Prostate Health Guide: Understanding, Preventing, and Treating Common Prostate Issues

Prostate Health Guide: Understanding, Preventing, and Treating Common Prostate Issues

Prostate health is crucial for men to understand as the prostate gland plays an important role in their well-being. Having prostate problems is common in men, especially those over the age of 40, but such issues can affect men of all ages. Despite being a critical organ in men, it often takes a backseat in the realm of men’s overall health. Ignoring prostate problems symptoms can have serious consequences, but the good news is that early detection can help prevent complications. With proper prostate care, it may even be possible to prevent certain prostate conditions.

In this guide, we will thoroughly understand the importance of prostate issues along with the conditions associated with the prostate gland and how you can prevent them.

Why is Prostate Health Important in Men?

The prostate gland is a very small, walnut sized gland, located below the bladder, just in front of the rectum. It is an essential part of the reproductive system in men, aiding in semen production and nourishment.

While a healthy prostate gland is crucial for proper reproductive health, it is also prone to various health issues. Growing older raises your risk of developing various prostate conditions. When you develop prostate problems, there can be many signs which may not seem to be a problem in the beginning. In most cases, the prostate gland enlarges, pressing against the urethra, which causes problems with urinary discharge.

Some of the common prostate problems symptoms that you may experience include:

• Passing urine more during the day
• Feeling an urgent need to pass urine
• Having less urine flow
• Feeling a burning sensation when you pass urine
• Feeling the need to get up many times during the night to pass urine

It is also possible to have two prostate conditions at the same time. However, it’s important to understand that the occurrence of one doesn’t necessarily increase your risk of having another prostate problem.

Understanding Prostate Issues

There can be many unique problems with the prostate gland. The most common types of prostate problems include the following.

1. Prostatitis

Prostatitis is an inflammatory condition of the prostate gland that may occur due to a bacterial infection. It affects almost half of all men in their lifetime, but in most cases, it appears in men above 50. However, having this condition doesn’t increase your risk of another prostate problem.

There are four types of prostatitis that men should be aware of, as their symptoms are quite different.

• Acute bacterial prostatitis:

It is an acute infection of the prostatitis caused by a bacterial infection. It can cause symptoms like sudden fever and chills, blood in the urine and/or irritation while urinating, and pain in the lower back and rectum.

• Chronic bacterial prostatitis:

It is a recurrent bacterial infection of the prostatitis causing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), painful urination and ejaculation, and pelvis/genital pain. However, some men may not experience any symptoms at all.

• Chronic prostatitis:

It is a chronic inflammatory condition of the prostate which may cause symptoms like pain in the lower back, in the groyne, or at the tip of the penis.

• Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis:

It is another inflammatory condition of the prostate which doesn’t show any symptoms but may be diagnosed during a routine prostate exam.

2. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition of a non-cancerous, enlarged state of the prostate gland. It usually occurs in men over 60. Although what causes BPH isn’t certain, research studies have suggested that it occurs due to ageing and hormone/testosterone imbalances. With BPH, there could be symptoms like difficulty urinating or urinating frequently. Even though BPH isn’t linked to cancer or doesn’t increase the chances of prostate cancer, the BPH symptoms are quite similar to prostate cancer.

3. Prostate Cancer

Cancer in general is the proliferation of abnormal cells in the tissues of an organ. Prostate cancer leads to cancer cell formation in the prostate gland but it usually grows slower than other cancers. Cellular changes in the prostate gland can form 10 to 30 years before a tumour forms and symptoms may even appear. By the time the symptoms appear, the cancer may have already spread (metastasised).

Risk Factors of Prostate Problems

While men over the age of 45 are more at risk of prostate problems, there are other factors that play an important role in prostate health.

• Prostatitis: Recent catheter or bladder infections are common risk factors.
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia: Having a family history of BPH, obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and erectile dysfunction are some risk factors for BPH.
• Prostate cancer: Having a family history of prostate cancer and genetics play a huge role in causing prostate cancer.

Preventing Prostate Problems

Regular prostate examination is essential for preventing prostate issues while maintaining good health and detecting potential issues early on. By adopting healthy lifestyle choices, you can increase your chances of effectively preventing prostate problems.

Here are some lifestyle changes that you can incorporate into your daily routine to reduce your risk of prostate problems.

• Improve Your Diet

Making changes in your diet by incorporating more fruits and vegetables and reducing fat intake along with fried or grilled meats can help prevent and protect against cancer. You may also benefit from adding green tea and soy as they have been found to reduce PSA levels, thereby reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

• Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity may be a huge risk factor for aggressively progressing prostate cancer. Losing excess weight along with maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce the probable risk of prostate cancer along with other potential prostate problems.

• Exercise Regularly

In addition to maintaining a healthy weight, it is important to get regular exercises as it can help reduce inflammation, improve immunity, and remove some of the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. These factors can help prevent prostate cancer.

• Track Your Symptoms

Stay alert about the sudden and abnormal changes in your body. Keep track of any prostate problem symptoms that you may have and discuss them with your doctor.

• Schedule Regular Checkups

Prostate cancer is often slow-growing and can take years to cause symptoms. Getting regular cancer screenings can be beneficial to catch potential issues early on so that proactive steps can be taken to treat them. Early intervention helps to treat prostate cancer with better outcomes.

• Exercise the Pelvic Floor

You can try pelvic floor exercises for your urination issues. Seek help from a physiotherapist to practise exercising the pelvic floor in order to strengthen the muscles under the bladder and large intestines.

• Stay Sexually Active

Studies have suggested that men who have a higher frequency of ejaculation, with or without a partner, were almost two-thirds less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. By staying sexually active, you may be able to reduce your chances of having prostate cancer.

• Using Medicated Drugs

Certain drugs have been found to be effective in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. Studies have suggested that these drugs may help in also reducing the risk of prostate cancer by 25%.

Apollo Hospitals’ Prostate Health Services

Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka, recognises the importance of men’s overall health and offers a comprehensive range of health screening and treatment services for men to support them in maintaining optimal prostate health. Our experienced team of multidisciplinary specialists is committed to providing continuous support and care tailored to your individual needs. Talk to our doctors if you’re facing any issues with your urinary system, as they tend to show the signs of prostate problems first. You should also consult our doctors for prostate cancer screening.

Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka, is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and the clinical expertise of our doctors to perform specific prostate screenings, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. Our healthcare services tailored to your needs are here to support you on your journey to better prostate health.