Just What Is The Prostate And What Are The Symptoms Of Developing Prostate Problems?

Strange as it may seem for years men knew very little about their prostate and it is only in the past few years as prostate cancer has gained in prominence that men are starting to ask just what the prostate is and what its function is.

The prostate is an important component of a man's reproductive system that produces the clear liquid that makes up a substantial portion of a man's seminal fluid. Sperm is taken from the testes to the prostate where it is mixed with prostatic fluid and proteins to make semen.

A normal prostate is roughly the size of a walnut, weighs in at about one ounce and lies just under the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is also often described as being donut shaped and is partially wrapped around the urethra, which is the tube which carries urine from the bladder and out of the body.

Through a man's life the prostate continues to grow, although from the early twenties until the mid-forties this growth is very slow and is more or less undetectable. Once a man passes approximately forty-five however it is extremely common for the growth of the prostate to speed up and the vast majority of men will begin to experience the symptoms of an enlarging gland during their forties or fifties.

In most cases an enlarging gland merely produces some mild discomfort that a lot of men choose to learn to live with. In some instances however the gland can become so enlarged that it pinches the urethra enough to cause various symptoms that need treatment or persuade a man to ask his doctor for treatment to ease his discomfort. Simple growth of the prostate at this stage of a man's life is simply a normal part of aging and is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BHP.

However, the biggest danger with an enlarged prostate is that this might be more than a simple case of enlargement and might be masking an underlying cancer.

As the prostate starts to grow it also starts to press on the urethra and to narrow it so that the first signs and symptoms of a problem are normally seen when it comes to urinating. In particular you might experience difficulty in passing water and need to 'push' to start the process. You might also experience a weak flow of urine and one that has a tendency to stop and start. After a while you will also notice that you need to visit the bathroom more often, particularly at night, and that you feel that you need to visit the bathroom even just after you have just done so.

Understandably this can become something of a nuisance to say the least but but, despite this, a lot of men are happy to simply put it down as one of the difficulties of aging and learn to live with it. Now this is fine but the mistake which all too man men make is not to talk to their doctor at this stage to establish that their problem is simply BPH and that it is unlikely to cause other problems.

Apart from the obvious risk of their being an underlying cancer present, BPH can also cause other difficulties such as kidney disease or bladder infection.

If you begin to encounter symptoms that are suggestive of a prostate problem then visit your doctor so that the problem can be properly diagnosed.

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

ProstateProblemCenter.com provides information on various prostate problems and also provides advice on having a prostate examination

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