A Prostate Examination May Quickly And Easily Reveal A Prostate Problem

Nearly all men will encounter some form of prostate problem with nearly half of all men having benign prostatic hyperplasia (a swollen or enlarged prostate) by the time they reach the age of 60 and approximately ninety percent experiencing the problem before they reach the age of 80.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a non-malignant or benign swelling of the prostate and can usually be treated using drugs or with minor surgery. The first step however is to make sure that the problem is indeed benign prostatic hyperplasia and that the symptoms are not the result of something else, like difficulties with the kidneys or bladder or a urinary tract infection.

Along with carrying out a check for benign prostatic hyperplasia it is very important to also check for prostate cancer as, in spite of the fact that an enlarged prostate does not produce prostate cancer, it is possible for both an enlarged prostate and prostate cancer to be discovered together.

Testing will often mean having a prostate examination, or digital rectal exam, together with an evaluation of the symptoms reported by the patient and his medical history. As the prostate is situated between the rectum and the bladder it is a simple matter for a doctor or nurse to put a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to examine the prostate for signs of swelling or abnormality. This is possibly not the most pleasant procedure but is more a case of being embarrassing rather than painful.

It is also feasible for you to carry out your own prostate exam or for your partner to carry this out for you on a regular basis. In fact, many men find that this reasonably simple self examination may be carried out fairly easily once a month or so when taking a shower. This examination can provide considerable peace of mind and can also allow any enlargement to be picked up at a very early stage so that it can be treated.

It is also usual at this stage for your doctor to request a series of laboratory tests. These tests may include a blood test to look at PSA levels, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine and a urine test.

PSA is present in the blood and is produced by the prostate with levels climbing slightly in the case of benign prostatic hyperplasia and quite markedly in the case of prostate cancer.

Other tests are intended to identify the presence of a urinary tract infection or difficulties with the kidneys, both of which might lead to symptoms which are similar to those experienced in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In certain cases your doctor may also request further tests like an ultrasound examination which can determine the size of the prostate and measure the volume of urine in the bladder, or a cystoscopy (an examination done using a thin and flexible scope) to determine the state of the bladder and urethra.

When none of these tests produce conclusive results a doctor may request a prostate biopsy in which one or more tiny samples of tissue are removed from the prostate for microscopic inspection.

Article Source: http://www.healthandwellnesscentral.com

ProstateProblemCenter.com looks at enlarged prostate symptom and the digital prostate exam

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