The prostate gland is a vital part of the male reproductive organs. In prepubescent boys the prostate gland is only about the size of a grain of rice. By the time men reach the age of twenty the prostate is about the size of a walnut and it grows slowly until the age of about forty five. When a man reaches his mid forties hormonal changes cause the prostate gland to grow more rapidly and this often leads to a common problem called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. People do not think about prostate problems in young men because BPH almost always impacts males who have passed their fiftieth birthday. However, it is not impossible to find prostate problems in young men and there is one condition that is particularly common in males who are under the age of fifty.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is the most common of all prostate problems in young men. Prostatitis is a swelling or inflammation of the prostate gland. The symptoms of prostatitis can include, fever, flu like symptoms, painful ejaculation and discomfort in the prostate or lower back area. The most common signs of prostatitis concern difficulty urinating. For instance a young man with an inflamed prostate may find an increased urge to urinate combined with a feeling of being unable to completely empty the bladder. It may become somewhat painful to pass water and the urine may be tinged with blood.
Although prostatitis is the most prevalent of all prostate problems in young men medical experts are not always sure exactly what the cause is. Some cases of prostatitis are caused by bacteria while others are the result of a faulty auto immune response. If a young man develops prostatitis his doctor will need to screen him in order to ensure that he does not have prostate cancer.
The treatment of prostatitis varies depending on what has caused it. Bacterial prostatitis can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics and analgesics. Nonbacterial prostatitis also requires pain medication and may also include changes in diet, warm baths and physical therapy.
Prostate Cancer
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Cancer is one of the rarer prostate problems in young men. The majority of prostate cancer cases concern men who are older than sixty. However, there are instances of prostate cancer in men who are younger than fifty. What’s more research indicates that men who have a strain of human papilloma virus (HPV) are more likely to develop prostate cancer.
The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to those of BPH and prostatitis. That is why a doctor must always rule out prostate cancer when a man experiences those symptoms. To determine whether the prostate is cancerous a biopsy will be required. This involves a small portion of the prostate being removed for analysis. Although prostate biopsy problems can potentially occur, the test is usually quite accurate when it comes to detecting the presence of cancer cells.
Stay Healthy
Prostate problems in young men are not that common. Nevertheless men of all ages should aim to avoid present or future prostate problems. All men should have regular prostate checkups once they reach the age of forty. Men of all ages should have regular prostate specific antigen tests. This test measures levels of a substance called gamma seminoprotein in the blood. This substance is present in higher levels if there are any cancerous prostate cells present.
