Old Age And Prostate

Aging and disease are two reasons, which can take away the peace from the life. Amongst the different phases of life, old age is the one in which a person meets many illnesses because of the lower immunity and deteriorated health. So, it is must for all to go for regular check-ups and screening tests for detecting different diseases.

Prostate gland is a male reproductive organ that produces semen. It is located below the bladder, surrounding the urethra. Over 50 years of age, prostate gets enlarged (diseased) in nearly all men due to certain hormonal changes. The word disease means when a person is not at ease.

Some problems related to prostate include benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatic cancer and prostatitis. Contributing causes for diseased prostate are increasing age, genes, diet and lifestyle.

In case of diet, it is recorded that men who take a diet enriched with fruits and vegetables (vegetarian food) including garlic, fresh tomato juice, carrot, green vegetables such as spinach and pumpkin have good prostate health than the men on diet containing red meat and animal fats (non-vegetarian diet).

Due to the location of the prostate gland, its enlargement causes trouble in urination. BPH in old age causes sensation of incomplete bladder emptying, straining to urinate, interrupted urine stream, dribbling after voiding or leakage of urine. There is urgency and frequency of urination, particularly at night. Hematuria (blood in urine) may also be a presenting complaint in severe cases along with acute urinary retention, pain and discomfort.

Diagnosis includes physical examination, medical history and evaluation of symptoms. Urinanalysis is done to exclude other causes, which might even be a simple infection. In cancer of prostate, laboratory tests advised include biopsy and prostate specific antigen (PSA), which is a tumour marker.

Treatment depends upon the severity of the symptoms. With severe symptoms, treatment includes medication and surgery (if required).