Healthcare Services

Prostate Health Services in Houston

What Are the Primary Conditions That Affect the Prostate?

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. In younger men, the prostate is typically the size of a walnut, but as they get older, the prostate will naturally expand – and, in some cases, unnaturally so. With BPH, your prostate can triple in mass, pinching your urethra and leading to symptoms like difficulty urinating, a weak urine stream, frequent urination and the feeling of incomplete bladder emptying.

BPH is extremely common in older men, likely due to hormonal changes with age. Although a majority will never develop symptoms, others may need to seek treatment for the bladder blockage – including alpha-blockers to relax the muscles near your prostate or in some cases surgery for fast relief.

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is when your prostate becomes inflamed, resulting in pelvic pain, painful urination, difficulty urinating and pain during ejaculation. This typically occurs due to a bacterial infection, either acute or chronic, or in rare cases chronic pelvic pain. Prostatitis can usually be treated with antibiotics to clear the infection, anti-inflammatories to reduce inflammation and alpha-blockers to relax the muscles around your bladder. This may also include certain lifestyle changes, like increased hydration and avoiding substances that can upset the bladder, like coffee.

Prostate Cancer

The most concerning of the three most common prostate afflictions is prostate cancer, which is second only to skin cancer as the leading cause of death among men. There are rarely outward symptoms when malignant cells form in the prostate tissues. While some may experience symptoms like blood in urine or semen, pelvic pain or erectile dysfunction, most don’t.

Prostate cancer is also one of the slowest-acting cancers. With early detection and prompt medical interventions – such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy to block testosterone, which prostate cancer cells depend on for growth – male patients can expect to increase their chances of making a full recovery.

How Is Prostate Cancer Diagnosed?

Prostate cancer is typically diagnosed based on the Gleason grade system, in which prostate tissue is assigned two grades based on the malignancy of its predominant and second most common pattern. These categories are rated on a scale of one to five – one indicating normal cells and five indicating cancerous cells. Any grade above three is usually indicative of a positive diagnosis.

Scores in each category are combined to form the Gleason score, which ranges from two to ten:

• Two: Minimum score, likely negative result
• Below Six: Low-grade, cancer is still in the early stages and has yet to spread
• Seven: Cancer has progressed a moderate amount but is still contained to the prostate
• Above Eight: Cancer is high-grade and has probably spread to other parts of your body

Who Is Most at Risk of Developing Prostate Cancer?

Age is a predominant risk factor for men. The older you get, the higher your risk gets – growing almost two-fold after you turn 50. Most cases of positive diagnoses are in men 65 years and older. Other common risk factors include family history, obesity, high testosterone levels, a diet high in red meat and high-fat dairy products and previous prostate inflammation.

How to Protect Your Prostate Health

20s-30s

• Try to adopt a Mediterranean diet or one that is rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy fats
• Exercise regularly to maintain overall health
• Stay hydrated and limit alcohol and caffeine intake
• Avoid smoking
• Practice safe sex to prevent infections

40s     

• Manage stress through relaxation techniques
• Start discussing prostate health with a healthcare provider
• Consider getting a PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test if there's a family history – if you have a PSA level between four and 10 ng/mL, you have a one in four chance of developing prostate cancer

50s and above 

• Regular prostate screenings, including a PSA test and potentially a prostate biopsy if necessary
• Your doctor may also conduct a digital rectal exam to feel for bumps in your prostate gland
• Discuss prostate cancer risk and screening options with a healthcare provider
• Be vigilant about urinary and sexual health symptoms

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