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A lot of men will suffer one form of prostate problem with roughly half of all men having benign prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged prostate) by the time they reach the age of 60 and approximately ninety percent experiencing the problem before they reach 80 years of age. As its name clearly suggests benign prostatic hyperplasia is a benign or non-malignant swelling of the prostate and can often be treated with medication or with minor surgery. However, the first step is to ensure that the problem is in fact benign prostatic hyperplasia and that your symptoms are not being caused by another problem, such as problems with the bladder or kidneys or a urinary tract infection. While checking for benign prostatic hyperplasia it is also very important to check for prostate cancer because, despite the fact that a swollen prostate does not lead to prostate cancer, it is possible for both a swollen prostate and prostate cancer to exist side-by-side. Testing will normally involve a prostate exam, or digital rectal exam, together with an evaluation of the patient's symptoms and medical history. As the prostate is situated between the rectum and the bladder it is an easy matter for a doctor or nurse to put a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum while the patient is lying on his side to inspect the prostate for signs of swelling or irregularities. The prostate exam is possibly not the pleasantest of procedures but is more a case of being embarrassing rather than painful. It is also feasible for you to undertake your own prostate exam or for a partner to carry this out for you on a regular basis. In fact, more and more men find that this relatively simple examination may be undertaken quite easily every once in a while when having a shower. This provides considerable peace of mind and can also allow any enlargement to be picked up at a very early stage so that treatment can be carried out. It is also common at this point for your doctor to request various laboratory tests. These may include a blood test to determine PSA levels, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine as well as a urine test. PSA is found in the blood and is produced by the prostate with levels being raised slightly in the case of benign prostatic hyperplasia and markedly in response to prostate cancer. Other tests are intended to look for the existence of a urinary tract infection or problems with the kidneys, both of which may result in symptoms which are similar to those seen in cases of a swollen prostate. In some instances a doctor may also request additional tests such as an ultrasound examination to determine the size of the prostate and measure the volume of urine in the bladder, or a cystoscopy (an exam done using a thin and flexible scope) to look at the state of the urethra and bladder. If these tests do not produce clear results a doctor may request a prostate biopsy in which a number of tiny tissue samples are taken from the prostate for microscopic inspection.
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ProstateProblemCenter.com looks at enlarged prostate symptoms and the digital prostate exam
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