The prostate is a male sex organ, also known as the "prostate gland" or simply as the "gland" in common parlance. All male mammals also have this gland. The prostate has ducts into the urethra and plays a key role in male ejaculation. In this article, you can find out what function the prostate has, what medical check-ups look like, what diseases can occur and what you can do to maintain a healthy prostate.
The prostate consists of 30 to 50 individual glands. It is about 4 cm in size and walnut-shaped. It sits below the bladder and surrounds the urethra. At the back, it borders on the rectum. Medical examinations are therefore carried out rectally.
In male mammals, as in females, a distinction is made between external and internal reproductive organs. The penis, consisting of the root, the shaft and the glans, is an external reproductive organ alongside the scrotum.
The internal reproductive organs are the testicles and the prostate. The testicles are responsible for the production of sperm and the male hormone testosterone. In the prostate, the sperm is supplied with nutrients in the form of fluid. However, the main task of the prostate is to produce secretions.
Around 20 to 30 percent of semen consists of so-called "prostate secretion", a fluid produced naturally in the body which is released into the urethra during ejaculation and mixes with the sperm. The sperm is expelled during male orgasm, ejaculation (ejaculation).
Many men suffer from prostate problems. These can have various causes and are therefore treated differently. In addition to benign enlargement of the prostate, there are also inflammations (prostatitis) or prostate cancer. Problems with urination can also be caused by prostate problems.
Enlargement: The prostate begins to grow during puberty. In adulthood it has then reached a size of around 4 cm. In old age, usually from the age of fifty, the prostate becomes larger, presumably due to reduced testosterone production. This can have unpleasant but comparatively harmless consequences. Most people complain of difficulty urinating or difficulties with ejaculation, sometimes also erectile dysfunction.
Inflammation: While an enlarged prostate is a complaint caused by the natural ageing process, prostate inflammation is often seen in young men. This inflammation occurs due to bacterial infections or can be the result of a bladder infection.
Symptoms include chills, fever, pain in the abdomen and pain when urinating. A distinction is made between acute and chronic inflammation. While acute inflammation occurs suddenly and is only of short duration, chronic inflammation is associated with a longer period of suffering. In any case, a doctor should be consulted immediately at the first sign of prostate inflammation!
Prostate cancer: The most common cancer in men is prostate cancer (prostate carcinoma). This is a malignant tumor in the prostate. Initially, those affected feel no symptoms, which is why the tumor is often discovered too late. Regular examinations are therefore essential to ensure rapid treatment!
Doctors can use the classic palpation examination, PSA test and punch biopsy to examine prostate tumors. These examinations are often controversial among experts - they do not make it easy to treat prostate cancer.
In the statutory screening program, the genitals and the associated lymph nodes are palpated. The doctor also palpates the prostate via the rectum in order to detect unusual enlargements, for example.
The statutory screening program in Germany offers men over the age of 45 one examination per year. Interested parties can contact their family doctor or specialist to initiate the program.
The prostate-specific antigen (PSA for short) is a protein that is produced by prostate cells. The prostate-specific antigen is detected in the blood, which is why a blood sample is required for diagnosis. The concentration of the antigen is measured in nanograms per milliliter. In young and healthy men, the PSA value is zero. An increase can only be regularly detected with increasing age. Whether, to what extent and from what threshold point the value is suitable for early cancer screening is still the subject of controversial debate among researchers. In Germany, statutory health insurance does not yet pay for a PSA test for the early detection of prostate cancer (PSA screening).
If prostate cancer cannot be treated conservatively (e.g. by radiotherapy), the only remaining option is prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate). However, such an operation carries a number of risks, such as erectile dysfunction. In post-operative aftercare, PHALLOSAN forte can help you to maintain your erectile function.
