Nearly all men will suffer one form of prostate problem with nearly half of all men experiencing benign prostatic hyperplasia (a swollen or enlarged prostate) by the time they get to the age of 60 and about ninety percent having the problem before they reach the age of 80.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a non-cancerous or benign enlargement of the prostate gland and can normally be treated using medication or with minor minimally invasive surgery. The first step however is to verify that the problem is in fact benign prostatic hyperplasia and that your symptoms are not the result of something else, such as a urinary tract infection or difficulties with the bladder or kidneys.
Whilst checking for benign prostatic hyperplasia it is important to also look for the presence of prostate cancer as, although benign prostatic hyperplasia does not lead to prostate cancer, it is possible for both benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer to exist side-by-side.
Testing frequently involves a prostate examination, or digital rectal exam, along with an assessment of the symptoms reported by the patient and his medical history. As the prostate gland is situated between the rectum and the bladder it is easy for a doctor to insert a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to inspect the prostate gland for signs of enlargement or irregularities. The prostate examination is perhaps not the most pleasant of procedures but is more uncomfortable than painful.
It is also feasible for you to do your own prostate exam or for your partner to undertake this for you. In fact, an increasing number of men find that this reasonably simple self examination may be done fairly easily once a month or so when having a shower. This examination can provide a great deal of peace of mind and can also allow any swelling to be picked up at an early stage so that it can be treated.
It is also not uncommon at this point for the doctor to request a variety of laboratory tests. These may include a blood test to look at PSA levels, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine as well as a urine test.
PSA is found in the blood and is specific to the prostate gland with levels climbing a bit in response to an enlarged prostate and markedly in response to prostate cancer.
Other tests are designed to identify the existence of a urinary tract infection or difficulties with the kidneys, both of which may lead to symptoms similar to the symptoms seen in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
In certain cases a doctor may also request additional tests like an ultrasound examination which can determine the size of the prostate gland and measure the volume of urine held in the bladder, or a cystoscopy (an examination undertaken with a thin and flexible scope) to evaluate the condition of the bladder and urethra.
When none of these tests produce conclusive results your doctor may request a prostate biopsy in which several tiny samples of tissue are removed from the prostate gland for microscopic inspection.
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