Prostate Talk » prostate http://www.prostate-talk.com Prostate Information & Prostate Health Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:16:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 The Prostate http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/06/the-prostate/ http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/06/the-prostate/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:04:09 +0000 admin http://www.prostate-talk.com/?p=53 The prostate is a gland about the size of a walnut and wraps around the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. It grows larger as you get older. If your prostate gets too large, it can cause health issues. Most prostate problems are not cancer. Having a problem with your prostate does not raise your chance of getting prostate cancer.

You may know when something is wrong with your prostate. See your doctor right away if something doesn’t seem right to you. Sometimes a doctor may find a problem that you don’t know about during a routine checkup or by doing a rectal exam. You may also need to have special x-rays or scans to check your prostate and the area around it.

Source: http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/prostate.htm

]]> http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/06/the-prostate/feed/ 0 What is the prostate? http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/what-is-the-prostate/ http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/what-is-the-prostate/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:35:09 +0000 megdilts http://www.prostate-talk.com/?p=26 The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. The prostate makes and stores a component of semen and is located in the pelvis, under the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that empties urine from the bladder. A healthy prostate is about the size of a walnut. Because of the prostate’s location, the flow of urine can be slowed or stopped if the prostate grows too large.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

]]> http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/what-is-the-prostate/feed/ 0 Protecting Yourself Against Prostate Cancer http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/protecting-yourself-against-prostate-cancer/ http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/protecting-yourself-against-prostate-cancer/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:53:07 +0000 megdilts http://www.prostate-talk.com/?p=24 Remember that the following can be signs of a prostate problem:

* Frequent urge to urinate
* Need to get up many times during the night to urinate
* Blood in urine or semen
* Painful or burning urination
* Not being able to urinate
* Painful ejaculation
* Frequent pain or stiffness in lower back, hips, pelvic or rectal area, or upper thighs
* Dribbling of urine

If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away.

]]> http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/protecting-yourself-against-prostate-cancer/feed/ 0 Yearly PSA Testing http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/yearly-psa-testing/ http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/yearly-psa-testing/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:52:16 +0000 megdilts http://www.prostate-talk.com/?p=22 Some doctors think men age 50 and older should have yearly PSA tests; others do not. We know that this test can help detect cancer before it causes symptoms, but we aren’t sure that PSA tests save lives. The PSA test can find small cancers that may not grow or spread. Not all prostate cancers are life-threatening, and treatments can cause side effects. That’s why doctors sometimes prefer “watchful waiting” until there are signs that treatment is needed. Researchers are studying ways to improve the PSA test so that it detects only cancers that need treatment. Medicare will pay for a PSA test every year for men age 50 and older.

Source: National Institute on Aging
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

]]> http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/yearly-psa-testing/feed/ 0 Common Prostate Problems http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/common-prostate-problems/ http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/common-prostate-problems/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:18:14 +0000 admin http://www.prostate-talk.com/?p=6 Here are some examples of non-cancer prostate problems:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is when the prostate is enlarged, but not cancerous. It is very common in older men. An enlarged prostate may make it hard to urinate or cause dribbling after you urinate. You may feel the need to urinate a lot, often at night. See your doctor for an exam.

Treatments for BPH include:

  • Active surveillance or watchful waiting. If your symptoms are not too bad, your doctor may tell you to wait before starting any treatment to see if the problem gets worse. You will need a checkup each year. You can start treatment later on if your symptoms get worse.
  • Medications. There are medicines that can relax muscles near your prostate to ease your symptoms or medicines to help shrink the prostate. Talk with your doctor about possible side effects.
  • Surgery. If nothing else has worked, your doctor may suggest surgery to help urine flow. There are many types of surgery. Talk with your doctor about the risks. Regular checkups are important after BPH surgery.
  • Other treatments. Sometimes radio waves, microwaves, or lasers are used to treat problems caused by BPH.

Acute prostatitis is a bacterial infection. It usually starts all of a sudden. It can cause fever, chills, or pain in the lower back and between the legs. It might hurt when you urinate. See your doctor right away. He or she can prescribe medicine to make you feel better.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is an infection that comes back again and again. This problem can be hard to treat. Sometimes taking antibiotics for a long time may work. Talk with your doctor about other things you can do to help you feel better.

Chronic abacterial prostatitis, also known as Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS), is a common prostate problem and occurs mostly in young to middle-aged men. It causes pain in the lower back, between the legs, or at the tip of the penis. Men with this problem often have painful ejaculation and need to urinate frequently. Sometimes antibiotics are helpful. The condition is very hard to treat and may require more than one treatment.

Source: National Institute on Aging
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

]]> http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/common-prostate-problems/feed/ 0 The Prostate http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/about-prostate/ http://www.prostate-talk.com/2009/04/about-prostate/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:33:40 +0000 admin http://prostate-talk.com/?p=1 The prostate is a gland about the size of a walnut and wraps around the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. It grows larger as you get older. If your prostate gets too large, it can cause health issues. Most prostate problems are not cancer. Having a problem with your prostate does not raise your chance of getting prostate cancer.

You may know when something is wrong with your prostate. See your doctor right away if something doesn’t seem right to you. Sometimes a doctor may find a problem that you don’t know about during a routine checkup or by doing a rectal exam. You may also need to have special x-rays or scans to check your prostate and the area around it.

Source: National Institute on Aging
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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