Prostate information every Man should know
Health statistics show that it is not a matter of if males in general will develop prostatitis, but when. By the age of 50, half of the male population will experience some symptoms and by the age of 80, 80% of men will experience some level of prostate enlargement also known as BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). This condition does not increase your chances of developing prostate cancer but it does interfere with efficiency and effectiveness pertaining to urinary function. Some of the more common symptoms include;
- The need to urinate frequently
- Inability to sleep through the night without getting up to urinate
- Difficulty starting urine stream or complete inability to urinate
- Decreased strength and force of the urine stream
- Dribbling after urination ends
- Blood in the urine (BPH can cause small blood vessels to burst)
Hi Clarke and welcome to Healthy Pages.
So - what can one do about it?
Thanks for really very useful and informative article about prostate disorder . Thanks a lot for sharing .
Women's hour on Wednesday 12th March had a very interesting feature on Prostate Cancer which is well worth listening to - log on to and you can listen in. Benjamin Zephaniah has written a play about it specifically highlighting the dangers to the Afro-Caribbean male.
I'm pretty sure that BPH and prostatits are two different conditions.
Whilst you are right that BPH is fairly inevitable and is a general enlargement of the prostate with age, prostatitis is a more acute condition where the prostate becomes inflamed.
Some men are not bothered by the symptoms of BPH as it is very gradual, although some will be bothered by the increased need to urinate, but are not able to completely empty their bladders
Usually a digital examination of the prostate is undertaken (the doctor will examine the prostate through the anus). A PSA test will determine whether the prostate is over active (normal PSA levels do rise with age, but a significant increase may indicate cancer, although an enlarged prostate is often the cause).
If the PSA level is higher than normal, I understand that in England, certainly, a patient should be able to see a urologist within two weeks. He may wish to carry out further tests incuding a flow test (to see the rate of flow of urine), as well as an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy.
If he's satisfied that BPH is the cause of the problem, he may prescribe alpha blockers which help the area round the bladder to relax to enable it to empty completely.
Prostatitis isn't as common as BPH and can come on quite quickly, even in someone who is being treated for BPH. In extreme cases it can completely block the flow of urine from the bladder (retention). This requires urgent medical attention, usually catheterisation and often part of the prostate is removed (resection).
hiya
can prostate cancer or problems make you wee more often...just that I have read it is the other way where it is difficult to wee...
I am noticing I am weeing more often..and also a bit more powerful so not weak..I also have a lump on testicle am awaiting to go for a scan...
You may find that you wee more often because your bladder isn't able to completely empty, although if the stream is strong, it may be something else. Always best to ask for a referral to a urologist and let them know all your symptoms.