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Prostate Problem Guide
Pictures Of The Prostate Gland
The prostate gland sits just below the bladder and in front of the rectum, partially surrounding the urethra which carries urine from the bladder out of the body. Forming part of the male reproductive system, the prostrate is responsible for the production of a clear liquid which makes up about one third of the seminal fluid used to carry and protect the male sperm during intercourse.
Throughout early childhood the prostate gland is very small (about the size of a pea) but grows rapidly during puberty in response to the production of the male hormone testosterone.
In adults the prostate is about the size of a walnut and weighs around one ounce.
The prostate gland is divided into the three sections known as the peripheral, central and transition sections.
The peripheral section is situated to the rear of the prostate and is the section in which prostatitis and prostate cancer are most likely to develop. The transition section, which lies in the middle of the prostate gland and surrounds the urethra, is the area in which benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is seen.
There are a number of problems associated with the prostate gland and the most common of these is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
This condition, which is a growth of non-cancerous cells within the transition section of the prostate, causes an enlargement of the gland and exerts pressure on the urethra which, in turn, leads to difficulties in urinating. Another common problem is prostatitis, which is an inflammation or infection of the prostate gland.
About half of all men will suffer enlargement of the prostate by the time they reach the age of 60 and, by the age of 80, about ninety percent of the male population will experience an enlarged prostate.
Prostate cancer will also affect a significant percentage of the male population. In 2006 some 237,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and there were some 27,000 deaths from the disease in the United States alone.
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