How Do You Know If You Have Prostate Problems

Average Psa Test Doubling Time

Another red flag. This calculation denotes the time it takes your PSA values to double.

Therefore it may signify the aggressiveness of any prostate abnormalities, whether itâs an enlarged prostate, prostatitis, or prostate cancer.

If your average PSA readings double in less than three years your doctor will most likely order a biopsy, to look in to the problem further and discuss possible prostate cancer treatment options.

Testing For Prostate Cancer Metastasis

After your biopsy, additional tests or imaging may be performed to check for cancer spread, though these are not required in all men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.

You may need additional tests if you have:

• High PSA levels

• Computed tomography scans of your abdomen and pelvis
• Bone scans
• Magnetic resonance imaging of your pelvis

Many centers, including SCCA, are testing other means of finding cancer spread using new types of positron emission tomography scans. Sometimes lymph nodes around the prostate may be checked for metastasis in order to design treatment appropriately.

At SCCA and University of Washington Medical Center, a long-term effort has identified cells in the bone marrow that originated from prostate cancer, even in the absence of other evidence of spread. With these and other studies being offered to men with advanced prostate cancer, we hope to find ways to identify men at the highest risk of relapse so this knowledge can inform our treatment recommendations.

Surgery For An Enlarged Prostate

For most men with very enlarged prostates, surgery can relieve symptoms — but there are both risks and benefits with each type of operation. Discuss them with your doctor. After a careful evaluation of your situation and your general medical condition, your doctor will recommend which is best for you.

TURP : This is the most common surgery for an enlarged prostate, and considered to bring the greatest reduction in symptoms. Only the tissue growth that is pressing against the urethra is removed to allow urine to flow easily. The procedure involves an electrical loop that cuts tissue and seals blood vessels. Most doctors suggest using TURP whenever surgery is required, as it is less traumatic than open surgery and requires shorter recovery time.

With the TURP procedure, patients can expect to have retrograde ejaculation afterwards, says Westney. This is a condition in which a man ejaculates backward into the bladder instead of through the urethra. “Retrograde ejaculation generally isn’t painful,” she tells WebMD. “It shouldn’t be an issue unless fertility is a concern.” Other possible side effects include blood loss requiring transfusion , painful urination, recurring urinary tract infections, bladder neck narrowing, and blood in the urine.

After TURP, the odds of erection problems range from 5% to 35%. However, this is often temporary — and the ability to have an erection and an orgasm returns after a few months.

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How To Reduce Prostate Size

This article was medically reviewed by . Dr. Litza is a board certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 65,131 times.

The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system that can enlarge with age, putting uncomfortable pressure on the urethra. This can cause urinary difficulties, urinary tract infections , and even bladder stones. By making lifestyle changes and using medication, most men can reduce their urinary troubles. A few men, though, may need to consider minimally invasive or traditional surgery options to feel their best.

What Is The Prostate

The prostate is a small gland in men that helps make semen. Located just below the bladder in front of the rectum, it wraps around the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body. It tends to grow larger as you get older. If your prostate gets too large, it can cause a number of health issues.

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The Basics: How An Erection Occurs

At its most basic level, an erection is a matter of hydraulics. Blood fills the penis, causing it to swell and become firm. But getting to that stage requires extraordinary orchestration of body mechanisms. Blood vessels, nerves, hormones, and, of course, the psyche must work together. Problems with any one of these elements can diminish the quality of an erection or prevent it from happening altogether.

Nerves talk to each other by releasing nitric oxide and other chemical messengers. These messengers boost the production of other important chemicals, including cyclic guanosine monophosphate, prostaglandins, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. These chemicals initiate the erection by relaxing the smooth muscle cells lining the tiny arteries that lead to the corpora cavernosa, a pair of flexible cylinders that run the length of the penis .

How Do You Keep Your Prostate Healthy

A recent study conducted on a large cohort of men throughout their life found that frequent ejaculation with a partner or solo reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Additionally, keeping your waist within a reasonable size with exercises can go a long way to keeping your prostate and your sex life in great shape.

Stay away from processed foods as much as you can and eat whole foods which nurture your body. What is good for your heart is good for your prostate. Age doesnt matter if you have your prostate health under control.

However, as you age, muscles around your bladder can become weak. This can lead to erectile dysfunction issues as well as prostate issues. Whats most important to naturally cure prostate problems is to do relevant exercises which will also improve sexual function.

