The Prostate

This is definitely one of those male-only health issues, if only for one reason – women don’t have one. Yes, boys, we’re on our own on this one.

What Is the Prostate?

The prostate is a small male sex gland, about the size and shape of a walnut. However, for such a small gland it packs one hell of a punch. This is because of where it is located in the body. The prostate is found at the bottom of the bladder between the bladder and the penis. It is wrapped around the waterworks tube (known as the urethra).

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What Does It Do?

The prostate gland plays an important role in both urinary function and sexual function. The prostate is part of the male reproductive apparatus. It plays a supporting role during sex by producing fluid that mixes with sperm at the time of ejaculation. This fluid accounts for most of the milky semen you ejaculate every time you experience an orgasm. This prostate fluid is thought to help nourish sperm and help them reach their target. Prostate fluid also contains a protein known as prostate specific antigen or PSA. The role of PSA is to help liquefy semen, aiding the fertility process. However, some PSA also escapes into the bloodstream. This is the basis of the PSA blood test. It can be a marker of prostate health in that raised levels of PSA in the blood can indicate prostate problems.

The Waterworks System

Understanding the process of urination can help you to understand diseases of the prostate and how they can affect us. When men attempt to urinate, urine passes from the bladder and out of the body through the urethra, a tube that runs from the bladder through the prostate and the penis. The prostate completely surrounds the first part of the urethra. Changes in the prostate, including an increase in size, can put pressure on the urethra, which can then cause symptoms such as needing to urinate more often, difficulty starting to pee, poor stream and dribbling at the end. These are known as ‘prostatic symptoms’.

Disorders of the Prostate

There are three main types of prostate disorders:

• Prostatitis
• Benign enlargement of the prostate gland (known as BPH)
• Prostate cancer

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is one of several benign (non-cancerous) conditions causing inflammation of the prostate gland. The prostate is prone to become inflamed and sometimes infected, as it is connected to the processes of both sex and urination. Prostatitis is common and there are estimates that at least half of all men Canadian Viagra online, at some point in their lives, will develop symptoms of this condition. It is not contagious and is not considered to be a sexually transmitted disease.