Enlarged Prostate Symptom & Its Treatment

This page gives details on the prostate gland, prostate problems, enlarged prostate symptoms and enlarged prostate treatment. Prostate problem is very common in men above the age of 60, over 80% of all men experience some problem with urinating due to enlarged prostate.

The prostate is a male-only small walnut size organ, situated below the bladder (urethra in which urine is stored) and in front of the bowel. The prostate surrounds the urine carrying duct tube that takes away the urine from the bladder. The prostate usually grows larger with age. Prostate problems are common in men age 50 and older.

There are three problems of the prostate, all with the similar symptoms.

1. Prostatitis

   This only an inflammation of the prostate and can be treated by antibiotics, if detected early. It can also occur to younger men.

   In the acute prostate problems (Acute prostatitis), it can cause fever, chills, or pain in the lower back and between the legs. It also can cause pain when you urinate.

   In some cases the prostate infection keeps coming again and again. This type of prostate problem, known as Chronic prostatitis, shows milder but long lasting symptoms. Chronic prostatitis can be hard to treat. Antibiotics may work for chronic prostatitis if bacteria are causing the infection. Often it clears up by time.

2. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

   Older men of age 50 onwards may have enlarged prostate, this enlarged prostate problem is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. These men may have a frequent urge to urinate or dribbling after urination or in extreme case, difficulty in urinating, especially at night. This is due to enlarged prostate which blocks the urethra.

3. Prostate Cancer

   Prostate cancer

In general, the following signs or symptoms are associated with the prostate problem.

1. Frequent urge to urinate, specially at night.
2. A feeling that bladder is not fully empty, i.e. after you finish urination, you have a feeling of more urine to come, but it doesn't.
3. Burning urination
4. Difficulty in starting urination
5. Difficulty in holding back urine
6. Dribbling of urine
7. Blood in urine. Read more on causes of blood in urine and treatment.
8. Blood in semen
9. Difficulty in having an erection
10. Pain during ejaculation
11. Frequent pain in upper thighs, lower back or hips
12. Pain in bones
13. Loss of appetite
14. Weight loss

Some of these symptoms are also associated with urinary incontinence and urinary tract infection.

Prostate enlargement is not a malignant condition, but it does put pressure on the urethra and can create a number of urinary problems such as frequent urination, urinary urgency, the need to get up at night to urinate, difficulty starting, a reduction to the force of the urine stream, terminal dribbling, incomplete emptying of the bladder and even the inability to urinate at all.

Self-care for Enlarged Prostate