There is a reason why you never hear young men talking about problems with their prostate, yet it is a frequent topic of comment, though not conversation, in men over 50. While men aren’t afraid to complain about having to urinate more regularly or about no longer being able to go through the night without having to get up and go to the toilet, rarely do you find them give more than a passing mention of their prostate.
The problem is that prostate problems are personal, and a thorough prostate examination is extremely personal. Traditionally, men aren’t as good at dealing with ‘personal stuff’ and intimate body examinations come way down at the bottom of the ‘to do’ list. Considering the most common medical ailment in men over 50 is an enlarged prostate, and prostate cancer is the second biggest killer in men behind lung cancer according to the World Cancer Research Fund. So why is the prostate so prone to developing cancer? It is estimated there will be 19,508 newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer in Australia during 2019.
The prostate begins to undergo certain changes
Interestingly, it is not as you approach 50 that the prostate begins to grow, it begins growing from the age of 25, but it is only once it begins to reach a certain size that is begins to cause problems. As the prostate is located immediately behind the urethra, when it becomes enlarged, this creates many of the problems associated with difficult or frequent urination. Not only can the prostate grow in size, but it can also become harder, exacerbating any associated urination problems.
As the cells of the prostate continue to multiply, particularly in older men, there is a greater possibility of abnormal (cancerous) cells being created, which partly explains why the prostate is so prone to developing cancer and why it is important, once you reach the age of 50, you take careful note of any changes or symptoms, including:
- Increased frequency in urinating
- Trouble passing urine
- Sensation that you still need to urinate after emptying your bladder
- Burning sensation/pain when urinating
- Erectile dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Lower back pain
- Blood in the urine
- Blood in the seminal fluid
Not all prostate problems are a sign of potential prostate cancer
The good news is that not every sign of a troublesome prostate will be an early sign of prostate cancer, but this doesn’t mean you should ignore any changes. A prostate infection can lead to a swollen prostate, known as prostatitis. Having an enlarged prostate is known as BPH, or benign prostate hyperplasia, and there is no link between BPH and the likelihood of developing cancer. It is so easy to ignore symptoms, usually through fear of a less-than-positive diagnosis. However with the chances of prostate problems being less likely to be cancer-related, why suffer and worry in silence when there is every chance there will be a simple cure for the problem you are experiencing.
So what can you do to improve the health of your prostate?
When symptoms of prostate problems appear, you are advised to immediately seek professional medical advice. However, you don’t have to wait for your prostate to start giving you problems before you begin to look after it. There is a very good article here written by Marcella Rosa, an Australian based sensual and tantric massage therapist that goes in to much more detail about good prostate health and the many (surprising) benefits of a prostate massage and prostate milking.