Prostate, Functions, Diseases A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

This book describes Prostate, Functions, Diseases, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases
The prostate is a plum-sized, muscular gland that produces some of the ingredients of semen.
It is located just in front of the rectum and below the bladder where urine is stored.
The prostate surrounds the urethra, the passage that brings the urine from the bladder to the penis.
It is essential for the proper functioning of the male reproductive system.
Function of the Prostate
The prostate only occurs in males.
The prostate produces a fluid that keeps sperm alive while protecting them.
The prostate contracts during ejaculation and sprays its fluid into the urethra.
During ejaculation, sperm travels along two tubes called vas deferens that carries millions of sperm from the testes to the seminal vesicles.
The seminal vesicles are connected to the prostate and provide extra fluid to the semen before it is sent down the urethra.
The location where the vas deferens meets the seminal vesicles is called the ejaculatory duct.
The prostate gland contracts during ejaculation, blocking the opening between the bladder and urethra and pushing semen through at high speed

Prostate fluid
This is the milky fluid produced by the prostate consisting up around 30 percent of the total fluid ejaculated.
Prostate fluid defends the sperm, helping them live longer and be more mobile.
It comprises a number of ingredients, such as enzymes, zinc, and citric acid.
One of the enzymes in prostate fluid is prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
Following ejaculation, PSA makes the thickened semen more liquid, helping sperm move through it more easily, raising their likelihood of successfully fertilizing an egg.
While prostate fluid is slightly acidic, the other constituents of semen make it alkaline overall.
This serves to counter the acidity of the vagina and defend the sperm from damage.
The prostate requires androgens (male hormones), such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to function properly.
Disorders affecting the prostate
As the male ages, the prostate can become enlarged.
If it becomes enlarged, it can cause problems.
This occurs normally after the age of 50.
There are a number of ways in which the prostate can cause medical disorders, such as:

1. Prostate cancer this is the most frequent form of cancer in males, involving about 1 in 7 men during their lifetime.
   About 1 in 39 men die of prostate cancer yearly.
2. Enlarged prostate also termed benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH), this affects almost all men aged 50 or over.
   It makes it difficult to urinate and, in rare, serious cases, can prevent urination entirely.
   Most often, the enlargement happens in the transition zone.
3. Prostatitis an inflammation of the prostate, sometimes caused by an infection.
   Associated Diseases
   Urinary Incontinence or retention may occur due to poor urine control from enlarged prostate.
   Symptoms:
4. Difficulty in starting urination
5. Straining at urination to produce a weak flow of urine
6. Dribbling of the urine after urination
7. Feeling of incomplete emptying of bladder even after urination.
8. Nocturia -getting up at night more frequently to pass urine
9. Frequency of urination
10. Urgent need to pass urine immediately with uncontrolled leakage (incontinence)
    Prostate medical tests
11. Digital rectal examination the doctor inserts a finger into the rectum and feels the prostate.
12. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests can assess the levels of this protein.
13. Prostate biopsy a needle inserted into the prostate via the rectum can take a sample of tissue to be tested in the laboratory.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Prostate, Functions, Diseases

Dettagli