What is the prostate gland?
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located just below the bladder. The gland surrounds the urinary passage way (urethra) as it exits the bladder. Its primary function is to provide part of the fluid needed for ejaculation.
What can happen to the prostate?
A variety of things:
- Bacterial infection - either acute (short term) or chronic (long term)
- Benign enlargement – normally, the prostate gland enlarges as a man enters his late years. This enlargement (hypertrophy) itself is not a major concern to physicians and can be considered “benign”, meaning non-cancerous. But if the enlargement causes blockage of the urethra, it gives rise to problems.
- Cancer – cancer is not the leading cause of prostate problems, but it’s one of the greatest concerns. Cancer of the prostate is the most common cancer in men over 50 in this country. Because cancer can easily and successfully be treated in its early stages, early discovery is very important.
Why do I need a prostate examination?
The simplest reason for doing regular check-ups is to be sure that your prostate gland is healthy. Some prostate diseases have no symptoms in the early stages, but by feeling the gland, the doctor can tell when something is not right with the prostate.
Prostate problems develop in so many men in their middle or later years. It is therefore recommended that men over 40 years should start getting their prostate gland screened. Your healthcare provider will recommend the frequency of these screening tests along with others (e.g. DRE and ultrasound) based on your clinical risk assessment.
Early signs of prostate problems:
- Urinary symptoms: frequency, stoppage, hesitancy
- Lower back pain
- Low sex drive
These could be symptoms of a variety of diseases. However, your doctor may want to perform a prostate examination to at least rule out prostate disease.
Signs that definitely warrant a prostate exam:
- Difficulty in urinating – hesitancy (difficulty in starting a stream), turbulence (when the stream is not smooth and gets interrupted during urination)
- Frequent urination – urgency (a need to void in a hurry)
- Painful urination
- A feeling that you have not emptied your bladder
- Blood in your urine
Once again these could be symptoms of some other condition, but are key indicators of prostate problems.
