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Understanding the Care for Prostate


Different prostate problems sometimes have similar symptoms.
For example, one man with prostatitis and another with BPH may both have a frequent, urgent need to urinate. A man with BPH may have trouble beginning a stream of urine; another may have to urinate frequently at night. Or, a man in the early stages of prostate cancer may have no symptoms at all.

Common symptoms of prostate disorders are:

• Sensations of not emptying your bladder completely after you have finished urinating.
• Frequent urination (consistently in intervals of less than 2 hours and / or multiple times during the night).
• Interrupted urination (you have to stop and start several times during urination).
• Difficulty in postponing urination.
• Weak or limited urinary stream.
• Pushing and straining required to begin urination.
• A burning pain during urination.
• Pain in lower back, in the area between the testicles and anus, in the lower belly or upper thighs, or above the pubic area. Pain may be worse during bowel movement.
• Reduced ability to gain and hold erections, weak ejaculation, and dissatisfaction with sexual performance.
• Some pain during or after ejaculation.
• Pain in the tip of your penis.
• Fever and chills.
• Loss of appetite.

One prostate problem does not lead to another. For example, having prostatitis or an enlarged prostate does not increase the chance for prostate cancer. It is true that some men with prostate cancer also have BPH, but the two conditions are not automatically linked. Most men with BPH do not develop prostate cancer. But because the early symptoms for both conditions could be the same, a doctor would need to evaluate them. It is also possible to have more than one condition at a time. This confusing array of potential scenarios makes a case for all men, especially after age 45, to have a thorough medical exam that includes the PSA test and DRE every year.

Diagnostic Tests

The PSA blood test determines whether you have cancer of the prostate. The test measures how much of a protein essential to human reproduction, PSA (prostate-specific antigen), is in your blood. PSA turns your gelatinous pre-semen into a liquid, thus supporting ejaculation. If your PSA is below 4, most doctors agree that you needn't be tested again for a year. During annual tests, remember that it is normal for your reading to go up by a few tenths of a point every year. In general, only a drastic increase in PSA (an increase of at least 0.75 points or 20 percent) is considered a reason to worry. This test is recommended on an annual basis for all men over 50 (and for men above 45 if there is a family history of prostate problems).
A digital rectal examination (DRE) is a quick and safe screening technique in which a doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the size and shape of the prostate. The prostate should feel soft, smooth, and even. The doctor checks for lumps or hard, irregular areas of the prostate that may indicate the presence of prostate cancer. The entire prostate cannot be felt during a DRE, but most of it can be examined, including the area where most prostate cancers are found.



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