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.

Suggested Reading

• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• BPH – Diagnosis and Treatment
• Enlarged Prostate and Lower Back Pain
• Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate
• Prostatitis – Risks, Symptoms, Diagnosis
• Natural Treatments for Prostatitis
• General Patient Oriented Information about Prostatitis
• Watching Their Diet Important for Prostate Cancer Sufferers
• What Kind of Treatment will You undergo for Prostatitis?
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Are Oral Medications Such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra Effective?

Emotional issues such as stress, worry, depression, guilt and anxiety can lead to the loss of a man’s libido and ED.  It becomes an endless cycle because if a man experiences the loss of an erection, he may fear that it will happen again at which point his performance may be affected and could lead to impotence.

Although it is important for the success of a relationship to address the causes of ED, it is more important to determine if the symptoms are medically based around an enlarged prostate.  Once that has been ruled out, then sex therapy could be a viable option to improve one’s sex life.

If enlarged prostate is diagnosed and surgery is required, there may be a worry about sexual function following surgery.  Some sources state that sexual function is rarely affected, while others claim that 30% of cases experience problems.  Prostate surgery can affect erections, ejaculations, orgasms and are discussed in more detail below.  Although it does take a while for sexual function to fully return, most men are able to enjoy sex again and complete recovery may occur within one year.

If you were able to maintain an erection shortly before undergoing prostate surgery, chances are you will be able to have erections following the surgery.  Erectile function is rarely a side affect of surgery and surgery cannot restore function if it was affected prior to an operation.

Despite the fact that men can still have erections after prostate surgery, often times the procedure will make them sterile.  This is caused by a condition called retrograde ejaculation or dry climax.  Normally, during sexual activity, the sperm from the testes enters the urethra near the opening of the bladder.  A muscle will block off the entrance to the bladder, and the semen is expelled through the penis. However, the coring action of prostate surgery cuts this muscle as it widens the neck of the bladder. Following surgery, the semen will enter the wider opening to the bladder rather than being expelled through the penis.  Sometimes this condition can be treated with pseudoephedrine, which is a drug found in many cold medicines.  Imipramine can also be prescribed.  These improve the bladder neck’s muscle tone and keep semen from entering the bladder.

For most men, there is little or no difference in their orgasms post surgery.  If they are experiencing retrograde ejaculation, this may take some time to get used to; however, sex should become as pleasurable as it was prior to surgery.

Suggested Reading

• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Are Oral Medications Such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra Effective?
• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Enlarged Prostate and Lower Back Pain
• What Increases the Risk of Having an Enlarged Prostate
• Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate
• Should You Limit Your Alcohol Intake If You Have Prostate Problems?
• BPH – Diagnosis and Treatment
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• What is Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA)?

Emotional issues such as stress, worry, depression, guilt and anxiety can lead to the loss of a man’s libido and ED.  It becomes an endless cycle because if a man experiences the loss of an erection, he may fear that it will happen again at which point his performance may be affected and could lead to impotence.

Although there are quite a few treatment options available for ED, this article will discuss the oral medications that are often prescribed and a side-by-side comparison of the three most common, Viagra, Cialis and Levitra will be done.

By a review of the chart, it appears that Cialis would offer the most benefits for a healthy sexual experience with viewer side effects.  The benefits appear to last longer and can be taken well ahead of the other two medications.

Suggested Reading

• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Should You Limit Your Alcohol Intake If You Have Prostate Problems?
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• What is Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA)?
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Enlarged Prostate and Lower Back Pain
• Enlarged Prostate and Management of Pain
• What Increases the Risk of Having an Enlarged Prostate

Some of the products on the market will be discussed below

Get Well Natural LLC’s Healthy Prostate & Ovary claims to be formulated to promote healthy prostate, ovarian and immune function and that this herbal combination has been featured in Second Opinion by Dr. Robert Rowen MD.  Second Opinion is a Health Sciences Institute periodic publication.  The advertisement goes on to claim that
“Many doctors and individuals highly endorse the product based on their experiences of its health supporting benefits.  It is stated that the main ingredient, Crinum Latifolium, has been “researched and documented in Vietnam to be an excellent and effective supportive ingredient to promote the health of the ovary and prostate.”  Crinum Latifolium is described as a leafy traditional Vietnamese herb used in ancient times by royalty to enhance longevity and the immune system.  Apparently, it is currently being used in Vietnam for a wide variety to health supporting benefits for the body for those with conditions including prostate and ovarian disorders such as prostatitis, adenoma, benign prostate enlargement (BPH), uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts.

