Prostate Treatment- What Every Man Needs To Know

One in two men over the age of 60 are likely to suffer from prostate problems. About a third of men over 50 suffer from it. The gland is located just below a male's bladder and surrounds the top portion of the tube (urethra) that drains urine from the bladder. Enlarged prostate gland occurs as men get older and nobody quite knows why. When it does get bigger it acts like a clamp on the urethra thus reducing the flow of urine.

Common symptoms of an enlarged prostate are :- frequency of urination, difficulty in emptying the bladder, urgency, burning on urination and leakages. This condition is known by its medical name of BPH which stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In order to rule out cancer of the prostate, you will have to have a few blood tests- especially the PSA which will indicate whether there is any anti-tumoral activity in the gland. Smetimes the doctor will request a more accurate test which is called the free PSA. A scan sometimes is recommended.

Second fact to be aware of is the rectal examination which is called the DRE which stands for digital rectal examination. While doing this, the doctor can feel the back of the gland against the rectal wall and can tell if it is much larger than normal or if it is smooth - this is normally a good sign.

The third question men ask or worry about is surgery. This is less and less common but it may well be an option if the gland is very big. The treatment the doctor will recommend will be based on age, size of the gland and general health. There is a risk of impotence and or incontinence but the percentage is very low as surgical techniques improve and nerve sparing now is standard procedure.

Fourthly, what medication is available? Many doctors advise watchful waiting and may recommend medication which lowers levels of hormones produced by the prostate and reduces the size of the prostate gland while increasing the urine flow rate. The common drugs used are beta blockers (such as Flomax and Cardura) which help the muscles around the bladder to relax while other drugs (such as Proscar) will actually shrink the size of the gland if it is large.

The fifth fact concerns diet. Will a change in your diet or lifestyle really make any difference? In the case of mild BPH, it can, and anyway it is always recommended as dietary habits can relieve the symptoms. Tomatoes (which contain lycopene) are highly recommended together with plenty of fruit and vegetables together with a lower intake of alcohol and coffee. Herbal natural supplements are sometimes used instead of conventional medication. The most common herbal supplements are saw palmetto,beta sitosterol, pumpkin seeds and zinc.

The final decision will rest with and your doctor and or urologist. Very often surgery is not necessary and sometimes herbal supplements can be taken as an alternative or indeed to complement conventional medication.

Get More Info on Prostate Dr. for Prostatitis, BPH, and Enlarged Prostate Problems Click on the Wellness Bible for breaking news on Health and Fitness

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Prostate Treatment- What Every Man Needs To Know
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