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Problems With the Prostate Gland

The prostate gland is a male reproductive organ about the size of a walnut. The prostate's role is to secrete a slightly alkaline fluid that forms part of the semen which carries sperm. You can experience urinary changes as you age due to an inflammation, infection or enlargement of the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is also a cause for concern since the cancer can spread to other parts of the body from the prostate.

  1. Prostatitis

    • Prostatitis is a frequently painful condition that can be a bacterial infection or an inflammation. Physicians find it difficult to diagnose prostatitis because the symptoms are different for each patient. Symptoms include chills, fever, pain in the lower back and genital area, urinary frequency and urgency, burning or painful urination and body aches. Prostatitis is usually treated with antimicrobials but nonbacterial-related prostatitis may require alternative treatments, such as a change in diet or warm baths.

    Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

    • Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a medical condition in which the prostate gland becomes enlarged as a man ages. The prostate enlarges causing the gland to press against the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable causing contractions which cause more frequent urination. The bladder may weaken and lose its ability to empty itself allowing urine to remain in the bladder. Symptoms vary per person but can include an interrupted, weak stream, feelings of urgency and more frequent urinations, leaking and dribbling. Treatment for BPH includes drug treatment, minimally invasive therapy and/or surgical treatment.

    Prostate Cancer

    • Prostate cancer refers to a condition in which cells accumulate uncontrollably in the prostate. Prostate cancer is a highly fatal disease and is very common. Symptoms of the cancer include blood in the urine or semen, painful urination, urination urgency and frequency, weak or interrupted urine flow, difficulty in erection and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thigh. If the cancer is untreated and allowed to grow, metastasis occurs which is when cells from cancerous tumors are transported through the lymphatic system and bloodstream to other parts of the body. Treatment for prostate cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy.

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