Older men develop prostatic disease, sexually active younger men develop prostatic infection.
Prostate being a sexual gland, it requires the male sexual hormone, testosterone to grow. This gland is not readily appreciated as it is not visible outside the body. Men become aware of their Prostate gland existence only when they aged and develop urinary symptoms.
The Prostate glands exists in all men and it start to enlarge as early as 35 years old and it is not until in later life that the urinary symptoms start to occur.
What are a Prostate gland and its functions?
Prostate gland is a walnut shaped structure situated just behind the pubic bone, below the urinary bladder and urethral located in front of the rectum.
It is actually part of men’s reproduction systems.
The Prostate gland role is to produce spermatic or seminal fluid nutrients that are mixed with sperm as it secretes and ejaculated upon orgasm.
Two vasa tubes, one from each testis, release the sperm that is ejaculated from the testes through the prostate. Parts of this fluid come from the testes, the prostate gland and from the glands inside the penis.
The testes do not produce all the fluid that is ejaculated.
The fluid from the prostate nourishes and protects the sperm. It contains a substance called the prostatic antibacterial factor that protects men from urinary tract infection.
Prostate gland gradually grows to reach its normal adult size, from the age of about 45 it grows larger and as the result will become a source of medical problems.
Because of where the prostate gland is situated, the bladder and urinary system are the main area that is affected when it start to malfunction.
There are three main diseases of the prostate:
1. Prostatitis
2. Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH)
3. Prostate Cancer
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is the infection and inflammation of the prostate gland. It could be resulted from bacterial, virus and chemical inflammation of the prostate. The cause of Prostatitis is often unclear. It is least common and least well known prostate problems.
This problem affects more young and middle age men than the elderly. The age between 30 to 50 years old is the period of prostatitis development in men.
Prostatitis symptoms
* High temperature with fever, chill or pain felt between the anus and the scrotum. Often causing discomfort on sitting and sometimes in the testicles and lower back as well.
* Pain, discomfort and difficulty in passing urine.
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH)
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) or Benign Prostatic Enlargement (BPE) is a condition when the prostate gland enlarges or excessive growth as men age.
When the prostate gland becomes enlarged the urethra tube within the prostate where the urine passes is squeezed causing the urine to flow slowly and become obstructed.
BPH usually happens in men 50years of age and older. It worsens as men gets older but some men as young as 45 years of age are known to suffer from this condition.
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) symptoms
* Intermittent flow or a weak stream of urine.
* Straining to pass urine and taking a long time to urinate.
* Hesitancy – Stop / start urination where the urine flow appears to have stopped but then starts again.
* Nocturia – frequency of night urination of 2 times or more.
* Terminal dribbling – a little leaking at the first sign of wanting to go.
* Gradual increase of inability to pass urine normally.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the uncontrollable growth of prostate cell. It may invade the surrounding organs, spread to distant sites in our body and eventually spreads to the bone. If left untreated, it will result in death.
Prostate cancer grow very slowly, it takes several years before any symptoms appears.
Men with prostate cancer may not show any symptoms or realized that they have prostate cancer until it had spread to surrounding tissue walls and caused other symptoms such as bone pain.
Prostate cancer tends to be rare in men under the age of 40.
Prostate cancer can occur in men with BPH as the two conditions can co-exist.
Prostate Cancer symptoms
Similar to BPH symptoms, only in addition to;
* Pain or burning sensation upon urination
Cause of Prostate Cancer
Although their causes are unknown, below are probable risk factors.
* Old age or growing old
* Family history
* High fat diet
* Race – e.g. Afro - Caribbean
* Low exposure to sunlight - people living away from the equator Norway and Sweden
* Smoking
* Hormones
If prostate cancer is detected early and treated properly, it can be cured.
Posted by: Mo Salle
Read Related Articles:
• Important To Detect Prostate Cancer Early
• Prostate And 7 Cups Of Tea Per Day
Books You Can Buy And Read:
 | An Illustrated Pocketbook Of Prostatic Disease |
 | Prostate Cancer: Making Survival Decisions |
 | Management Of Prostate Diseases |
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