Only men have a prostate gland, which is found just below the bladder and approximately in front of the rectum.  It surrounds the urethra, which is the tube through which the urine is expelled from the bladder to the outside of the body.  The prostate is also involved in providing nutrients to the sperm cells.

If a man is going to experience problems in the urinary tract, it will occur in the prostate.

These problems can be either an enlarged prostate or prostatitis.

There are two levels of prostatitis, either acute or chronic.  If someone is suffering from acute prostatitis, he may be experiencing urinating difficulty, pain or burning while urinating, difficulty when trying to go to the bathroom and frequent lower back pain.  Often times, there can be pain between the scrotum and rectum, fever, and blood or pus in the urine.  Chronic prostatitis symptoms may include frequent and burning urination with blood in the urine, lower back pain, and impotence and as the condition becomes more advanced, urination will become more difficult.

It is estimated that approximately 60% of men over the age of 50 and 75% of men over the age of 70 will experience an enlarged prostate.  Hormonal changes, which are associated with aging, start to occur when a man reaches age 50.  At that point, his free testosterone levels will decrease while other hormone levels, including prolactin and estradiol will increase.  The result is a significant increase in the amount of a potent form of testosterone known as dihydrotestosterone, which will form within the prostrate.  An overproduction of prostate cells will occur, resulting in an enlarged prostate.  An enlarged prostate is not cancerous in and of itself but it can lead to serious problems, such as obstruction of the urethral canal, which interferes with urination and the ability to empty the bladder completely.  When this happens, the kidneys may become damaged both by pressure and by substances in the urine.

However, it is important to note that the symptoms for these disorders could also be prostate cancer, so check if you have the following symptoms:

• Painful urination, coupled with lower back pain, fever and pelvic pain.
• Your frequently feel the urge to urinate but can’t get started.
• You repeatedly urinate two or three times a night.

You still feel full after urination.