Importance of prostate health

What is Prostate Function?

Prostate is one of the most important glands in the body ofevery man. It is in charge of helping the proper production of semen. Prostateis kind of wrapped around urethra, which is a tube whose main purpose is tocarry the urine from the bladder to the penis. A normal size of prostate issomewhat the same size as a walnut, but as the body grows older, prostate getslarger and larger and when it gets too big for its own good it may lead to thedevelopment of certain types of medical problems. There are three main types ofmedical conditions commonly associated with prostate and those include prostatecancer, prostate enlargement and prostatitis (inflammatory condition of theprostate).

Healthy Prostate Is Very Important

Milky, alkaline fluids commonly produced by the prostate area very important component of the semen, so it is very important to maintainproper overall health of the prostate. Some people may experience benignprostate enlargements which are actually enlargements which do not haveanything to do with cancer, contrary to the popular belief. These enlargementscommonly occur on the inner parts of the gland and they are commonly associatedwith urethra obstructions which are known for decreasing the normal flow ofurine and triggering the development of the so called lower urinary tractsymptoms. These symptoms may be induced by various different types ofillnesses, medications and infections. The range of such symptoms is ratherwide but there are a few of those which are commonly featured in most cases. Disruptedsleep is one of them. The urge to urinate induces such medical problems.Incomplete emptying is known for being one of the most common lower urinarytract symptoms. It is a haunting feeling that a person needs to urinate more,even after emptying the bladder. Dribbling of urine may also occur after theurination in a large number of cases. This type of symptom is known foraffecting men who belong to the group of people older than 70. Weaker urinestream may occur in some cases. Frequent toilet visits is usually inevitably but a large number of men who suffer from this condition. Some men maysuffer from increased urgency, characterized by a sudden need to go to thetoilet without any previous warning. Perhaps the most common type of symptomsincludes difficulty in starting the flow of urine. There are certain symptomswhich require immediate medical attention. Discharge from the urethra is onesuch symptom, and the same can be said for involuntary loss of large amounts ofurine. Other types of similar symptoms include discomfort in the penis,buttocks, upper thighs or lower back, blood in the semen, blood in the urine,painful ejaculations and burning or painful sensations during the urination.

The Three Conditions

Prostate cancer is one of the three most common medicalconditions known for affecting the prostate and it is one of the leading causesof death among male population. The risk of prostate cancer can be reduced to acertain degree by using medications which are referred to as 5-ARIs. There arealso certain risk factors which may lead to the development of prostate cancerand those include genetic information, race, family history and the naturalprocess of aging. When diagnosed on time, prostate cancer can be treatedproperly. Screening for such purposes may include a prostate specific antigentest and a digital rectal exam. Prostate enlargement is another common medicalcondition which usually occurs in men who are over 50 years old. In some cases,this medical condition is also referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia.Once the prostate gets enlarged, it affects the normal functioning of theurethra which leads to the development of certain medical problems such assmall amounts of blood in the urine, dribbling urine, leaking urine, waking upto urinate several times per night, the feeling of still having to go after afinished urination, a small amount of urine during urination, a weak stream ofurine, trouble starting a urine stream and a frequent and urgent need tourinate. Another common medical condition which occurs in a large number of meneverywhere around the world is called prostatitis. This is a term used for alldifferent types of inflammations or infections which may affect the prostate. Thistype of medical condition is usually associated with plenty of discomfort andpainful sensations, which may occur in different organs. This type of medicalcondition may appear suddenly or gradually, and in some cases it may even berecurring. Prostatitis is in most cases characterized by certain types ofsymptoms such as blood in the urine, painful sensations in the abdomen, painfulsensations in the lower back, strong and frequent urge to urinate, burning andpainful sensations during urination and ejaculation and nausea, chills orfever.