Thousands of men around the world have waved good-bye to worrying about nagging urinary problems with this best natural prostate cure. Theyve rediscovered their sexual health, eliminated poor urination, restored healthy prostate function and rekindled the intimacy they thought was gone forever.

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Hormonal Therapy For Aggressive Prostate Cancer: How Long Is Enough

• By Charlie Schmidt, Editor, Harvard Medical School Annual Report on Prostate Diseases

Men weighing treatment options for intermediate- or high-risk cancer that is still localized to the prostate can face a tricky question. A standard approach in these cases is to give radiation to the prostate along with drugs that block testosterone, a hormone that makes the cancer cells grow faster. For how long should this hormone therapy last? Thats not entirely clear. The drugs have side effects, such as fatigue, impotence, and a loss of muscle mass. But radiation doesnt control prostate cancer effectively without them. Doctors therefore aim to give hormone therapy only for as long as it takes to help their patients, without causing any undue harm.

Now, newly published results from a phase 3 clinical trial are providing some needed guidance.

Myth: Youll Insult Your Doctor If You Get A Second Opinion

Fact: Seeking a second opinion isnt bad manners its good sense. Even doctors themselves ask for help and input from their colleagues. Thereâs nothing wrong with talking to several doctors to get to that comfort zone that you deserve before undertaking a significant procedure, Sartor says.

You should feel free to ask for second opinions about everything from your diagnosis to your treatment options. Dont sacrifice your own well-being for fear of hurting your doctors feelings.

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Bill Turnbull Urges Men To Press Your Gp On Prostate Cancer

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Prostate cancer has few symptoms, meaning for many men they wont realise there is an issue until the cancer begins to spread. In order to avoid this, heres how to assess your risk for prostate cancer, and when to speak to your doctor.

How To Naturally Cure Prostate Problems

Imagine being able to sleep soundly through the night without waking up to urinate, or being able to enjoy your favorite activities without having to quickly find the nearest mens room? This article is for every man who struggles with frequent trips to the bathroom or other prostate woes, or who simply wants to maintain normal urinary function, sexual function and to know the best way to cure prostate problems naturally.

One in two men suffer from a prostate problem by the age of 50 and an astonishing nine in ten men will suffer from prostate problems by the age of 70. However, its a myth that prostate problems are an unavoidable part of aging for men.

Unfortunately, many men take a passive approach to their health and tend to ignore minor issues until they become major problems. This is true especially in the case of prostate health and sexual function. Traditional medical approaches to dealing with prostate problems and sexual function issues often dont address the root cause and can make things worse.

Ignoring prostate issues can lead to more serious health issues and when left alone, can turn a previously confident, strong and virile man into a shadow of his former self.

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What Is A Prostate Infection

A prostate infection occurs when your prostate and the surrounding area become inflamed. The prostate is about the size of a walnut. Its located between the bladder and the base of the penis. The tube that moves urine from the bladder to the penis runs through the center of your prostate. The urethra also moves semen from the sex glands to the penis.

Several types of infections can affect the prostate. Some men with prostatitis experience no symptoms at all, while others report many, including intense pain.

Is It Easy To Orgasm This Way

Lets say it may take some practice and patience.

Actual clinical research on prostate-induced orgasms is seriously lacking, so we dont know how common it is or if its possible for everyone with a prostate to have this type of orgasm.

Every body is different, so some experimenting to see what feels good is in order. If you do manage to have one, reproducing it will be easy.

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Questions To Ask The Doctor

• What treatment do you think is best for me?
• Whats the goal of this treatment? Do you think it could cure the cancer?
• Will treatment include surgery? If so, who will do the surgery?
• What will the surgery be like?
• Will I need other types of treatment, too?
• Whats the goal of these treatments?
• What side effects could I have from these treatments?
• What can I do about side effects that I might have?
• Is there a clinical trial that might be right for me?
• What about special vitamins or diets that friends tell me about? How will I know if they are safe?
• How soon do I need to start treatment?
• What should I do to be ready for treatment?
• Is there anything I can do to help the treatment work better?
• Whats the next step?

Is A Prostate Massage The Same Thing As Trying For A Prostate Orgasm

Yes. If you massage the prostate in a way that feels good, youre probably going to have an orgasm if you keep at it.

