Using Palliative Care To Ease Discomfort
For both urinary and bowel incontinence that is caused by compression of nerves in the spinal cord as a result of prostate cancer that has spread to the spine or bones, palliative treatments for metastasized cancer may be of use. These treatments include radiotherapy, medication, or surgical removal of spinal cord tumors. However, these treatment options are not indicated for every situation. Your doctor will help you determine what path is right for you and to improve your quality of life. As always, coping with quality of life symptoms like these can take a toll on an individual or their caretaker both mentally and physically. For this reason, it can be a good idea to consult a therapist or counselor if needed for extra support.
Whats The Link Between The Prostate And Constipation
First of all, it is important to understand what is happening in your bowel when you are constipated.
Stool is a waste product containing toxins and bacteria that should not be stored in the body. However, if you are constipated, this stool is building up inside you. The food begins to decay and rot and, as the bacteria multiply, this produces more and more toxins.
Your bowel is located right next to your prostate gland. This means that when there is an over-abundance of toxins in your bowel, these begin to leak into the surrounding tissues, directly impacting on your prostate gland.
The prostate gland is usually a very effective filter and manages to protect semen from substances that could potentially damage them. However, when an excessive amount of toxins are able to enter from the bowel, the prostate is put under too much stress and it struggles to keep these toxins at bay. An accumulation of toxins in the gland is like a poison, and the gland can quickly become inflamed and painful.
Additionally, if the bowel becomes packed with stool, this can put pressure on the prostate gland and may result in the typical obstructive symptoms of BPH , including weaker urine flow and dribbling at the end of urination. It can also make it difficult to fully empty the bladder.
The Top 7 Signs Of Advanced Prostate Cancer
In the early stages, you may not notice any symptoms related to prostate cancer. This is why screenings are important. Symptoms can sometimes be noticed for the first time when the cancer advances.
Advanced prostate cancer, also called metastatic cancer, means the cancer has spread to other areas of your body beyond your prostate gland. The most common areas for prostate cancer to spread are your bladder, rectum, and bones. It can also spread to your lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and other body tissues.
Whether youve just been diagnosed or youre in treatment, its also important to know the signs of advanced cancer. Cancer can behave differently depending on your genetics, so not every person will experience the same symptoms in the same way.
Read on to learn more about the seven top symptoms of advanced prostate cancer and how to spot them.
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Soreness In The Groin
When prostate cancer spreads, its common for cancer cells to go to your lymph nodes and then move to more areas of your body. The lymph nodes are a network of glands that help your body filter fluids and fight infections.
There are several lymph nodes in your groin. These are the ones closest to your prostate, so its common for the cancer to spread to them first. Cancer cells prevent your lymph nodes from draining fluid and working properly. When this happens, your lymph nodes swell. As a result, you might experience pain or soreness in the area.
The Relationship Between Constipation And The Prostate Is Kind Of Like The Old Chicken And Egg Conundrum
The egg: Constipation, aka the build-up of feces in the intestine , can put pressure on the bladder and the prostate, which can cause symptoms resembling those associated with an enlarged prostate. The chicken: an enlarged prostate can put pressure on the rectum and cause constipation. But wait, theres more
Sonia Chartier
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Possible Cancer Protection From Prostate Drugs
Early research suggested that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors , a class of drugs used to treat prostate enlargement, might increase the risk of developing more aggressive prostate cancer. However, newer studies have found that not only do the drugs appear to pose no extra risk, they may even protect against prostate cancer.
For instance, research from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial study in 2013 showed that taking the 5-ARI finasteride for seven years could lower the chance of getting low-grade prostate cancer by 25% among men ages 55 and older. A follow-up study of almost 9,500 men, published in the Nov. 1, 2018, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, also showed that finasteride lowered the risk by a similar amount , and found the protective effect lasted for at least 16 years.
Treatment For Benign Prostate Hyperplasia
Treatment for benign prostate hyperplasia can involve:
- Lifestyle changes, such as limiting a night-time consumption of liquids, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, avoiding medication such as diuretics, decongestants and antihistamines and getting more exercise, as well as dietary improvements, such as eating more fibre, avoiding artificial sweeteners and sweetened beverages.
- Medication, such as alpha-blockers or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.
