A Prostate Examination Will Quickly Reveal Prostate Problems

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The majority of men will suffer one form of prostate problem with about half of all men having benign prostatic hyperplasia (a swollen or enlarged prostate gland) by the age of 60 and approximately ninety percent having the problem by the time they reach the age of 80 years of age.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a non-malignant or benign swelling of the prostate gland and can frequently be treated using medication or with minor surgery. The first step however is to verify that the problem is benign prostatic hyperplasia and that your symptoms are not the result of something else, such as a urinary tract infection or problems with the kidneys or bladder.

While checking for benign prostatic hyperplasia it is also essential to look for prostate cancer as, in spite of the fact that a swollen prostate does not cause prostate cancer, it is possible for a swollen prostate and prostate cancer to be found together.

Initial testing will often involve a prostate examination, or digital rectal exam, together with an assessment of the symptoms reported by the patient and his medical history. Because the prostate gland is situated between the bladder and the rectum it is easy for a doctor or nurse to insert a gloved finger into the rectum while the patient lies on his side to feel the prostate gland for signs of swelling or abnormality. This is perhaps not the most pleasant procedure but is more uncomfortable than painful.

It is also feasible for you to do a prostate exam yourself or for your partner to do this for you on a regular basis. In fact, more and more men find that this reasonably simple self examination can be undertaken quite easily once a month or so when having a shower. This can provide a great deal of peace of mind and can also allow any problem to be found at an early stage so that treatment can be carried out.

The doctor might also order various laboratory tests at this stage. These tests might include a blood test to determine PSA levels, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine as well as a urine test.

PSA is present in the blood and is specific to the prostate gland with levels increasing slightly in the case of benign prostatic hyperplasia and quite markedly in the case of prostate cancer.

The remaining tests are intended to look for the presence of a urinary tract infection or problems with the kidneys, both of which may produce symptoms which are similar to those found in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In some instances the doctor might also order additional tests like an ultrasound examination to determine the size of the prostate gland and measure the volume of urine held in the bladder, or a cystoscopy (an examination making use of a thin flexible scope) to evaluate the condition of the urethra and bladder.

If these tests do not produce clear results a doctor might order a biopsy in which a number of tiny samples of tissue are taken from the prostate gland for microscopic evaluation.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

ProstateProblemCenter.com looks at enlarged prostate symptoms and the male prostate exam

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