What Is The Function Of The Prostate In A Man

Prostate Cancer: Risk Factors Symptoms And Treatment

Aside from prostatitis and BPH, another common prostate issue is prostate cancer.

Excluding skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among American men, according to the American Cancer Society. About 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

The risk of developing prostate cancer is higher for men who are over age 65, are African-American, or have a family history of the disease.

Most often, prostate cancer develops slowly, but some men develop an aggressive form of the disease.

Early prostate cancer generally doesnt cause any symptoms. Symptoms generally develop as the disease progresses and include:

• Urination issues
• Numbness of the legs and feet
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

Gene And Protein Expression

About 20,000 protein coding genes are expressed in human cells and almost 75% of these genes are expressed in the normal prostate. About 150 of these genes are more specifically expressed in the prostate with about 20 genes being highly prostate specific. The corresponding specific proteins are expressed in the glandular and secretory cells of the prostatic gland and have functions that are important for the characteristics of semen. Some of the prostate specific proteins, such as the prostate specific antigen , and the Prostatic acid phosphatase.

In the developing embryo, at the hind end lies an inpouching called the cloaca. This, over the fourth to the seventh week, divides into a urogenital sinus and the beginnings of the anal canal, with a wall forming between these two inpouchings called the urorectal septum. The urogenital sinus divides into three parts, with the middle part forming the urethra the upper part is largest and becomes the urinary bladder, and the lower part then changes depending on the biological sex of the embryo.

Enlarged Prostate Treatments In The Pipeline

Researchers continue to investigate new therapies for enlarged prostates. âAnother category of drugs is under development,â says Slawin. âWeâve come a long way in treating BPH. Itâs no longer the life-threatening disease it once was. Now, in treatment, weâre working on quality of life issuesââ¬Ã¦ reducing side effects of treatment.â

Also being studied is a procedure called water-induced thermotherapy , an experimental procedure that involves destroying excess prostate tissue utilizing heated water and an air-filled balloon, which protects normal prostate tissue. The procedure is performed with only local anesthesia. Results may not be fully apparent for three to four months. However, preliminary studies examining WIT have shown positive results, with a near doubling in urine flow. However, the American Urological Association has not thus far endorsed WIT as a viable treatment option for symptoms of BPH.

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Does An Enlarged Prostate Mean Cancer

Most men who have a prostate problem do not have cancer. Cancer does occur in the prostate gland and is more common as men age. It is important for your doctor to check your prostate gland for enlargement or abnormalities, particularly as you age. In addition, there is now a blood test called the PSA, or prostate specific antigen test, which measures a substance that increases in the blood when prostate cancer has spread. The American Urologic Association recommends a yearly prostate examination for all men over age 50. However, men who have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, such as African-American men and men who have a family history of the disease, are advised to begin yearly prostate exams at age 40. Other tests, such as ultrasound, can also give information about the prostate gland.

Prostate Disease And Ageing

Around 25 per cent of men aged 55 years and over have a prostate condition. This increases to 50 per cent by the age of 70 years. Early stages of prostate disease may have no symptoms.

If you are a man and you are in your 50s or 60s, talk to your doctor about whether you need to have your prostate gland checked and, if so, how often. If you have a family history of prostate disease , talk to your doctor earlier about when prostate checks might be suitable for you.

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Do Women Have Prostates Skenes Glands Use In Girls

Wondering do women have prostates? and what does it do in females? Skenes paraurethral glands in girls are homologous to the male prostate glands. But most of the people believe that the prostate gland is a just male organ, and women dont have prostates.

Generally, when you hear somebody says the prostate of the women, you simply believe that they mean the G-spot. However this is not exactly valid, there is an important difference. Lets dig into the question, do women have a prostate gland? Whats more, on the off chance that they do, is it the same as G-spot or they are distinctive.

In this article, you will know do women have prostates? what is the women prostate? what is skenes gland in girls and what does it do?

Prostate Gland

First thing first. Lets have a quick clarification about what is prostate gland in the men and its functions. The prostate gland is an imperative part of the male reproductive system. It is a gland that is located in the lower abdominal cavity, just below the bladder and behind the pubic bone. It surrounds the urethra to some extent.

Prostate gland in men is responsible for regulating bladder control and sperm release. They are prone to a variety of disorders and infections, and the worst among the frequent prostate diseases is prostate cancer.

How To Maintain Your Sex Life After Prostate Surgery

Although prostate surgery can affect your sexual experience and performance, getting surgery to remove part or all of your prostate doesnt mean that you can no longer have sex or enjoy a satisfying sexual life.

