is prostate soft or firm
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- The Digital Rectal Exam or the DRE is another standard screening test for prostate cancer. A doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to exam the prostate. The doctor performs this prostate exam to search for irregularities of the prostate. A healthy prostate gland should be soft, smooth, and symmetrical. Irregularities include lumps, jagged areas, coarse spots, enlargements, or firm areas. In the early stages of prostate cancer, however, a tumor may be nonpalpable, meaning the tumor is not detectable by touch.
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The Prostate Gland The prostate gland is located directly below a male’s bladder. This walnut-shaped gland is small at a male’s birth, but grows significantly during puberty, and enlarges even more as he ages. The prostate is composed of smooth muscle fibers and glandular tissue and is vital to the strength of a man’s sperm. During ejaculation, the prostate contributes fluid to the final composition of semen (these secretions comprise 30% of a male’s ejaculate). The prostate's secretion is a milky alkaline substance crucial for the sperm’s survival outside of the male body. The alkalinity of the secretion counteracts the acidity of the vaginal canal; resulting pH levels create a suitable environment for the sperm to fertilize a female’s egg.
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An Overview of Malignant Neoplasm of the Prostate The prostate is a small structure with the size and shape of a walnut, found closely attached to the urethra (where urine passes out the male sex organ). It secretes part of the semen that is ejaculated during sexual intercourse.
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What should my testicles look and feel like? What should my testicles look and feel like? Most men’s testicles are about the same size, though it’s common for one to be slightly bigger than the other. It’s also common for one testicle to hang lower than the other one. The testicles should feel smooth, without any lumps or bumps, and firm but not hard. You may feel a soft tube at the back of each testicle, which is called the epididymis.
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What Does Prostate Size Mean? The consistency of the prostate may have something to do with this. Prostates consist of various cell types, some spongy and some more rigid. It has been proposed that patients with a larger proportion of the rigid tissue (stroma) may be at increased risk for the development of symptoms.
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Prostatitis - Topic Overview Prostatitis is swelling or infection of the prostate gland. It often hurts. The prostate gland sits just below a man's bladder and makes part of the fluid for semen. In young men, the prostate is about the size of a walnut.It usually grows larger as you grow older.There are several types of prostatitis. They vary based on how long a man has had the problem and what kind of symptoms he has.ymptoms of long-term (chronic) prostatitis are often mild and start slowly over weeks or months. They may include: 1  An urge to urinate often. 2  But you may pass only small amounts of urine. 3  A burning pain when you urinate.
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Prostate It differs considerably among species anatomically, chemically, and physiologically. The function of the prostate is to secrete a slightly alkaline fluid, milky or white in appearance, that in humans usually constitutes roughly 30% of the volume of the semen along with spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid.
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quality assurance (QA) Use 'quality assurance (QA)' in a Sentence. 1  The business had a quality assurance policy, so customers would not worry about buying a defective product that would cost them time and money.
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The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men that produces fluid that is a component of semen. The gland has two or more lobesâor sectionsâenclosed by an outer layer of tissue. Located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder, where urine is stored, the prostate surrounds the urethra, which is the canal through which urine passes out of the body.The most common prostate problem in men under 50 is inflammation or infection, which is called prostatitis. Prostate enlargement is another common problem. Since the prostate normally continues to grow as a man matures, prostate enlargement, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, is the most common prostate problem for men over 50. Older men are at risk for prostate cancer as well, but it is much less common than BPH.Sometimes, different prostate problems have similar symptoms. For example, one man with prostatitis and another with BPH may both have a frequent, urgent need to urinate. Other men with BPH may have different symptoms. For example, one man may have trouble beginning a stream of urine, while another may have to get up to go to the bathroom frequently at night. A man in the early stages of prostate cancer may have no symptoms at all. This confusing array of symptoms makes a thorough medical examination and testing very important. Diagnosing the problem may require a series of tests.Male urinary tract, front and side viewsTalking to Your Doctor or Nurse Letting your doctor or nurse know you have a problem is the first step. Try to give as many details about the problem as you can, including when it began and how often it occurs. Tell the doctor or nurse whether you have had recurrent urinary tract infections or symptoms such as pain after ejaculation or during urination, sudden strong urges, or hesitancy and weak urine stream. You should talk about the medicines you take, both prescription medicines and those you can buy over the counter, because they might be part of the problem. You should also talk about how much fluid you typically drink each day, whether you use caffeine or alcohol, and whether your urine has an unusual color or odor. In turn, the doctor or nurse will ask you about your general medical history, including any major illnesses or surgeries.Other typical questions are as follows:Over the past month or so, how often have you had to urinate again in less than two hours?Over the past month, from the time you went to bed at night until the time you got up in the morning, how many times a night did you typically get up to urinate?Over the past month or so, how often have you had a sensation