Prostate Health in Houma & South Louisiana

The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It lies just below the bladder. It makes fluid that is part of semen.

There are many types of prostate diseases:

• Prostatitis is inflammation (swelling and pain) in the prostate gland. It's the most common type of prostate problem in people under than age 50. There are different types:
  • Chronic prostatitis is also called chronic pelvic pain syndrome. It's the most common type of prostatitis.
  • Acute bacterial prostatitis starts suddenly from a bacterial infection and is treated with antibiotics. It is not common.
  • Chronic bacterial prostatitis happens when a bacterial infection keeps coming back. The symptoms usually start slowly. It may take longer to treat than acute bacterial prostatitis.
  • Asymptomatic prostatitis has no symptoms and usually doesn't need treatment. You may learn you have it after having tests for other health problems.
• Enlarged prostate is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The prostate gland tends to grow larger with age. That's why enlarged prostate is very common in older people and rare in those who are under age 40. When the prostate grows larger, it may press on your urethra and cause problems with urination.
• Prostate cancer happens when cancer cells form in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is a common type of cancer in those aged 50 and older. Most prostate cancers grow slowly and may never cause health problems. But certain prostate cancers are serious.

Anyone with a prostate can develop prostate problems. But some people are at higher risk.

You may be more likely to develop prostatitis if you have:

• A lower urinary tract infection, also called a UTI. An infection in your lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra) may lead to acute or chronic bacterial prostatitis.
• Nerve damage in your lower urinary tract from surgery or an injury. This may lead to chronic prostatitis.
• Emotional stress, which can lead to chronic prostatitis.

You may be more likely to develop an enlarged prostate (BPH) if you:

• Are age 40 or older.
• Have family members who have had BPH.
• Have certain health conditions such as:
  • Obesity.
  • Heart disease and problems with blood circulation.
  • Type 2 diabetes.
• Don't get enough physical activity.

You may be more likely to develop prostate cancer if you:

• Are older than age 50.
• Have a parent, sibling, or child who has or had prostate cancer.
• Are African American.

The symptoms of prostate problems include:

• Needing to urinate a lot.
• Needing to rush to the bathroom, but not being able to urinate or only going a little.
• Leaking or dribbling urine.
• Having a weak urine stream.

Other symptoms depend on the type of prostate problem you have and may include:

• Not being able to urinate at all. This is a medical emergency.
• Any problems, starting or controlling urine flow.
• Waking up often to urinate.
• Blood in your urine or urine that has an unusual smell or color.
• Fever, chills, or body aches.
• Great discomfort or pain:
  • While urinating or after ejaculation.
  • In your abdomen (belly), between your scrotum and anus, or in your scrotum or penis.

Contact your provider if you have any of these symptoms.

To find out if you have a prostate problem, your provider will:

• Ask about your medical history and symptoms.
• Ask about your family health history.
• Do a physical exam. The exam may include a digital rectal exam (DRE) of your prostate. In a DRE, your provider inserts a gloved finger into your rectum to feel the general size and condition of your prostate.
• Order tests, if needed. Tests may include:
  • Blood and urine tests to look for infection.
  • Urodynamic testing to see how well you can hold and release urine.
  • Cystoscopy to look inside your urethra and bladder.
  • Ultrasound pictures of your prostate and urinary tract.
  • A PSA blood test (prostate-specific antigen test).
  • Prostate biopsy to diagnose or rule out cancer.

Treatment depends on what prostate disease you have and which symptoms bother you most.

Cancer is a disease when the cells of the body grow out of control. Cancer screening is having tests to look for signs of cancer before you have any symptoms. By the time cancer causes symptoms, it may have already spread to other parts of your body. A screening test may help find cancer early, when it may be easier to treat.

Cancer screening only tells you whether you might have cancer. It doesn't diagnose cancer. If a screening test shows signs of cancer, you'll need to have other tests to find out if you do have cancer and how serious it may be.

Prostate cancer screening looks for signs of cancer in the prostate. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It lies just below the bladder. It makes fluid that is part of semen.

Prostate cancer is most common in people over age 50. It usually grows slowly and doesn't cause health problems. In fact, it's possible to live a long life with prostate cancer and never know you have it. But in certain cases, prostate cancer may spread to other parts of the body and can be very serious.

The goal of prostate cancer screening is to find prostate cancers that may be more likely to spread so they can be treated early.

Two tests are commonly used to screen for prostate cancer:

• A prostate-specific antigen test, also called a PSA blood test. PSA is a protein made by your prostate. A high level of PSA in your blood may mean you have prostate cancer, but it's not proof of cancer. That's because many other things may cause high PSA levels, including:
  • Having an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH)
  • Having other common prostate problems
  • Taking certain medicines
  In general, the higher your PSA, the more likely it is that you have cancer. But a low PSA blood level isn't a guarantee that you don't have cancer.
• Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). The DRE is a prostate exam. In this exam, your health care provider inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum to feel your prostate for lumps or anything unusual. A DRE can check only one side of the prostate.

A PSA test or a DRE may be able to detect prostate cancer at an early stage. But it is not clear whether early detection and treatment lower the risk of dying from prostate cancer. You should talk with your provider about the benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening.

The possible benefits of prostate cancer screening include:

• Finding and treating prostate cancer early before it spreads
• Getting a better sense of your prostate cancer risk (based on your PSA test)
• Peace of mind if your screening shows you're unlikely to have prostate cancer now
• The option to choose further testing and closely monitor your prostate if your screening shows you may have cancer

The possible harms of prostate cancer screening include:

• Getting a false positive result. This means that your PSA test shows you may have prostate cancer when you really don't. A false positive may lead to:
  • Worry while you have more tests to look for signs of cancer.
  • A prostate biopsy. In a biopsy, a doctor removes tissue from your prostate so it can be studied under a microscope to look for cancer cells. This is the only way to diagnose cancer. The possible harms of a prostate biopsy include:
    • Fever
    • Pain
    • Blood in semen
    • Urinary tract infection
• Having prostate cancer treatment that you may not have needed. Prostate cancer screening may lead to a cancer diagnosis, but it's not always clear whether the cancer is likely to grow and spread. You could have unnecessary treatment for cancer that would never have caused any health problems. And the common prostate cancer treatments may have serious, permanent complications, such as:
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Problems controlling your bowel movements (BMs)

Since there are benefits and risks to prostate screening, you should talk with your provider to decide if screening is right for you. You and your provider should consider:

• Your age. The risk of prostate cancer increases after age 50.
• Your family health history. If members of your family have had prostate cancer, your risk may be higher.
• Your race. Prostate cancer is more common in African Americans. They also have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer at a younger age and having more serious disease.
• Your general health. Are you well enough to have treatment for prostate cancer if it's found?
• What you prefer. How do you feel about the possible benefits and harms of screening, diagnosis, and treatment?