- Interventions, such as the Urolift® system, a non-surgical proprietary device that uses tiny implants to lift the prostate away from the urethra and thereby relieve BPH symptoms that result from pressure on the urethra.
- Surgical procedures, such as a prostatectomy , transurethral microwave thermotherapy , prostate laser, and Transurethral Resection of the Prostate .
- Herbal prostate treatments, such as saw palmetto extract. Saw palmetto extract is made from the fruit of the saw palmetto, which is native to the southeast and Gulf coasts of North America and may potentially assist in reducing urinary frequency and increasing urinary flow.
Treatment of prostate cancer can involve:
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What Is Acute Prostatitis
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits below the bladder in men. This gland makes fluid that mixes with sperm to form semen. Because the prostate surrounds the urethra , conditions that cause the prostate to swell or enlarge may press on the urethra and cause pain or problems with urination.
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. Acute prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland that results in sudden onset of symptoms. Acute prostatitis is caused by an infection, usually by bacteria that get into the prostate by traveling up the urethra. Some of these bacteria are the normal germs that live on and inside your body. Other infections are transmitted through sexual contact.
Most men who will develop prostatitis have a normal prostate gland, although the infection may be more common in older men as the gland gets larger with age. There is no known link between prostatitis and prostate cancer.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Lower Uti
Symptoms of a lower UTI include. Frequency and/ or urgency. Pain or discomfort when urinating The feeling of being unable to empty your bladder fully. Cloudy and/or foul-smelling urine that may contain blood. Pain in your lower abdomen and pelvis. Feeling achy, tired and generally under-the-weather.
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What Are The Diseases That Cause The Prostate To Enlarge
There are at least seven diseases affecting the prostate.
Risk Factors For Prostate Cancer
Some risk factors have been linked to prostate cancer. A risk factor is something that can raise your chance of developing a disease. Having one or more risk factors doesn’t mean that you will get prostate cancer. It just means that your risk of the disease is greater.
- Age. Men who are 50 or older have a higher risk of prostate cancer.
- Race. African-American men have the highest risk of prostate cancerâthe disease tends to start at younger ages and grows faster than in men of other races. After African-American men, prostate cancer is most common among white men, followed by Hispanic and Native American men. Asian-American men have the lowest rates of prostate cancer.
- Family history. Men whose fathers or brothers have had prostate cancer have a 2 to 3 times higher risk of prostate cancer than men who do not have a family history of the disease. A man who has 3 immediate family members with prostate cancer has about 10 times the risk of a man who does not have a family history of prostate cancer. The younger a man’s relatives are when they have prostate cancer, the greater his risk for developing the disease. Prostate cancer risk also appears to be slightly higher for men from families with a history of breast cancer.
- Diet. The risk of prostate cancer may be higher for men who eat high-fat diets.
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What Causes Abdominal Pain And Painful Urination In Women
Causes in females 1 Cystitis. Causes of abdominal pain and painful urination can include cystitis and pelvic inflammatory disease. 2 Interstitial cystitis. 3 Pelvic inflammatory disease Other symptoms may include painful sex, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, or irregular periods. 4 Endometrial cancer.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer
Most prostate cancers are found early, through screening. Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. More advanced prostate cancers can sometimes cause symptoms, such as:
- Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Trouble getting an erection
- Pain in the hips, back , chest , or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones
- Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord
Most of these problems are more likely to be caused by something other than prostate cancer. For example, trouble urinating is much more often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia , a non-cancerous growth of the prostate. Still, its important to tell your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed. Some men might need more tests to check for prostate cancer.
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So Where Does The Prostate Fit In
The bowel is located right next to the prostate. If an overabundance of toxins seep into the nearby tissues, the toxins will directly impact the prostate. If they get into the prostate, they can cause inflammation and pain.
When the bowel is full, it can exert pressure on the prostate and the bladder. The straining required to defecate affects the pelvic muscles, which are important in bowel movements and bladder control. This can prevent the bowel and bladder from filling properly and cause them to contract when they shouldnt.
A large quantity of feces in the bowel can also prevent the bladder from voiding completely. Add this to the urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, and you might end up practically living in the bathroom.
Constipation, combined with an enlarged prostate, often gives rise to elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen .1
Produced by the prostate, PSA is a protein found in sperm and, in lesser quantities, in blood. Abnormally high levels of blood PSA can indicate the presence of prostate cancer or some other prostate condition. The PSA test used to detect prostate cancer can be affected by constipation, which is something you clearly dont need. However, once the constipation is relieved, PSA levels returns to normal.
