Get to know your prostate

If you’re a man, then you’ve got a prostate and you should know what’s normal and what isn’t to look after your health. Here’s a quick rundown of the need-to-know facts about your prostate.

• The prostate can be found at the base of your bladder, just in front of the rectum.
• The job of this little gland is to make some of the fluid that encapsulates sperm cells in semen.
• The urethra carries urine and semen out of the body through the male reproductive organ, via the prostate.
• Your prostate is likely to change in size over time, this growth and activity are stimulated by male hormones called androgens. Testosterone being the main androgen.
• Your prostate can be checked by a doctor via a rectal examination, where they can feel for any abnormalities.
• You need to start thinking about having your prostate checked when you’re 45, and definitely go when you’re in your fifties.
• Prostate cancer is more common among African American men and less common among Asian/Pacific Islanders. If you’re of African American origin, ask your doctor to check your prostate sooner than when you’re 45 to minimise your risk of having any problems in the future.
• Unfortunately, the older you get, the higher the risk so once you’re over 55 make sure you’re getting checked regularly, it’s really not that unpleasant in comparison to a serious disease.
• Family history is really important too if you have a father, brother or son with prostate cancer then your risk is substantially higher.
• Many people suffering from prostate cancer have little to no symptoms which is why screening is so important.
• Possible symptoms of prostate cancer include; any changes to urinating including pain, difficulty, decreased flow and blood, discomfort in that area, blood in semen, leg swelling and erectile dysfunction.
• To check your prostate, a doctor can carry out a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and an ultrasound may be needed to check the presence of a tumour.
• There is also the option to have a Prostate-specific antigen screening (PSA) which can be measured through a simple blood test. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland, and if the prostate gland is affected by an infection, inflammation, cancer or even just enlargement then the population of this protein will be higher.
• Prostate cancer can be treated and cured with several different methods depending on your individual circumstances, but catching it early gives you the best chance of survival.

If you’d like to manage your risk of developing serious prostate cancer, you may want to look into Private Medical Insurance. Where time is so vital, the opportunity to get fast appointments and treatment is invaluable, especially later in life.