However, it does mean that you may need to make some changes to how you and your partner have sex. These may include using ED medications, erection-promoting devices or engaging in penile rehabilitation exercises to keep your penis stimulated and healthy.

If youve recently had prostate surgery, its important to talk to your healthcare provider before you make any changes to your health habits. Theyll be able to inform you about what you can do to restore and improve your sexual function after surgery.

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If Youre The Receiving Partner

Youll want to be as relaxed and aroused as possible, because itll make the experience easier and more enjoyable.

The whole poop-comes-out-of-the-butt thing gives some people a case of the heebie-jeebies even when its their own butt.

Remedy this by taking a shower and paying a little extra attention back there to get it squeaky clean. Some people like to use an enema before engaging in butt play, but it isnt necessary.

Use the bathroom before getting started. Prostate stimulation can make you feel like you need to pee, and anal penetration can cause the sensation of needing to poop.

Even though you wont actually do either, worrying that you might can interfere with your ability to let go and enjoy yourself. Knowing your bladder and bowels are empty can help.

Getting used to the sensation of having your prostate touched can help, too. Practice with an anal sex toy, like a butt plug, or your fingers.

Be sure to set the mood so that youre turned on and primed for action. Light candles, watch porn, or engage in some good old-fashioned masturbation or foreplay to get there.

Finally, be sure to lube up real good. Applying a water-based lubricant will allow for easier penetration and make for some easy gliding if stimulating your prostate externally.

Function Of The Prostate Gland

As part of the male reproductive system, the prostate glands main job is to secrete a slightly alkaline fluid that forms part of the seminal fluid. This is the fluid that carries sperm. During a mans orgasm, the muscular glands of the prostate help to propel the prostate fluid, and sperm that was made in the testicles, into the urethra. The semen then leaves the body out of the tip of the penis during ejaculation.

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How Does The Prostate Play A Role In Male Fertility

The prostate gland is essential for reproduction and male fertility due to the prostatic fluid it produces.

The components of the prostatic fluid ensure that sperm is healthy and is able to fertilize eggs. Prominent components of prostatic fluid include:

• The enzyme prostate-specific antigen , which thins or loosens up semen so that sperm can travel more freely
• Prostatic acid phosphatase, an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of energy-rich compounds present in seminal fluid and may also increase sperm’s motility
• Citric acid, which may help maintain osmotic-electrolytic equilibrium in semen
• Zinc, which is important for semen coagulation
• Spermine, which is ultimately responsible for semen’s unique odor and may play a role in sperm motility and helping sperm fertilize eggs, according to an article published in Endocrine Reviews.
• Prostatic inhibin, or prostatic secretory protein, a protein that plays a role in regulating cell growth

Additionally, prostatic fluid is alkaline , and research published in July 2015 in the journal PLoS One suggested that the pH level of sperm can play a role in reproduction, helping maintain the viability of sperm and successful fertilization.

Infertility may develop if there are changes to the composition or secretion of the prostatic fluid.

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Symptoms Of Prostate Disease

In its earliest stages, prostate disease may or may not be associated with symptoms. The symptoms of prostate disease depend on the condition, but may include:

• difficulties urinating, such as trouble starting the flow of urine
• the urge to urinate often, particularly at night
• feeling as though the bladder can’t be fully emptied
• painful urination
• blood in the urine or blood coming from the urethra independent of urination.

Blood in the urine is often due to causes not related to the prostate. Always see your doctor if you find blood in your urine.

Amazing Functions Of The Prostate Gland

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men in the United States. It is very important to maintain a healthy prostate.

The Prostates Purpose:

1. Gland: The primary job of the prostate is to produce and secrete some of the alkaline seminal fluids during ejaculation . Being alkaline, the prostate fluid, which is milky whitish in color, helps the sperm survive in the acidic vaginal environment. The prostate is considered to be a gland since glands secrete something.

2. Mix Master: The prostate mixes its fluids with those from the seminal vesicles to transport the sperm made in the testicles. Together these fluids surge through the prostate into the urethra during ejaculation. The urethra doubles as the semen tube during ejaculation and as the urine tube from the bladder, both fluids exiting the tip of the penis. The section of the urethra that runs through the prostate gland is called the prostatic urethra and is about 3cm long.

Prostate-specific antigen is a fluid produced in the prostate, playing a key role in enabling the sperm to swim into the uterus by keeping the semen in liquid form. It counteracts the clotting enzyme in the seminal vesicle fluid, which essentially glues the semen to the womans cervix, next to the uterus entrance inside the vagina. PSA dissolves this glue with its own enzyme so that the sperm can dash into the uterus and impregnate an egg if it is there.