What Is The Main Cause Of Prostate
On a basic level, prostate cancer is caused by changes in the DNA of a normal prostate cell. DNA is the chemical in our cells that makes up our genes, which control how our cells function. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. But DNA affects more than just how we look.
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Bowel Incontinence And Prostate Cancer Treatment
Just as the ways to develop urinary or bowel incontinence are numerous, so are their potential outcomes. In many instances, urinary or bowel incontinence after prostate cancer treatment resolves on its own, as an individual is recovering from the treatment. For example, after radiation therapy, an individual may lose control of their bladder, but this may resolve without any intervention within a few weeks or months. On the other side, there is a possibility that during treatment the nerves or muscles that control these processes can get damaged permanently, and the incontinence may not subside on its own. Before treatment, and even immediately after, its very hard to predict if youll have these issues, and for how long they may last.
Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
Just as IBS can cause prostatitis, so prostatitis can cause IBS. Chronic pelvic pain syndrome , a longstanding and habitual tightening of the pelvic muscles due to stress, can cause both conditions 1. Doctors are just beginning to research CPPS as a cause for the overlapping symptoms of prostatitis and IBS. The early findings from a study by Dr. David Wise at Stanford University are that a program of stretching, massage and relaxation exercises can all be beneficial in CPPS management. Before going on medications or electing to undergo surgery, ask your doctor whether CPPS might be the cause of your discomfort.
- Just as IBS can cause prostatitis, so prostatitis can cause IBS.
- Doctors are just beginning to research CPPS as a cause for the overlapping symptoms of prostatitis and IBS.
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What Is An Enlarged Prostate
The prostate is a small gland, usually about the size of a walnut, that is situated just below the bladder and above the penis. The urethra passes through the prostate, which produces fluid that is mixed with sperm to create semen. When the prostate enlarges, it places pressure on the bladder and the urethra, which can cause urinary problems.
The prostate is made up of four zones:
- Peripheral zone. The area most easily felt during the standard digital rectal exam and the zone from which prostate cancer tends to develop.
- Transition zone. This surrounds the part of the urethra that passes through the prostate. It enlarges as men age, causing benign prostatic hyperplasia and consequent urinary symptoms.
- Central zone
- Anterior fibromuscular stroma
The prostate can become enlarged for a variety of reasons. The most common are:
Losing Control Of Your Bowels
It has been estimated that bowel problems, including diarrhea, constipation, incontinence, increased flatulence, rectal bleeding, and increase in the urgency or frequency of bowel movements can occur to up to 20% of all individuals who undergo radiotherapy. Although incontinence, or losing control of your bowels, is in this category, is not as common as the other symptoms in this group. It is also potentially can be one of the hardest of these symptoms to manage. Currently, there are very few treatment options available for total bowel incontinence. Losing control of your bowels as a result of spinal cord compression or prostate cancer treatment may or may not be reversible, and can range from leaking small amounts of feces to total loss of bowel control.
In some instances, bowel control will be regained after treatment and post-recovery. But if this process isnt occurring as fast as anticipated, or isnt happening at all, there are a few lifestyle changes that can help manage bowel incontinence. Many of these are similar to options used for urinary incontinence, and include:
- Anti-diarrheal agents
- Avoiding foods that may irritate the digestive system
- Creating a bowel movement schedule and retraining your bowels
In rare instances, it may be possible to have surgery for bowel incontinence, including anal sphincteroplasty or anal sphincter repair, depending on the underlying cause of the incontinence.5-7
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How Will My Veterinarian Get These Samples
A free-flow urine sample iscollected . Samples of prostatic fluid are obtained by passing a urethral catheter to the level of the prostate and massaging the prostate to milk fluid out of it.
Samples of prostatic cells are obtained by fine needle aspiration or biopsy. If the prostate is greatly enlarged, it may be sampled by through the body wall by FNA or biopsied. FNA involves taking a small needle with a syringe and suctioning a sample of cells directly from the prostate and placing them on a microscope slide. A veterinary pathologist then examines the slide under a microscope. In some cases, results from FNA may not be entirely clear and biopsy may be necessary.