The prostate gland surrounds the upper part of the urethra. It sits below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Your prostate gland is about the size of a walnut.
It is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate gland surrounds the upper part of the urethra, which is the tube that carries and excretes urine. The prostate’s primary function is to produce semen, the viscous fluid that sperm travel.
Common prostate issues
Problems relating to the prostate are generally associated with three conditions which include prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and cancer. Due to the location and function of the prostate gland, it can affect urination and sexual function.
Prostatitis is an inflamed prostate. There are two main types of prostatitis: acute and chronic. Acute prostatitis is caused by an infection and can result in a sudden onset of painful urination, a small stream, as well as fever and chills. Chronic prostatitis is also known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The underlying reason can be caused by chronic inflammation; however, the exact reason is mainly unknown. Symptoms include persistent and recurrent pain or burning when urinating, the continuous urge to urinate, difficulty emptying the bladder, and painful ejaculation.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia or commonly referred to as an ‘enlarged prostate’, is excessive growth of the gland that can occur after the age of 50. This can result in pinching of the urethra, causing difficulty when urinating.
Prostate cancer is the abnormal growth of cells. These mutated cells can be localised, spread to surrounding tissue, or metastatic.
A DRE is generally performed by a urologist who will carry out an internal examination of your prostate. Although this is no longer a routine test for men who do not have symptoms, a DRE can be used to check for changes in the prostate prior to a biopsy.
A biopsy will be required if there is an abnormality in either of these tests.
