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.
Prostate cancer symptoms usually don’t show until the cancer has grown large enough, but with it being the most common cancer in men in the US, it’s important to recognize the signs when they are developing.
Prostate cancer symptoms usually appear when the cancer has grown as it begins to put pressure on the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis, known as the urethra. The cancer develops slowly, so it may not show signs for many years. But it’s important to recognize symptoms when they do start to show because there’s currently no cure for cancer.
Because prostate cancer presses on the urethra, many of the symptoms of prostate cancer affect how a person pees.
Here are five symptoms that may affect a man when he pees.
Difficulty peeing. For example, a weak flow or having to strain to start peeing.
Needing to pee more often than usual, especially at night.
Feeling like you have not completely emptied your bladder after peeing.
An urgent need to pee.
Blood in the pee or semen.
If you have any of these symptoms, it might be time to get in contact with Zurology.com to discuss your treatment options.
Prostate Cancer: What are the Signs and Symptoms
It’s also important to recognize that these symptoms can be caused by another condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or benign prostate enlargement (BPE).
BPE is the medical term to describe an enlarged prostate, a condition that can affect how you pass urine.
BPE is common in men aged over 50. It’s not cancer and it’s not usually a serious threat to health.
Is There a Test for Prostate Cancer?
If you have symptoms that could be caused by prostate cancer, or you’ve asked your doctor for one, you may have a PSA test. PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. It is a protein produced by both normal and cancerous prostate cells.
It’s normal for all men to have some PSA in their blood. However, a high level of PSA can be a sign of cancer. But your PSA level can also be raised in prostate conditions that are not cancer (benign) or if you have an infection. A diagnosis of cancer is not usually made on a PSA level alone.
Your doctor should explain to you the risks and benefits of having the PSA test.
It is important that if you feel you have any of the symptoms written about, please schedule. You need a quality urologist. So pick up the phone and call Z Urology, with offices in South Florida. Call today!
We provide state-of-the-art urologic care in the South Florida area with a focus on both male and female urology. Our practice specializes in all urologic procedures, specifically, minimally invasive methods. Our three locations to choose from are located in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Pompano Beach.
We at “Z” specialize in bladder issues, erectile dysfunction (ED), prostate issues, urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, stone disease, BPH, male infertility, pyeloplasty, Peyronie’s disease, and ureteral reimplantation.
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