Be Knowledgeable About Prostate Health By Steven A Johnson At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

A very essential part of the male reproductive system is the prostate gland. However, it is actually not a gland at all; it is an organ that consists of about 70% glandular tissue and 30 % fribromuscular tissue. For an adult man, the prostate is about the size and shape of a walnut. It is located underneath the bladder and in front of the rectum.

The prostate glandular tissue secretes a fluid that contributes to the seminal fluid a man releases during ejaculation. This fluid is continuously generated by the prostate but increases the amount during sexual excitement. The prostate gland fluid is a thin, milky substance that gives semen it color and odor. It is also a combination of sperm, seminal vesicle fluid, prostate fluid of course, and tiny amounts of other fluids from minor glands.

The prostate grows very little from birth to puberty, at puberty it undergoes a growth spurt. It increases in weight and doubles in size. The size of the prostate then does not change again for about another 30 years or more. For some men it will not increase in size again. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or BPH is the nonmalignant enlargement of the prostate. More than half of men aged 50 or older have enlarged prostates.

Symptoms of enlarged prostate include a weak stream of urine, difficulty starting urination, dribbling urine, blood in the urine, a sense of not fully emptying the bladder, and leaking urine. You will also have more frequent urine and a strong and sudden desire to urinate, especially at night.

When a prostate enlarges it will block the flow of urine through the ureters causing a backpressure in the kidneys. If this condition goes untreated it can lead to chronic kidney disease. There are also many other health problems associated with the male prostate. Prostatitis or inflammation of the prostate, and prostate cancer are also huge concerns as well. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men.

Prostatitis causes chills, fever, and pain in the lower back and genital areas, body aches, burning during urination, and frequent urination. It can be treated with antibiotics. However, there are 4 different types of prostatitis. Acute and chronic bacterial and chronic bacterial can both be treated with antibiotics but that is not the case for the other 2. Nonbacterial and prosatodynia both have had ineffective treatment with antibiotics. Nonbacterial is chronic and painful, the symptoms come and go without warning. Prostatodynia is similar to nonbacterial except there is no presence of infection fighting cells.

Prostate cancer has very similar symptoms to enlarged prostate that is way it is very important to go to the doctor. They include difficulty starting urine stream, frequent urination, it may be painful, urinary retention, and blood in the urine. Preventing prostate cancer may not always be possible. Things like age, sex, race, and family history can not be changed.

Proper nutrition such as limiting intake of foods high in animal fats and increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you intake may help reduce the risk of cancer. Eating foods high in antioxidants such as vitamin C, E, and beta carotene may also protect you. Alternative Health Supplements offers numerous products to help keep your prostate healthy and you in general.

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