Additional Prostate Care

If you have an enlarged prostate or other non-cancerous prostate conditions, you can trust our urologists for expert diagnosis and the most advanced treatments.

The prostate is a small, walnut-sized gland in men. It secretes a liquid that makes up part of the semen. It is located next to the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder into the penis.

Health problems with the prostate aren’t limited to prostate cancer. Two of the more common health problems are an enlarged prostate and an infected prostate.

Symptoms of these conditions vary but usually include increased frequency or difficulty urinating.

Enlarged Prostate

Throughout your life, your prostate may become larger and start to cause problems as you age. When the prostate grows and it is not cancerous, it is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As the prostate enlarges, it can squeeze down on the urethra, causing you to have trouble urinating.

Your urologist will begin with a digital rectal exam and do a blood test (called a PSA, or prostate-specific antigen) to ensure there is no cancer. Then he might conduct tests to examine your bladder and measure your urine flow.

When medical therapy fails, surgery may be required. If you are unable to urinate, have kidney damage, frequent urinary tract infections or significant urethral bleeding or stones in the bladder, it is likely you will require one of the following procedures. They are designed to remove either part of the prostate or the entire prostate.

• transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
• transurethral incision of the prostate
• open prostatectomy

Prostate Infection

You can have a bacterial or nonbacterial infection of the prostate. This often occurs suddenly and is marked by pain and urination problems. Common infections include:

• Chronic pelvic pain syndrome—This is the most common type of infection. It’s nonbacterial and is sometimes called chronic prostatitis.
• Acute bacterial prostatitis—This can affect any age group, but commonly occurs in young and middle-aged men.
• Chronic bacterial prostatitis—This may exist for several years without symptoms.

Antibiotics are usually prescribed for bacterial infections, but it can be difficult to differentiate between the different types of infection. Other treatment may include anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and various heat therapies and relaxation exercises. You also may be asked to avoid certain foods, drinks and activities (bicycle riding) that may exacerbate the problem.

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