Some doctors recommend prostate massage therapy to help relieve the symptoms of certain conditions, such as painful ejaculation prostatitis.

Yep! Though evidence on the efficacy of prostate massage for certain conditions is somewhat limited, it does appear to have some benefits.

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Symptoms Of Benign Prostate Enlargement

The prostate is a small gland, located in the pelvis, between the penis and bladder.

If the prostate becomes enlarged, it can place pressure on the bladder and the urethra, which is the tube that urine passes through.

This can affect how you pee and may cause:

• difficulty starting to pee
• a frequent need to pee
• difficulty fully emptying your bladder

In some men, the symptoms are mild and do not need treatment. In others, they can be very troublesome.

Prostate Cancer Diagnoses And Treatment

All cancer is complex, but prostate cancer testing and treatment is particularly complicated.

In some men with prostate cancer, the cancer will grow very slowly, and wont significantly affect them during their lifetime. Other mens prostate cancer can grow and spread very quickly. At the moment, there is no test that can tell what type of prostate cancer a man has when he is diagnosed.

Because some treatments for prostate cancer can cause side effects which might impact on quality of life, its important for men to discuss with their doctor all their options for testing and treatment, and to discuss these with their partners and families. These might include watchful waiting, which means waiting to see what the cancer does over time, radiation, surgery or taking medications.

You can read more about what kinds of questions to ask your doctors about prostate cancer testing and treatment on the Cancer Council website.

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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.

What Kind Of Treatment Will I Need

There are many ways to treat prostate cancer. The main kinds of treatment are observation, active surveillance, surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and chemo. Sometimes more than one kind of treatment is used.

The treatment thats best for you will depend on:

• Your age
• Any other health problems you might have
• The stage and grade of the cancer
• Your feelings about the need to treat the cancer
• The chance that treatment will cure the cancer or help in some way
• Your feelings about the side effects that might come with treatment

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What Does A Prostate Orgasm Feel Like

P-spot orgasms are said to feel similar to penile orgasms, only way more intense and felt through the entire body.

There are reports of people having super orgasms, which are a stream of fast, continuous orgasms that cause the body to shudder.

Not everyone ejaculates during a prostate orgasm, but some release a dribble of milky fluid from the urethra.

A little bit of prep can help make the experience a good one whether youre flying solo, or on the giving or receiving end of things.

How Do I Know If I Have Prostate Cancer

Doctors use two tests to look for prostate cancer: a digital rectal exam and a PSA blood test.

The PSA blood test looks for prostate-specific antigen in the blood. Experts are divided on who should have a PSA test and when to have it:

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that for men aged 55 to 69, the decision to have PSA testing should be an individual one based on a conversation about risks and benefits with their doctor.
• The American Cancer Society recommends a discussion between the doctor and patient about the pros and cons of PSA tests. Men shouldnât get the test unless their doctor has given them this information, the group says. It also recommends that the discussion start at age 50 for most men at average risk for prostate cancer, or ages 40 to 45 for those at high risk of prostate cancer.
• The American Urological Association also recommends that men talk with their doctor about the pros and cons of the PSA test. That discussion should typically take place between the ages of 55 and 69. For those at higher risk for prostate cancer, the discussion can take place as early as ages 40 to 54.

PSA levels in blood are higher if there is prostate cancer, making it a valuable tool in finding early prostate cancer. But PSA levels can also be high from infection or inflammation in the prostate or from an enlarged prostate.

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Questions You May Want To Consider Asking Your Doctor Include:

• What type of prostate problem do I have?
• Is more testing needed and what will it tell me?
• If I decide on watchful waiting, what changes in my symptoms should I look for and how often should I be tested?
• What type of treatment do you recommend for my prostate problem?
• For men like me, has this treatment worked?
• How soon would I need to start treatment and how long would it last?
• Do I need medicine and how long would I need to take it before seeing improvement in my symptoms?
• What are the side effects of the medicine?
• Are there other medicines that could interfere with this medication?
• If I need surgery, what are the benefits and risks?
• Would I have any side effects from surgery that could affect my quality of life?
• Are these side effects temporary or permanent?
• How long is recovery time after surgery?
• Will I be able to fully return to normal?
• How will this affect my sex life?
• How often should I visit the doctor to monitor my condition?

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