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 Prostate Problems in Men

Prostate problems in men are happening to more and more of us and at an earlier age than before. Men in their 40s and 50s are now demonstrating prostate problems symptoms, and this was very rare a generation ago.

Even if you think you don't have prostate problems now, they could be building if you are not following good prostate habits and good health habits in general. The earlier you can adopt healthy prostate habits, the much greater the chances of avoiding conditions later on. I discuss these habits on other pages in this site.

Prostate problems in men don't just appear one day. Even though it seemed that way to me when I woke up in the middle of the night completely unable to pee, I know now that it was brewing inside for quite a while. That night was like a left hook from somewhere, and I didn't even know I was in a fight!

Think about it for a moment — do you really think disease just strikes out of the blue? Or do we play a huge part in the:

• choices we make daily (e.g., food, bodycare and household products and cooking methods)
  
• toxins we ingest from our contaminated food supply
  
• emotional stresses on our minds and bodies
  
• inoculations, antibiotics, and pharmaceuticals we have taken over a lifetime
  
• quality of the water we consume every day
  
• bad health habits and lack of exercise we accumulate over time and many other daily decisions we make that impact us whether we are aware or not of their health consequences?

Well, if you think it just strikes you and “woe is me,” then this information will challenge your viewpoint.

If you do accept the premise that you play a huge part, then you have taken the first big step. You are on the path to acceptance and responsibility, excellent starting points. If embraced, you will be able to renew and revitalize yourself.

My book, Healthy Prostate, will help you learn about your health and really transform yourself, leaving you stronger and healthier than ever before, shedding years as your body finally becomes nourished from the inside out, instead of poisoned from the outside in.

Illness can be a blessing if you look for the gifts of increased awareness and self-growth through the acceptance of your ultimate responsibility for your health. Now you have a chance to change the conditions that caused your prostate problems and heal.

You have a choice!

Three Basic Prostate Problems in Men

There are three basic diseases and prostate problems in men: enlargement, infection, and cancer. The technical names for these are:

• Enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
  
• Prostatitis
  
• Prostate cancer
  
  

What is BPH?

BPH is a non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland. This now bigger prostate squeezes the urethra pee tube that it surrounds, causing a whole range of symptoms and prostate problems in men from very mild to extreme.

As the prostate grows larger, it presses against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritated. The bladder begins to contract more often even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. As the prostate grows, it applies more pressure to the urethra. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, and so begins a whole range of uncomfortable to painful symptoms.

The extreme version is called acute urinary retention—when you are unable to pee at all. It is the most painful of the symptoms and can be relieved by the insertion of a catheter. If acute urinary retention is unaddressed, death can result in about two days.

It is possible to have prostate enlargement and prostate cancer at the same time, but having BPH does not increase your chances of developing prostate cancer. It is very rare to have both conditions.

This video by MedlinePlus about the enlarged prostate gland provides a fairly standard medical outlook on BPH.

Most men with BPH have minor symptoms initially, but with time the symptoms can and do get worse. Here is what you should look out for:

• Dribbling at the end of urinating
  
• Inability to urinate (acute urinary retention)
  
• Incomplete emptying of the bladder
  
• Unable to voluntarily control urination (incontinence)
  
• Needing to urinate two or more times per night (nocturia)
  
• Pain with urination or bloody urine (can be infection)
  
• Slowed or delayed start of the urinary stream
  
• Very frequent urination
  
• Straining to urinate
  
• Strong and sudden urge to urinate
  
• Weak urine stream
  

The effects of BPH and its symptoms can vary from minor to major on a man’s lifestyle, especially when away from the easy convenience of your bathroom. As the condition worsens it will also impact your sex life. It can make it harder (!) to get an erection and can result in much lower semen ejaculation to none at all.

Prostate cancer is the leading form of male cancer, but an enlarged prostate (or BPH) is the most common prostate disorder, and it impacts your quality of life greatly.

For a more on BPH symptoms and other prostate problems in men, visit this page.

What is Prostatitis?

There are four types of prostatitis. Let's take a look at these four prostate problems in men:

• Acute Bacterial Prostatitis may be due to bacteria, a virus or a sexually transmitted disease (STD). 
• Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis is much less common and can be due to a bacterial condition or an inflammation of the prostate. It is considered chronic because it is an ongoing condition characterized by bacterial infection located in the prostate. 
  
• Chronic Prostatitis or Chronic Pelvic Pain is the most common type of prostatitis. It's known by several names and accounts for 90% of all cases. It may be known as chronic prostatitis without infection, chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, or chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
  
• Asymptomatic Inflammatory Prostatitis is the label given to your case if it's found that your prostate is inflamed while you are undergoing a test for other reasons and if you have no other prostate symtoms or issues.
  

For more information on the symptoms of each of the four kinds of prostatitis and other prostate problems in men, click here.

Prostate Cancer

These words scare many men. Why? Because prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death and men hear more and more stories about it.

Prostate cancer is a relatively new disease, as are most cancers. Any explanation that does not address this fact may easily miss crucial information. There is something that we started doing in the past 60 years that is new and deadly.

Secondly, prostate cancer is primarily a Western disease. It is rare in rural Asian and other non-Western communities, as is BPH or enlarged prostate. 

According to MedlinePlus, the U.S. National Institute of Health, men who are most at risk are:

• African-American
• men older than 60
  
• men who have prostate cancer in the family
  

Specific environmental factors increase your chance of having prostate cancer. You are at higher risk if you:

• Have been exposed to agent orange
• Abuse alcohol
  
• Are a farmer and are exposed to pesticides and herbicides
  
• Eat a diet high in fat, especially animal fat
  
• Are a tire plant worker
  
• Are a painter
  
• Have been exposed to cadmium
  

MedlinePlus also states that the lowest number of cases occurs in Japanese men living in Japan, unless a previous generation in your family has lived in the U.S., and are even lower in the Okinawan region. Those who are vegetarian are also at lower risk.

For more information on symptoms of prostate cancer and other prostate problems in men, visit this link. 

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