Recognizing the Signs of Prostate Cancer

One of the most common types of cancer that afflicts men is prostate cancer. Your prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland that produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Like most cancers, it is usually very difficult to notice the signs that are telling your body something is wrong. However, after this cancer goes untreated for extended periods of time, then it will grow to different areas around the body and become much more serious. Thankfully, most prostate cancers are recognized in their earliest stages. Here are some of the different signals that may indicate that you have prostate cancer.

Pay Attention to Your Body

Your body doesn’t just respond to the commands that you give it all day. It also has a built-in filtration system and a notification system. This means that it has its own ways to notify you that the internal areas of your body are having issues. Here are some of the signs that may indicate prostate cancer:

• Trouble with urination
• Decreased force in the stream during urination
• Blood in the urine
• Blood in the semen
• General pain in the lower back, hips or thighs
• Bone pain
• Weakness in legs or difficulty walking
• Swelling in your legs
• Unexplained weight loss
• Erectile dysfunction

All of these are small indications that point to an underlying medical condition. Although these symptoms may mean a bunch of different illnesses, prostate cancer is on that list.

Factors that Affect Prostate Cancer

There are a few different factors that may increase or decrease your chances of obtaining prostate cancer. Here are the risk factors:

• Old age
• Statistics show that those with African ancestry have a higher chance of prostate cancer
• Family history of prostate cancer or other cancers
• Obesity
• Diets that primarily focus around meats and dairy

The best way to maintain your distance from prostate cancer is by living a healthy lifestyle. Don’t indulge in too many meats and dairy. Exercise as much as possible and make sure to be honest and detailed with your health care provider.