Prostate Health Essentials is a combination of over 30 of the “top natural ingredients” designed to solve enlarged prostate, prostate infection and lower the high prostate scores while at the same time building a healthy prostate.  It claims to be a powerful formula of natural ingredients “that deliver(s) quick and long lasting relief from the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.”

Emotional issues such as stress, worry, depression, guilt and anxiety can lead to the loss of a man’s libido and ED.  It becomes an endless cycle because if a man experiences the loss of an erection, he may fear that it will happen again at which point his performance may be affected and could lead to impotence.  There are many sources of so-called “cure-alls” but with all non-regulated medications that are on the internet, the best protection is to be well-informed purchaser.

Suggested Reading

• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Are Oral Medications Such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra Effective?
• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• What is Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA)?
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Enlarged Prostate and Lower Back Pain
• Enlarged Prostate and Management of Pain
• What Increases the Risk of Having an Enlarged Prostate
• Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate

Many natural treatments may help to ease the uncomfortable symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

It is generally believed that all men over the age of 45 experience some level of prostate enlargement.  By age 60, over 80 percent of men experience problems with urination due to enlarged prostate.

When the prostate becomes enlarged, it puts pressure on the urethra.  This causes many urinary complaints, including frequent or urgent urination, the need to get up at night to urinate, a reduction in the force of the urine stream, incomplete emptying of the bladder, terminal dribbling and even the inability to urinate at all.  An enlarged prostate may also cause impotency.

Sources of Antioxidants

While these challenges are not life threatening, they are nuisances and can become quite bothersome.  Fortunately, many natural treatments and remedies have been shown to help relieve the symptoms of enlarged prostate.  These include:

• Eating a healthy diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables each day and avoiding unsaturated fats, sugars and processed foods.
• Kegel exercises are performed by tightening the muscles around the scrotum and anus.  Repeating this tension 10 times, 5 to 6 times daily will strengthen the kegel muscles and will help to improve symptoms of enlarged prostate.
• Saw palmetto is a plant that has been shown to diminish the inflammation and enlargement of the prostate.  It also inhibits the hormones that cause prostate enlargement.  Another herb, called Pygeum africanum has been shown to have the same affect on the prostate.
• Zinc is an essential trace element and has been shown to play an important role in regulating cell growth and building the immune response.  Studies have found that zinc deficiency can result in prostate enlargement.  Stress and infection also results in a lowering of the body’s zinc levels.
• Antioxidants will protect the prostate’s sensitive tissues from oxidative damage.
• Herbs, including nettle, pygeum, damiana and hydrangea have been shown to support the urinary system and relieve the symptoms of enlarged prostate.

Suggested Reading

• Natural Treatments for Prostate Infection
• Natural Treatments for Prostatitis
• Herbal Supplements to Promote Prostate Health and to Treat Prostate Disease
• Are Natural Prostate Health Treatments Safe?
• Do Natural Prostate Health Treatments Work?
• Diet for a Healthy Prostate
• Proactive Lifestyle Choices for a Healthy Prostate
• Diverticulitis: What is it and what can you do about it?
• How Can Interstitial Cystitis Affect Your Prostate?
• What is Proctitis and How is it Related to Prostate Pain?

Transurethral needle ablation or TUNA is an outpatient procedure to treat urinary problems and prostate enlargement.

TUNA is also called radiofrequency therapy.  It can reduce symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate.  TUNA uses radio waves to destroy the part of your prostate that is blocking urine flow.

TUNA works best for men who have a mild to moderate blockage of the urethra.  It does not work for men with very large prostates or for men who have obstruction caused by enlargement of the central part of the prostate that rests against the bladder.

A local anesthetic may be used to help control pain and you may have intravenous (IV) sedation.  With IV sedation, you’ll be drowsy but conscious.

Shortly before the procedure begins, you will be asked to urinate so your bladder is empty and you may be given an enema to clear your bowels and rectum.

