Prostate Problems What Men Need To Know

By Mark Bilowus, MD

Bilowus Medical

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Prostate Problems What Men Need To Know

What is the prostate?

The prostate is part of a man's sex organs. It is a gland about the size of a walnut that surrounds the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body. The prostate adds fluid to the semen when you ejaculate.

What are prostate problems?

For men under age 50, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis, meaning the prostate is inflamed. For men over the age of 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. This condition is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Half of men over the age of 50 have an enlarged prostate, and most men have it by the time they're 80.

What are the
symptoms of prostatitis?

Prostatitis can cause frequent, painful, or burning urination. You may have a fever or pain in your lower back or genital area.

What causes prostatitis?

Prostatitis is sometimes caused by bacteria. But usually no bacteria are present and doctors will look for other possible causes of urinary symptoms, such as a kidney stone or cancer. If no other causes are found, your doctor may decide you have nonbacterial prostatitis.

How is prostatitis treated?

If you have bacterial prostatitis, your doctor can give you an antibiotic to fight the infection. If you keep getting infections, you may have a defect in your prostate that allows bacteria to grow. This defect can usually be corrected with surgery.

Antibiotics will not help nonbacterial prostatitis. Instead, your doctor may give you a medicine to relax the muscle tissue in the prostate. Changing your diet or taking warm baths may help, too.

What are the symptoms of BPH?

Some symptoms of BPH include a frequent and urgent need to urinate, trouble starting a urine stream, a weak stream of urine, the feeling you have to urinate (even when you have finished), and small amounts of blood in your urine.

What causes BPH?

As men grow older, their prostate keeps growing. As it grows it squeezes through the urethra. Since urine travels from the bladder through the urethra, the pressure from the enlarged prostate may affect bladder control.

When should I see the doctor?

It is extremely important to see a doctor if you believe you may have prostate problems. If left untreated, these problems can lead to more serious complications, such as prostate surgery, acute urinary retention, sexual problems, urinary tract infections, and other health problems like bladder and/or kidney stones.