Sunday, September 16, 2007
By: Donald Saunders
A lot of men will experience some type of prostate problem with nearly half of all men having benign prostatic hyperplasia (a swollen or enlarged prostate gland) by the time they reach the age of 60 and about ninety percent getting the problem before they reach 80.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a benign or non-cancerous swelling of the prostate gland and can normally be treated using drugs or with minor minimally invasive surgery. The first step however is to ensure that the problem is benign prostatic hyperplasia and that the symptoms are not being caused by another problem, such as difficulties with the kidneys or bladder or an infection of the urinary tract.
At the same time as checking for a swollen prostate gland it is imperative to also check for the presence of prostate cancer as, despite the fact that a swollen prostate gland does not produce prostate cancer, it is possible for a swollen prostate gland and prostate cancer to exist alongside each other.
Testing normally involves a prostate exam, or digital rectal exam, along with an assessment of the patient's symptoms and medical history. As the prostate gland lies between the rectum and the bladder it is an easy matter for a doctor or nurse to put a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum while the patient lies on his side to examine the prostate gland for signs of swelling or irregularities. A prostate exam is not perhaps the most agreeable experience but is more embarrassing than painful.
It is also feasible for you to do your own prostate exam or for your partner to carry this out for you. Indeed, a growing number of men find that this reasonably simple examination may be done quite easily once a month or so while having a shower. This examination provides considerable peace of mind and can also allow any enlargement to be found at a very early stage so that it can be treated.
Your doctor may also order a number of laboratory tests at this point. These tests may include a blood test to check PSA levels, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine together with a urine test.
PSA is found in the blood and is produced by the prostate gland with levels increasing a bit in response to benign prostatic hyperplasia and quite markedly in the case of prostate cancer.
The other tests are designed to look for the existence of an infection of the urinary tract or difficulties with the kidneys, both of which can lead to symptoms which are similar to the symptoms experienced in cases of a swollen prostate.
In some cases the doctor may also order additional tests such as an ultrasound examination to determine the size of the prostate gland and measure the volume of urine in the bladder, or a cystoscopy (an exam making use of a thin and flexible scope) to evaluate the condition of the urethra and bladder.
When none of these tests produce clear results a doctor may order a prostate biopsy in which a number of tiny samples of tissue are taken from the prostate gland for microscopic examination.
Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
