Nearly one-third of all men over 50 years suffer from prostate troubles of one form or another. The percentage rises with age and reaches 75 after the age of 80 years. Prostate and bladder disorders can lead to numerous other ailments such as arthritis, kidney disorders and uremia. It is, therefore, of utmost importance to detect the disease in its early stages and commence treatment.
The prostate gland is a male gland, comparable in shape and size to a large chestnut. It is reddish brown in appearance. It measures approximately one and a half inches in width and about an inch in length and weighs approximately 25 grams.
It is situated at the base of the urinary bladder and around the commencement of the urethra, the membranous tube for the passage of the urine. It is thus vital in relation to the emptying of the bladder and bears a close relationship to the rectum.
The prostate gland is composed of both muscular and glandular tissues. It is firmly attached to the pelvis by a dense fascial sheath. Like all muscular and glandular tissues in the body, it is adequately supplied with blood vessels , arteries, veins and nerves. The gland plays an important role in normal sexual life and its function is to secrete a fluid which is added to semen during sexual intercourse.
Various Disorders
There are various types of prostate disorders. Of these, the most important are prostatitis or inflammation in the prostate gland and hypertrophy or enlargement of the prostate gland. Prostatitis may be acute or chronic. It is a painful and distressing disorder, but can be cured with proper treatment, without any adverse effects.
Enlargement of the prostate gland or hypertrophy is the most common complaint affecting the gland. This occurs mainly in men of middle or advanced age. The enlargement develops so gradually over a long period that it often assumes serious proportion before it is detected.
Symptoms
There are two warning signals to indicate the possibility of prostate disorders. The first is the interference with the passage of urine and the second is the need to void the urine frequently during the night’s sleep. Both these symptoms are very definite. Other symptoms are a dull aching pain in the lower back and pain in the hips, legs and feet.
Prostate enlargement affects the glandular system as a whole. The patient experiences all the symptoms of disturbed health such as lack of energy and physical, mental and nervous disturbances. Proper treatment of the disorder is, therefore of utmost importance.
Causes
The position of the prostate gland makes it liable to congestion and other disorders. In an erect position, pressure falls on the pelvic region just where the prostate gland is situated. With ageing, the body gets heavier and loses its flexibility which makes the pressure on the pelvis even greater and increases the vulnerability of the prostate glands.
Prolonged periods of sitting down, as in certain occupations, also increases the pressure on the pelvic region resulting in congestion of the tissues in and around the prostate gland. With the passage of time, changes such as inflammation or enlargement occur in the gland.
Acute prostatitis may also result from exposure to cold and chill and from an infectious disease. Chronic prostatitis is an after-effect of the acute condition. It may also result from continual irritation of the gland due to excessive sexual treatment.
Another important cause of prostate disorders is constipation. In constipation, the faeces becomes hardened and the rectum or lower bowel overloaded. This causes undue pressure on the prostate gland. It also entails a great deal of straining to pass stools and this adversely affects the prostate gland due to its proximity to the rectum.