During the procedure, your doctor will insert a numbing gel inside your urethra and may numb the prostate area with an injection into your rectum.  Next, your doctor will use a visual instrument called a cytoscope to place tiny needles into your prostate.  Once the needles are placed into your prostate, radio waves pass through them to heat and destroy excess prostate cells. You may feel a little pain or discomfort.

This entire procedure can take less than an hour.  It is usually done as an outpatient procedure, so you can go home the same day.

After the procedure, you may not be able to engage in any strenuous activities, such as heavy lifting, for at least three to five days.  You will also not be able to engage in any sexual activity until your doctor approves it, which usually is about a week or two after.

Additionally, you may need to have a catheter inside your penis to allow urine to pass from your bladder after the procedure.  If you’re unable to urinate after the tube is removed, your doctor may give you catheters you can insert on your own a few times a day until you can urinate again.  Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection and medications to reduce pain.

The common side effects from this procedure are blood in your urine for a few days following; irritating urinary symptoms such as painful urination or difficulty urinating; and inflammation of the prostate.

Suggested Reading

• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• Natural Treatments for Prostate Infection
• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Natural Treatments for Prostatitis
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• Herbal Supplements to Promote Prostate Health and to Treat Prostate Disease
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Are Oral Medications Such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra Effective?
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Are Natural Prostate Health Treatments Safe?

Transurethral needle ablation. Another surgical procedure was approved by the FDA in 1996.  This minimally invasive procedure, transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) system, has been found to provide good clinical improvement of enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).  Research has shown that it is a save and effective therapy for BPH.  This procedure delivers low-level radiofrequency energy through twin needles to burn away areas of the enlarged prostate.  Shields are put in place to protect the urethra from heat damage.  Pros:  Improves urine flow and relieves symptoms; fewer side effects; no incontinence or impotence has been observed.

Water-induced thermotherapy. Another treatment for urinary outflow obstruction is water-induced thermotherapy.  This procedure uses a balloon which is inflated within the urethra.  The water, heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, is circulated through the catheter system. The remaining portion of the catheter shaft is insulated and kept at 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The heated water and pressure from the balloon produces deep necrosis that either sloughs off or is reabsorbed allowing a pathway for the passage of urine.  Pros:  Performed as an outpatient during one session; Con:  May require catheterization for at least one week after the procedure.

Suggested Reading

• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Are Oral Medications Such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra Effective?
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• What is Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA)?
• Enlarged Prostate and Lower Back Pain
• Enlarged Prostate and Management of Pain
• What Increases the Risk of Having an Enlarged Prostate
• Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate

The prostate is the reproductive gland located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum, wrapping around the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder. This gland produces most of a male’s semen.

A physician will diagnose prostatitis by collecting a patient’s urine and thoroughly examining  his prostate gland.

The tests include a digital rectal examination, which involves inserting a well lubricated gloved finger into the rectum to check for any abnormalities of the gland. The physician also may collect a sample of prostate fluid so that it can be analyzed.  Some physicians also perform a prostate specific antigen test to measure the amount of this chemical in a person’s blood.  The presence of both prostatitis and prostate cancer can increase a patient’s PSA level.

As many as 50 percent of men in the United States will experience prostatitis during their lifetime.  Prostatitis is divided into three main categories, nonbacterial, acute, and chronic, and the most common type is nonbacterial prostatitis. Symptoms may include frequent urination and pain in the lower abdomen or lower back area. Causes may be stress and irregular sexual activity.

Treatments for nonbacterial prostatitis may include anti-inflammatory medications or muscle relaxants, taking hot baths, drinking extra fluids, learning to relax when urinating, and ejaculating frequently. Also recommended changes in one’s diet may also be suggested.

Acute bacterial prostatitis can be the result of bacteria, a virus, or a sexually transmitted disease. Symptoms may include fever and chills, low back pain, frequent and painful urination, weak stream when urinating, and infrequent urination.

These type of infections are treated with antibiotics, bed rest, stool softener, and increased fluid intake.

Chronic prostatitis may be bacterial or the result of an inflammation of the prostate. Symptoms may include frequent bladder infections, frequent urination, and persistent pain in the lower abdomen or back.

