If you find yourself here today after googling something like “what is a prostate” or “what does the prostate do?” You are not alone.
The prostate is a part of the body that often goes unnoticed and untalked about, that is until there may be something wrong with it. So today, let’s answer all the questions you may have about the prostate.
What is The Prostate?
The Prostate is a small gland about the size of a ping pong ball in the male body. It is found around the urethra which carries urine from the bladder through the penis. Women do not have a prostate gland.
What Does The Prostate Do?
The prostate is an important part of the reproductive process. This gland is responsible for creating seminal fluid which mixes with sperm from the testes. This fluid helps the sperm travel and increases its risk of survival leading to its end goal of egg fertilization.
Are There Risks to The Prostate?
This little gland sits deep inside the groin and often goes unnoticed. It can, however, be at risk of illness and disease, such as cancer, just like the rest of your body. Prostate cancer is most likely to affect men over the age of 50. This is why your doctor or urologist will begin to check your prostate for signs of cancer as you age.
Prostate cancer can be diagnosed by the presence of uncontrolled malignant cells growing on the prostate, which can present risk of spreading elsewhere throughout the body.
Prostate cancer is fairly common and can be treated successfully if caught early. Our prostate cancer center in Dayton, Ohio sees men daily to monitor and check for this treatable cancer.
What Are Warning Signs of Prostate Cancer?
In an effort to catch prostate cancer early, it is important for you to know the warning signs that there could be something affecting your prostate. Let’s take a look at what you can look out for and when it is time to see a urologist for any of these concerns.
- Noticeable pain or burning during urination or ejaculation
- An increase in urine frequency, especially at night
- Change in difficulty starting or stopping urination
- Sudden onset of erectile dysfunction
- Noticeable blood in urine or semen
If you have or do notice any of these signs, you should seek medical attention from a Urologist immediately. While any one of these signs don’t automatically point to prostate cancer, they are the best warnings our body can give us of something being wrong.
Additional signs of prostate cancer can develop and include:
- Unusually weak urine flow
- Pain around the prostate when sitting
- Swelling or pain in lower back or hips
- Any abnormal urinary or bowel movement
- Sudden unexplained weight loss
While a healthy prostate may easily go unnoticed, it is important for men to be aware of warning signs their body may be giving them. Prostate cancer can be common and treatable when caught early. If you have experienced any of these warning signs contact our team of urologists at Urology Specialist of Ohio for further screening and next steps.