The prostate is an organ that lies below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate wraps around the urethra – a tube that helps urine and semen to flow out to the penis.
The prostate’s true name is the prostate gland, and as such, one of its most important functions is to secrete certain compounds. The seminal vesicles (another nearby gland of the male reproductive system) produce an initial fluid which prostatic secretions get added to. Together, these help to form the semen, which eventually gets ejaculated from the penis.
Besides producing semen, the prostate also helps produce an active form of testosterone that leads to the growth of male secondary sex features and puberty. Another function of the prostate is to control urination and ejaculation. Because both urine and semen flow through the same tube (the urethra), the prostate has to close the entryway to the urethra at appropriate times (like during ejaculation). This stops urination and ejaculation from happening simultaneously.
While the function of the prostate is important, the location of the prostate is just as important, and when anything goes wrong with the prostate it may upset nearby organs and the overall urinary system.
One common prostate problem is inflammation of the prostate, known as prostatitis. This affects the function of the prostate, because an inflamed prostate often swells and squeezes on the urethra. If your urethra is squeezed you might need to urinate more often, and you might have pain while urinating. Other prostate problems are things like prostate cancer and an enlarged prostate (known as BPH).
The symptoms of your prostate problem depend on the condition you have. Some symptoms occur in multiple conditions.
Prostatitis Symptoms:
Prostate Cancer Symptoms:
Enlarged Prostate (BPH) Symptoms:
Prostate problems can be due to several factors. Prostatitis is usually due to bacterial infections, but it can also be due to nerve dysfunction or chemical irritants. The exact cause of enlarged prostate (BPH) is unknown, but it’s associated with aging and a lifetime of exposure to testosterone. The cause of prostate cancer is also unknown, but just like BPH it is associated with aging. Like most cancers, prostate cancer happens when cells in the prostate become mutated and divide and grow too quickly and too much.
Risk factors for prostate problems include:
Prostate problems can be diagnosed with blood tests, scans, and a physical exam. Your doctor may need to examine your prostate digitally, which happens by inserting a gloved finger into your rectum. This helps the doctor to feel for swelling, lumps, and other abnormalities. An ultrasound scan may also be done visualize your prostate. Sometimes a needle-biopsy (where a small piece of your prostate is taken out to be tested) is done during the ultrasound. Your temperature and vital signs may be taken, to tell if you have an infection. PSA levels (a protein produced by prostate cells) may also be taken. These help doctors to find out the specific cause of your prostate problems.
Prostate problems are treated differently, depending on the type. Prostatitis is usually treated with antibiotics to get rid of the infection. Prostate cancer and BPH treatments can involve surgery or testosterone-lowering medicines to slow prostate growth.