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Prostate Problem Guide
7 Common Prostate Symptoms That Should Not Be Ignored
Prostate problems will develop in the vast majority of men as they grow older, commonly starting at around 50 years of age. By 60 about half of all men will be affected and by the age of 80 nine out of every ten men will be experiencing some sort of prostate symptoms.
In many cases prostate symptoms will be quite mild and, because at this time in life most of us are starting to develop a range of medical problems, we tend to ignore prostate symptoms as being nothing more than a normal part of the ageing process. In many cases this is fine as most of the problems seen with the prostate are not serious and, as long as the symptoms don't bother you too much you can live with them quite happily, they won't do you any harm.
Unfortunately, however, in all too many cases prostate cancer is present which, if ignored, will eventually spread and probably kill you. Indeed, prostate cancer accounts for the second highest cancer death toll in the United States today.
So, what should you be on the lookout for?
There are a range of different prostate symptoms that might point to developing problems and, as with most things, these symptoms can also be caused by a whole range of other problems. In most cases however if the symptoms are not being caused by problems with the prostate they will tend to be short lived, arising perhaps from a bacterial infection which clears up in a week or two without the need for treatment. If however any of these symptoms appear on a regular basis, or appear and stay with you, then there it is likely that they will originate in the prostate gland.
The symptoms are:
- Difficulty in starting to urinate and a need to strain in order to start urinating.
- A weak flow of urine.
- A tendency for the flow of urine to stop and start.
- A feeling that you have not emptied your bladder even after you've just been to the bathroom.
- A feeling that you need to visit the bathroom urgently and difficulty in "holding on".
- The need for more frequent visits to the bathroom and, in particular, a need to get up during the night.
- A tendency to continue to dribble urine after you have finished in the bathroom.
These prostate symptoms are the body's warning signs that problems may be starting to develop and, whilst in most cases, this is not serious and nothing to be worried about, for all too many men these are the warning signs of a serious and in many cases fatal disease.
The only way to find out whether you fall into the former or the latter category is get yourself checked out and that means not ignoring the warning signs but talking to your doctor without delay.
ALK PHOS: alkaline phosphatase.
HORMONE THERAPY: the use of hormones, hormone analogs, and certain surgical techniques to treat disease (in this case prostate cancer) either on their own or in combination with other hormones or in combination with other methods of treatment; because prostate cancer is usually dependent on male hormones to grow, hormonal therapy can be an effective means of alleviating symptoms and retarding the development of the disease.
LEYDIG CELLS: cell population within the testicles that produces testosterone; the other main cell population are the Sertoli cells that make sperm.
TURP (TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE): a surgical procedure to remove tissue obstructing the urethra; the technique involves the insertion of an instrument called a resectoscope into the penile urethra, and is intended to relieve obstruction of urine flow due to enlargement of the prostate.
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