Prostate Health: Important Information for Men

Chances are, at some point in a man’s lifetime, he will experience prostate health problems. Knowing this, you might wonder, “What is the prostate, and which prostate health problems might a man experience?” The prostate is a gland only found in males. This gland, which is about the shape and size of a walnut, is located in front of a man’s rectum. The prostate gland surrounds the tube that carries urine from a man’s body, which explains why problems with prostate health often affect a man’s ability to urinate.

Prostate health can be compromised in three major ways: enlargement of the prostate gland, inflammation or infection of the prostate gland, and cancer of the prostate gland. Enlargement of the prostate gland is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. BPH is the most common prostate health problem among men over the age of 50. In BPH, the prostate gland becomes enlarged and puts pressure on the urinary tract, leading to male urinary problems. Symptoms of BPH include the urge to urinate frequently, breaks in the urine stream, and weak urine flow.

The next common prostate health problem, inflammation or infection of the prostate gland, is called prostatitis. Prostatitis can affect prostate health in several ways, from an acute bacterial infection to painful swelling. Bacterial prostatitis is the least common type of prostatitis, but it is the easiest to identify and treat. Other forms of prostatitis are not well understood at this time, especially nonbacterial prostatitis which causes pain without any apparent infection.

The various types of prostate health problems can have quite similar symptoms. Urgent urination, frequent nighttime urination, and pain may be present in BPH or prostatitis. Some prostate health concerns have no symptoms at all. For a man, monitoring prostate health is essential throughout his lifetime.