The prostate is a gland that is only found in the male body and is about the size of a walnut.
It is found right in front of the rectum and goes around the urethra - the tube that leads urine out of the body.
Now, the prostate’s main function is to produce a white liquid, which protects and feeds the sperm.
However, as men grow older, there are certain changes that occur, leading to possible
Common Prostate Problems
Prostate dysfunction is often the reason for urination incontinence in men and is in fact one of the most common problems that men encounter during their mid to older years.
Let's have a look at the most common prostate issues and their symptoms.
Prostate cancer
In men, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer and though that sounds bad, it is also the easiest type of cancer to treat in men.
Here are some of the common prostate cancer symptoms:
● Blood in the urine
● Weak or interrupted urine flow
● Abnormally frequent urination
Usually doesn’t have symptoms in the first stages. That’s why it’s good to get your PSA
(Prostate-specific Antigen) taken from a blood test every 2-3 years after turning 40.
2. Prostatitis
This is another common prostate problem, which is essentially an inflammation of the prostate gland, which can be quite painful, but gets better over time in most cases.
Prostatitis is possible in men of all age groups, but it occurs more frequently in younger men between the age of 30 and 50.
Here are the common symptoms of prostatitis:
● Pain when urinating/pooping
● Pain around the penis/testicles/lower back
● Problems starting/stopping peeing
3. Prostate enlargement
Prostate enlargement or, in scientific terms, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.
This is a common condition in older men, where the following symptoms are usually experienced:
● Loss of bladder control
● Difficulty urinating
● Weak stream
Now, the thing with all 3 of these possible prostate problems, is that most issues are accompanied by similar symptoms.
What this means for you is that in case you experience any pain when urinating or consistent aches around the penis and lower abdomen, your best bet is to consult with your doctor.
Why Do Prostate Problems Lead To Urination Issues?
As you learned at the beginning of this article, the prostate surrounds the urethra, meaning that if the prostate gland grows too big, it will press against the urethra.
This pressure in turn will make the bladder work twice as hard in order to get through the blockage.
In fact, this is a common issue that is referred to as “overactive bladder” and if you have it, you may experience loss of bladder control or in a better case, a frequent need to urinate.
If any of the symptoms discussed here pops up, do advise your medical professional and start the required treatment to alleviate the symptoms and get your prostate back to normal.
Remember though that prostate dysfunction treatment takes time and it is usually accompanied by discomfort, due to the loss of bladder control/incontinence.
This may require the use of urological incontinence pads, which offer absorption of any urine and neutralization of its smell.
Conclusion
The prostate is one weird gland - It is responsible for fertility, but not for erections and it gets enlarged, rather than shrunk, over time.
If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, your best bet would be to rely on your doctor’s professional medical advice, rather than information on the internet.
Stay healthy!
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