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What Is The Prostate Gland

The prostate gland is an important part of the male anatomy in humans as well as most other mammals. In humans its normally about the size of a walnut and it encircles the urethra, deep within the reproductive tract it has a number of important purposes, but helping to produce, strengthen, and expel sperm is one of its most significant. It also plays a key role in preventing urine leakage during ejaculation. The gland is usually quite sensitive, both to external pressures and chemical changes in the body. It is more susceptible than most others to inflammation and enlargement, which can lead to a lot of problems in the realm of reproductive function. Its connection to lymphatic tissues and fluids also makes it more likely to develop cancerous growths and lesions, which can be life threatening if not caught quickly. Most medical experts recommend that the gland be checked for size and swelling about once a year.

Anatomical Basics

Inflammation Of The Prostate Gland

Bacteria sometimes cause prostatitis . More commonly, the underlying cause is uncertain. Consult your doctor promptly if you experience:

• fever
• pain in the groin
• urgent and frequent urination.

Treatment with antibiotics is essential for acute bacterial prostatitis. Admission to hospital is often necessary and, as with chronic bacterial prostatitis, specific antibacterial drugs are required for a long time.

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Urinary Tract Infections In Men: Symptoms Diagnosis And Treatment

Nonbacteria microbes may cause a different type of chronic prostatitis, known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome, which may also develop as a result of chemicals in the urine, a urinary tract infection, or pelvic nerve damage.

Affecting 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. male population, chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common type of prostatitis, but also the least understood.

Symptoms vary depending on the type of prostatitis, but can include urination problems, pain , fever, and body aches, among other things.

Some people develop asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, in which the prostate is inflamed but doesn’t produce any symptoms or require treatment.

Bacterial prostatitis is most often treated with antibiotics. Chronic pelvic pain syndrome may require drugs, surgery, and lifestyle changes.

Over time, prostatitis may cause sexual dysfunction, abscesses in the prostate, inflammation of nearby reproductive organs, and infection of the bloodstream.

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The Prostate Gland Is Fueled By Testosterone

The prostate gland is dependent on testosterone for it to function.

Testosterone is produced in a mans testes. Testosterone helps maintain sperm production, sex drive, and many more. Also, researchers have found a connection between high levels of testosterone and prostate cancer. However, it is important to keep the prostate healthy to enjoy pleasant sex life.

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Prostatitis: A Common Prostate Problem In Younger Men

Prostatitis, or prostate inflammation, is the most common prostatic and urinary tract problem for men under age 50, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases . It accounts for 2 million doctor visits in the United States each year.

There are several types of prostatitis.

Prostatitis caused by bacteria is known as bacterial prostatitis, and it can cause an acute or chronic infection.

Where Is The Prostate And What Does It Look Like

The prostate is situated between the bladder and penis, just in front of the rectum . It is above the muscles of the pelvic floor.

The urethra, a narrow tube that carries urine and semen out of the body through the penis, runs through the center of the prostate, which weighs less than 1 ounce .

The word “prostate” comes from the Greek word “prostates,” which means “one who stands before,” aptly describing the position of the gland. That is, when viewed from below, the prostate “stands before” the bladder.

Because the rectum is behind the prostate, it is possible to feel the prostate with a finger when inserted through the rectum. The prostate feels elastic because it’s surrounded by a supportive tissue called the stroma, which is made of flexible smooth muscle fibers and connective tissue .

The muscle cells contract during ejaculation, forcing fluid stored in the prostate into the urethra.

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What Is Prostate Cancer

This diagram shows the location of the prostate, in front of the rectum and just below the bladder.

This diagram shows the location of the prostate, in front of the rectum and just below the bladder.

Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. When cancer starts in the prostate, it is called prostate cancer. Not including skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men.

Prostate Functions The Roles You Did Not Know About

The main function of the prostate gland is the secretion of alkaline fluid that adds to the bulk of the semen.

Semen is a mixture of fluid from three accessory male sex glands i.e. seminal vesicles, bulbourethral, and prostate semen is discharged during ejaculation in men and contains sperms.

The prostate gland makes up an important component of the human male reproductive system.

Another prostate gland function is that it regulates hormones and urine flow. The prostate needs androgens, such as testosterone, to function correctly. It contains the 5-alpha-reductase which converts testosterone in DHT. This hormone is essential in developing other male characteristics, such as facial hair.

So lets take a deeper look at this gland with some facts youre likely not familiar with.

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