Symptoms of BPH include difficulty initiating urination, weak urinary stream, and waking several times at night to urinate. BPH is more common among older men, because as a man ages, his prostate naturally enlarges. BPH can be treated by a variety of methods, including, prescription medications and surgery. Prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate, is not contagious and modern medicine does not yet clearly understand the way in which the prostate becomes infected. The bacteria that cause prostatitis may get into the prostate from the urethra by backward flow of infected urine.
Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that most often begins in the outer part of the prostate.
As the tumor grows, it may spread to the inner part of the prostate. Treatment options for prostate cancer include watchful waiting, hormonal therapy, radiation, brachytherapy and surgery. A high PSA can indicate a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. With increased public attention to prostate problems, fear or embarrassment should no longer be a barrier to maintaining prostate health as there are many patient-friendly treatments available for common prostate problems. In addition, there are many ways men can maintain prostate health, including getting regular check-ups, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and using dietary supplements, such as Saw Palmetto, which help promote and maintain normal urinary flow.