however the prostate can become sufficiently enlarged so that it squeezes the urethra enough to cause a variety of symptoms which require treatment or persuade a man to ask his doctor for treatment to ease his discomfort. Mere growth of the prostate at this point in a man's life is a normal part of the aging process and is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BHP.
In all cases however the greatest problem with an enlarged prostate is that this could be something more than just a case of enlargement and could be masking the growth of an underlying cancer.
When the prostate starts to grow it also starts to put pressure on the urethra and to narrow it so that the first signs of a developing problem are usually seen when it comes to urinating. In particular you may experience a difficulty in passing water and experience the need to 'strain' in order to start the process. You could also experience a weak urine flow and one which tends to stop and start. As time goes on you will also notice that you need to visit the bathroom more often, especially during the night, and that you feel that you need to visit the bathroom even just after you have just done so.
Understandably this can become more than a little bit of an irritation but, even so, a lot of men are content to merely see it as one of the inevitable difficulties of getting older and learn to live with it. Now there is nothing wrong with this but the mistake which all too man men make is to choose not to seek the advice of their doctor at this stage to make sure that that their problem is merely BPH and that it is not likely to lead to other problems in their particular case.
Apart from the clear risk of their being an underlying cancer present, BPH can also cause other difficulties such as kidney disease or bladder infection.
When you start to encounter signs and symptoms which suggest a developing prostate problem then consult your doctor so that the problem can be diagnosed.
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Keywords: prostate, prostate gland, prostrate, prostrate gland, prostate problems, benign prostatic hypertrophy, bph
View Count: 61
Date Submitted: 5/19/2008
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