A fairly new blood test called PSA has been given a lot of publicity as a method of early diagnosis of prostate cancer. There is more to it than that, and understanding this test and its significance is important. When a doctor does a PSA test, he wants to know how much PSA there is. Read more
Fairly often an important test called a cystometrogram (or urodynamics) is needed. To do this, a small tube called a catheter is passed through the urethra to measure the pressure inside the bladder. This pressure is measured as the bladder is filled with fluid. Sometimes this test will show spasms of increased pressure, a condition Read more
Cancer is an alarming word. Many men fear that their prostatic symptoms are caused by cancer. In most cases, this fear is unfounded, but it is true that cancer of the prostate is quite common. Like most types of cancer, prostatic cancer can be fatal. However, it is a form of cancer for which many Read more
Inflammation of the prostate can occur at almost any age. It is often due to infection. Although cystitis – an infection of the urine causing burning and frequency – is more commonly a disease that affects women, these symptoms can occur in men. Such symptoms may be caused by an infection of the prostate called Read more
Most people expect cancer to be treated by surgical removal of all or part of the organ in which it occurs, as in cancer of the breast in women, cancer of the testis, cancer of the kidney and in many other types of the disease. Although a famous urologist called Hugh Hampton Young working at Read more
A lot of publicity has been given to heat and laser treatment for BPH, so much so that patients may be disappointed when they find that they cannot have this done in their local hospital. Heat treatment, ‘hypothermia’ or ‘thermotherapy’, heats up the prostate. The treatment is given through a probe placed either in the Read more
The usual operation to reduce male hormone levels is called a subcapsular orchiectomy and involves making a cut into each of the testicles and removing the active tissue from the inside so that they no longer produce testosterone. Occasionally removal of the whole testicle might be recommended. The injections are of a type of drug Read more
Cervical smears are used to screen for cancer of the cervix in women. Can PSA be used as a test to screen for cancer of the prostate in the same way? This is a difficult question to answer because there is no clear difference between the amount of PSA found in the blood of men Read more
How Irritative Symptoms Develop The obstructive symptoms described above may not be too troublesome. However, the bladder has to work harder to overcome the obstruction and, after a while, this can affect the way it behaves. Some men develop irritative symptoms. They need to pass urine very often (frequency), with a feeling of getting caught Read more
Real prostatic symptoms should not simply be tolerated as ‘old age’ but some symptoms could be due to other causes. As people get older, all their bodily functions can deteriorate and this includes the bladder. Irritative symptoms, such as frequency or urgency, are most likely to occur in this way. One common problem is needing Read more
Until very recently, the only real treatment for BPH was an operation. If their symptoms are not too bad, most men just need reassurance that their condition is not dangerous, and advice about simple measures such as being sensible about the amount of fluid they drink, taking enough time to empty the bladder and learning Read more
Knowing about a patient’s symptoms is important, not only in making the correct diagnosis, but also in deciding if and how the condition should be treated. It is a good idea to think about your symptoms carefully before you see the doctor, as this will help you to answer the questions. It is also important Read more
For men with prostate symptoms who are not badly affected, who do not want to consider surgery or are not fit enough for an operation, there is an alternative. BPH can now by treated with drugs. There are two sorts of drug – one makes the prostate smaller and the other relaxes the muscle in Read more
The doctor now knows what symptoms you have, how troublesome they are, what your prostate is like on examination and how fit you are. He or she will usually have a good idea what the problem is, but will want tests carried out to confirm this and to help plan your treatment. Some tests are Read more