How to Investigate Your Prostate Health

Here are FOUR ways to discover if you have an enlarged prostate.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Willpower
• Motivation

1. Question 1. How can I find out about the state of my prostate ?
   
   First you need to know it is an essential organ for the production of sperm. It is a gland which produces the semen which will carry the sperm. Second, it is often the place where cancer can develop and very often it goes undetected until it is too late and metastasis has already set in. The good news is that very often, problems associated with this mysterious and well hidden gland are just a result of an enlarged prostate which is perfectly normal as we advance in years. The process is due to hormonal changes in the body.
2. 2. Visit your doctor or urologist and prepare yourself for the following questions.
   
   He will want to know number of times you have to urinate during the night. If it is two or three times there may be a problem. Normally you should only have to urinate at most once during the night and every two or three hours during the day. The increased size of the gland puts a lot of pressure and narrows the tube carrying urine from the bladder so the urge to urinate becomes more frequent and urgent. He or she will want to know how active you are sexually and if you have any problems when ejaculating etc. She will also ask about your general health, eg, problems with kidneys and high blood pressure, heart conditions etc.
   the prepare yourself for the following exam which is more than likely to be carried out.
   This is the DRE exam. What is the DRE exam?
   It is simply an examination of the prostate gland which is performed by the doctor or urologist which locates the gland by inserting a finger into the back passage. He will be looking for a good smooth surface and trying to see whether there are suspicious lumps or nodules which could be cancerous.
3. Ask to get a PSA test. That is simply an indicator whether cancerous cells are present. It is not a perfect test but it is the best available at the moment. Any result higher that 4ng should be investigated further.
4. Start to get some exercise if you do not already do so !
   If you are a couch potato or a web mouse, it is likely that you do not get a great deal of exercise. That means that the blood vessels in the area of the prostate are likely to be sluggish and circulation is likely to be slow. That means that more and more toxins can gather there and that is not great news for your prostate.

Tips & Warnings

• This is just the first step - it is the most important ! Men are a bit uneasy about the prostate gland so they cannot stand the idea of it causing any trouble especially as it is closely linked to sex.
• Don't put it off - this is the first step. Do this and you are well on the way to an easy solution for your prostate - it can be treated with medication, massage, herbal remedies, surgery - whatever is best for your particular case.
• If you NEVER do it, you will never know and your quality of life will deteriorate.