Prostate health

Jul 10, 2022 News

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By Nigel Williams

Kaieteur News – One of the most common health issues that affect only males is illness associated with the prostate gland. Only men have a prostate, and, unfortunately, almost every man will experience a prostate problem during his lifetime. It is important that every male be educated about this matter because of the high likelihood of health issues involving the prostate; men should know how to recognise those issues and how to deal with them.

Additionally, males should know how to maintain a healthy prostate and make illness less likely.

The prostate gland is located inside the body in the pelvis behind the scrotum. It is a vital part of a man’s reproductive system. It is about the size of a small lime with a weight of about 11 grams. The gland is located in such a way that it completely surrounds the tube—the urethra—through which a man passes out urine or, during sexual activity, semen. As such, anything that goes wrong with the prostate will very likely interfere with a man’s urinary or sexual function. The main function of the prostate is to produce seminal fluid; this is the liquid part of semen that is ejaculated during sexual activity. The solid part of semen is the sperm which is produced and stored in the testicles. Seminal fluid produced in the prostate not only permits sperm to swim but also contain many essential nutrients that allow sperm to survive for a longer time. Clearly, the prostate gland is essential for human reproduction.

There are three major illnesses that may affect the prostate. First there is prostatitis. This refers to an inflamed prostate. Prostatitis may happen to any male of any age. There are two types of this condition: acute prostatitis and chronic prostatitis. Acute prostatitis is caused by an infection, usually by bacteria. There is the sudden onset of painful urination, a small urinary stream and often fever and chills. This condition — as all conditions of the prostate — should be treated by a doctor. The doctor usually prescribes antibiotics. Chronic prostatitis is a condition in which the prostate gland is inflamed for a long time. The symptoms are almost the same as those of acute prostatitis but medical science does not yet understand why this problem occurs in some men. Some experts believe that the body’s immune system attacks the prostate; doctors may treat the condition with steroids or other medications.

The second condition is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), commonly called an “enlarged prostate.” This condition refers to the excessive growth of the gland that usually occurs after about age 50. BPH is usually considered an expected part of the ageing process for most men. Therefore, unfortunately, almost all men will eventually get it. On the bright side, though, about half of men who have BPH will not experience any symptoms at all. In the case of men who experience the BPH symptoms of slow, painful or partial urination, many safe and effective treatments are available.

The third and most serious illness is prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is life threatening. The American Medical Association estimates that 268,490 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022 in the United States alone, with 34,500 dying from it. No exact cause of this disease has been identified, although genetic defects either inherited or uninherited—is known to play a key role. Age is an important risk factor, as is family history of cancer. Men whose fathers or brothers had prostate cancer are two to three times likelier to get it themselves. The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to those of prostatitis and BPH. As such any male who experiences slow or painful urination, an inability to completely empty the bladder, blood in the urine or semen or any other abnormal urinary or ejaculatory symptoms should see a doctor without delay. Prostate cancer is treatable and curable, but it is important to get medical help quickly; any delay could be the difference between a cure and a worse outcome. Specialists say that certain behaviours are associated with prostate problems. Such behaviours include smoking, lack of exercise, obesity, a diet high in red meat and saturated fats; those behaviours should therefore be avoided. On the other hand, a balanced diet including vegetables; use of Vitamin D, and regular prostate checkups beginning at about age 50 has been shown to prolong the life of all men while reducing the incidence of prostate related problems. In closing, it must be stated that any prostate related symptoms should be considered significant until proven otherwise. Any man experiencing such issues should see a doctor immediately.

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