This form of prostatitis often is treated with medications (often antibiotics), changes in the diet, biofeedback, and nonprescription supplements.

Screening is key to detecting prostatitis in its early stages and it involves looking for signs of the disease in people who have no symptoms, thus looking for early-stage disease at a point when treatment may be more effective.

Suggested Reading

• What Increases the Risk of Having an Enlarged Prostate
• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Natural Treatments for Prostatitis
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• Watching Their Diet Important for Prostate Cancer Sufferers
• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• What is Non-Bacterial Prostatitis?
• How is Prostatitis Diagnosed?
• Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate
• Natural Treatments for Prostate Infection

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a condition that occurs where the prostate gland to becomes enlarged as a man ages.

As a man matures, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth, the first occurring early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size, and the second around the age of 25, when the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase is the one that often results, years later, in BPH.

Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life, the enlargement doesn’t usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH.

When the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, thereby causing the gland to press against the urethra.  Thus, the bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, so some of the urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH.

The condition is unrelated to prostate cancer, but it does cause bothersome symptoms such as frequent urination and difficulty with emptying the bladder completely.  It is known that certain medications, most commonly cold and allergy remedies, can make BPH symptoms worse.

The Harvard publication, reporting on a large study done in the Netherlands, recently implicated NSAIDs as another cause of worsening BPH.  Approximately 5,900 men age 45 and older, who were using NSAIDs were twice as likely as non-users to develop acute urinary retention, a sudden inability to empty the bladder.

In men who already have BPH, the painkillers may worsen urinary symptoms because they block production of chemicals called prostaglandins which is produced by the bladder to enhance contractions of surrounding muscles.  When this process is blocked, it makes it even harder for men with BPH to empty their bladders.

All men should use NSAIDs carefully, following the label directions unless a doctor tells them otherwise.  Men with BPH should pay attention to whether their symptoms increase when taking an NSAID. If this does happen, they should tell their doctor, and possibly switch to acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief.

Suggested Reading

• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Are Oral Medications Such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra Effective?
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• What is Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA)?
• Enlarged Prostate and Herbal Supplements: Treating the Condition as Nature Intended
• Enlarged Prostate and Lower Back Pain
• What Increases the Risk of Having an Enlarged Prostate
• Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate

Although not necessarily a symptom, obesity can signal a greater problem and if left unattended, can progress into prostate cancer.

In a study published in the journal, Cancer, stated that the higher a body mass index and weight gain in adulthood, the greater the risk of death from prostate cancer.  This study did not reveal any conclusions that obesity was linked to enlarged prostate.  We are becoming a fat society. The study went on to state that there was a 20% increase in obesity in the United States since 1985.

In addition to contributing to the increased incidence of an enlarged prostate, obesity can lead to heart disease, gallbladder disease, diabetes and stroke.

Not only are there factors that can lead to the risk of an enlarged prostate, an enlarged prostate can lead to urinary tract infections.  Other risk factors include an uncircumcised penis, engaging in anal intercourse; unprotected sex with a woman who has been diagnosed with a vaginal infection and anyone who has been diagnosed with HIV. Another factor to be mindful of is not getting the requisite number of fluids.  When we drink more fluid, namely water, we tend to have to urinate more frequently, thereby reducing the bacteria found in the urinary tract and bladder.  When a catheter has been put in place for any reason, bacteria can enter the tube and start an infection. Kidney stones and diabetes can also develop from an enlarged prostate.

Our bodies are well-oiled machines and will start to “sputter” when it needs to be given a checkup.  When we choose to ignore these maintenance signs, the attendant problems can turn into something that may have significant health consequences.

Suggested Reading

• Enlarged Prostate and Lower Back Pain
• Enlarged Prostate and Erectile Dysfunction: Is there a connection?
• Natural Treatments for Enlarged Prostate
• Detection for the Causes and Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate
• Natural Treatments for Prostate Infection
• What is the Relationship Between Frequent Urination and Enlarged Prostate
• Diverticulitis: What is it and what can you do about it?
• Natural Treatments for Prostatitis
• Watching Their Diet Important for Prostate Cancer Sufferers
• How Can Interstitial Cystitis Affect Your Prostate?