Men's Health

Prostate Health

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The prostate is a doughnut-shaped cluster of glands located at the bottom of the bladder about halfway between the rectum and the base of the penis. It encircles the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the penis. The walnut-sized gland produces most of the fluid in semen.

The three most common prostate problems are infection (prostatitis), prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hypertrophy), and prostate cancer.

Infection (prostatitis)

Some prostate infections come on suddenly and give you symptoms such as:

• fever and chills
• pain and burning when urinating and during ejaculation
• a strong and frequent urge to urinate, but only being able to pass small amounts of urine
• lower back or abdominal pain
• blood in the urine

See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. These infections can be treated with antibiotics.

Prostate Enlargement (benign prostatic hypertrophy)

In some men, a natural part of aging is having a prostate that gets larger with time. While this is not a disease, as the gland gets bigger, the prostate tends to squeeze the urethra and can cause urinary problems. Some of these problems include:

• painful urination
• an urge to urinate a lot
• a decreased force of the urine stream
• having an incomplete emptying of the bladder
• problems getting the urine started and completely stopped

If urination becomes difficult for you because of these symptoms, talk with your doctor about ways to treat and manage prostate enlargement. Some men "wait and see" and the symptoms go away. But, there are drugs that can help improve your symptoms.

Prostate Cancer

No one knows the exact causes of prostate cancer. Doctors often cannot explain why one man develops prostate cancer and another does not. Research has shown that men with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop prostate cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease.

The following are risk factors for prostate cancer:

• Age — Being 50 years of age or older.

• Family history — Having a brother, son, or father who had prostate cancer.

• Diet — Eating a diet high in fat or drinking alcoholic beverages.

• Race — Being African American.

Medical experts encourage regular screening because finding and treating prostate cancer early, when treatment might be more effective, saves lives. All men should be screened once a year, beginning at age 50. Screening tests are recommended earlier for African American men and men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer.

Additional Information on Prostate Health:

Publications

1.   Age Page: Prostate Problems - This publication contains information about various cancerous and non-cancerous prostate problems men can encounter and includes possible treatment options.

   http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/prostate.htm

2.   Prostate Cancer - This publication provides general information about prostate cancer. It provides the risk factors, causes, symptoms, and different ways to diagnose this form of cancer. This publication also provides different treatment options as well as further research information on prostate cancer.

   http://nihseniorhealth.gov/prostatecancer/toc.html

3.   Prostate Cancer - This is a collection of web resources about prostate cancer from MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine and NIH.

   http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prostatecancer.html

4.   Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia - This brochure discusses the prostate gland and medical terms associated with prostate gland enlargement. The brochure also explains how common it is for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages. Treatment options and symptoms are also discussed within this brochure.

   http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostateenlargement/index.htm

5.   Prostatitis: Disorders of the Prostate - This publication discusses the four types of disorders that are considered prostatitis and what the symptoms and treatments are.

   http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostatitis/index.htm

6.   What You Need To Know About™ Prostate Cancer - This booklet on prostate cancer discusses symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, emotional issues, and questions to ask the doctor. It also includes a glossary of terms and other resources.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/prostate

7.   Nutrition and Prostate Cancer (Copyright © Prostate Cancer Foundation) - This publication discusses research about how changes in diet can benefit patients with prostate cancer.

   http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/atf/cf/%7B705B3273-F2EF-4EF6-A653-E15C5D...

8.   Prostate Cancer and Bone Loss (Copyright © The Hormone Foundation) - This is an easy-to-read fact sheet about prostate cancer and bone loss. The Hormone Foundation offers information regarding screening and treatment of prostate cancer, as well as tips for preventing bone loss. Additional resources are provided for further information.

   http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Prostate/upload/bilingual_prostatecancer_bonelo...

9.   Report to the Nation on Prostate Cancer: A Guide for Men and their Families (Copyright © Prostate Cancer Foundation) - This report is designed to help answer the many questions someone just diagnosed with prostate cancer may have by teaching them what they need to know about the disease and the different treatments.

   http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/atf/cf/%7B705B3273-F2EF-4EF6-A653-E15C5D...

Organizations

1.   Cancer Information Service, NCI, NIH, HHS
2.   National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
3. National Prostate Cancer Coalition
4. Prostate Cancer Foundation
5. Prostate Cancer Institute
6. Prostate Cancer Research Institute
7. Us Too! International

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of June 2007