Prostate
Problems: Information all Men Should Know
The
older you become, the more you will hear about prostate problems.
If you don’t have prostate problems yourself, it is very likely
that you will know men with prostate problems. After the age of
50, prostate problems are very common in men, and the likelihood
of prostate ailments only increases as men age. Thankfully, most
prostate problems are not cancer nor are they necessarily life-threatening;
however, prostate problems must be taken seriously.
The
first step in understanding prostate
problems is learning about the prostate gland. The prostate
gland is about the size of a walnut, but it is shaped like a doughnut,
with an opening in the middle. Through the opening travels a man’s
urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to exit the
body. The main function of the prostate gland is to produce seminal
fluid which becomes part of a man’s semen. Therefore, women
do not have a prostate gland. While the prostate gland is technically
part of a man’s reproductive organs, prostate problems typically
are revealed when a man tries to urinate because of the prostate
gland’s close location to a man’s urinary tract.
There
are three major prostate problems that a man should watch for throughout
his life, particularly after the age of 40. These prostate problems
are prostatitis, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and cancer.
Prostatitis and BPH are more prevalent than prostate cancer, and
neither is an indication of prostate cancer. Prostatitis is an infection
or swelling of the prostate gland, while BPH is an enlargement of
the prostate gland. It is believed that bacteria cause most prostatitis-related
prostate problems, while the cause of BPH is not entirely clear.
So far, it is believed that BPH prostate problems are due to hormonal
changes which are triggered by a man’s aging process.
One
of the most promising natural remedies for prostate problems like
prostatitis and BPH is saw palmetto extract. Studies appear to show
that saw palmetto extract is most effective for mild to moderate
BPH symptoms. Researchers have said that saw palmetto may ease prostate
problems by aiding urinary flow and reducing prostate size.
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