General Prostate Problems, Symptoms and Treatment

Following is a basic breakdown of the most common ailments affecting the prostate gland. Since many of these conditions share symptoms and in some cases treatment as well, it can be difficult to even attempt self-diagnosis of a prostate condition. Hopefully this guide will allow you to easily compare and contrast symptoms of the different prostate ailments and review a short list of available treatments.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia- Swelling of the prostate gland that is not related to prostate cancer. Certain hormones may be responsible for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Lowering testosterone levels and increased percentages of estrogen and dihydrotestosterone in the bloodstream are suspected as causes of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Most older men develop some degree of BPH, however, and numerous prescriptions are available to treat the condition.

Symptoms: Involuntary urination, difficulty urinating, weak stream, painful urination and in some extreme cases even the complete inability to urinate.

Treatment: Transurethral resection of the prostate, finasteride, dutasteride, terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin and alfuzosin, herbal treatments.

Inflammation of the Prostate or Prostatitis- The most common of prostate conditions, the prostate swells and begins to restrict the flow of urine through the urethra. Inflammation can be of three types, acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis. The first two are caused as results of a bacterial infection, the third from varying conditions.

Symptoms: Greater frequency and urgency of urination, painful urination, pain in the prostate, lower back or genitals, excessive nighttime urination, weakened stream, blood in semen or in the urine, painful ejaculation, a slight fever and repeated bladder infections. White blood cells or pus in the urine for chronic nonbacterial prostatitis.

Treatment: Transurethral resection of the prostate, finasteride, dutasteride, herbal treatments.

Corpora Amylacea Buildup- As any man ages, proteinaceous material can buildup inside of his urinary system, and may even block the lumens of the prostate or contribute to cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Corpora Amylacea buildup is a problem in many parts of the body, but is particularly noticeable in the prostate and urethra because of the effects on urination.

Symptoms: Difficulty urinating, painful or burning urination.

Treatment: Surgical removal.

Prostate Cancer- The most serious of prostate conditions, prostate cancer develops mainly in men above the age of sixty-five. Prostate cancer can spread to other parts of the body, any may require the removal of the prostate gland itself. Prostate cancer is almost unheard of in men under the age of forty-five, and may be a direct result of the effects of aging and continuous prostate usage.

Symptoms: Difficulty starting urine flow, painful urination, loss of weight or appetite, blood in the urine and painful ejaculation.

Treatment: Prostate removal or prostatectomy, radiation therapy, brachytherapy, (radioactive seed implanting) hormone therapy, chemotherapy and orchiectomy (removal of the testicles)

Some of the above conditions are interrelated, and any and all of them require the examination of a urologist or other expert in order to be properly identified. Information may help one self-diagnose, but many of these symptoms can also point to conditions that are not necessarily related to the prostate and may require completely different treatment, or no treatment at all.