of not emptying your bladder completely after you finished urinating?Over the past month or so, how often have you had a weak urinary stream?Over the past month or so, how often have you had to push or strain to begin urinating?Your answers to these questions may help your doctor or nurse identify the problem or determine what tests are needed. You may also receive a symptom score evaluation that can be used as a baseline to see how effective later treatments are at relieving those symptoms.Preparing for the Exam The common tests your doctor or nurse will perform first require no special preparation. Digital rectal exams (DRE) and blood tests for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are often included in routine physical examinations for men over 50. For African-American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer, it is recommended that tests be given starting at age 40.If you have urination problems or if the DRE or PSA test indicates that you might have a problem, you will probably be given additional tests that may require some preparation. Ask your doctor or nurse whether you should change your diet or fluid intake or stop taking any medications. If the tests involve inserting instruments into the urethra or rectum, you may be given antibiotics before and after the test to prevent infection.Procedures DRE This exam is usually done first. Many doctors perform a DRE as part of a routine physical exam for any man over 50, some even at 40, whether the man has urinary problems or not. You may be asked to bend over a table or to lie on your side holding your knees close to your chest. The doctor slides a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feels the part of the prostate that lies next to it. You may find the DRE slightly uncomfortable, but it is very brief. This exam tells the doctor whether the gland has any bumps, irregularities, soft spots, or hard spots that require additional tests. If a prostate infection is suspected, the doctor might massage the prostate during the DRE to obtain fluid for examination under a microscope.Digital rectal exam (DRE)PSA Blood Test To rule out cancer, your doctor may recommend a PSA blood test. The amount of PSA, a protein produced by prostate cells, is often higher in the blood of men who have prostate cancer. However, an elevated level of PSA does not necessarily mean you have cancer. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a PSA test for use in conjunction with a DRE to help detect prostate cancer in men age 50 or older and for monitoring men with prostate cancer after treatment. However, much remains unknown about how to interpret the PSA test, its ability to discriminate between cancer and benign prostate conditions, and the best course of action if the PSA is high.Because so many questions are unanswered, the relative magnitude of the testâs potential risks and benefits is unknown. When added to DRE screening, PSA enhances detection, but PSA tests are known to have relatively high false-positive rates, and they also may identify a greater number of medically insignificant tumors.The PSA test first became available in the 1980s, and its use led to an increase in the detection of prostate cancer between 1986 and 1991. In the mid-1990s, deaths from prostate cancer began to decrease, and some observers credit PSA testing for this trend. Others, however, point out that statistical trends do not necessarily prove a cause-and-effect relationship, and the benefits of screening for prostate cancer are still being studied. The National Cancer Institute is conducting the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, or PLCO Trial, to determine whether certain screening tests reduce the number of deaths from these cancers. DRE and PSA exams are being studied to see whether yearly screening will decrease the risk of dying from prostate cancer.Until a definitive answer is found, doctors and patients should weigh the benefits of PSA testing against the risks of followup diagnostic tests and cancer treatments. The procedures used to diagnose prostate cancer may cause significant side effects, including bleeding and infection. Treatment for prostate cancer often causes erectile dysfunction, or impotence, and may cause urinary incontinence.Urinalysis Your doctor or nurse may ask for a urine sample to test with a dipstick or to examine under a microscope. A chemically treated dipstick will change color if the urine contains nitrite, a byproduct of bacterial infection. Traces of blood in the urine may indicate that a kidney stone or infection is present, or the sample might reveal bacteria or infection-fighting white blood cells. You might be asked to urinate into two or three containers to help locate the infection site. If signs of infection appear in the first container but not in the others, the infection is likely to be in the urethra. Your doctor or nurse might ask you to urinate into the first container, then stop the stream for a prostate massage before completing the test. If urine taken after prostate massage or the prostate fluid itself contains significantly more bacteria, it is a strong sign that you have bacterial prostatitis.Transrectal Ultrasound and Prostate Biopsy If prostate cancer is suspected, your doctor may recommend transrectal ultrasound. In this procedure, the doctor or technician inserts a probe slightly larger than a pen into the rectum. The probe directs high-frequency sound waves at the prostate, and the echo patterns form an image of the gland on a television monitor. The image shows how big the prostate is and whether there are any irregularities, but cannot unequivocally identify tumors.To determine whether an abnormal-looking area is indeed a tumor, the doctor can use the probe and the ultrasound images to guide a biopsy needle to the suspected tumor. The needle collects a few pieces of prostate tissue for examination under a microscope.Transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsyMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) Scans MRI and CAT scans both use computers to create three-dimensional or cross-sectional images of internal organs. These tests can help identify abnormal structures, but they cannot distinguish between cancerous tumors and noncancerous prostate enlargement. Once a biopsy has confirmed cancer, a doctor might use these imaging techniques to determine how far the cancer has spread. Experts caution, however, that MRI and CAT scans are very expensive and rarely add useful information. They recommend using these techniques only when the PSA score is very high or the DRE suggests an extensive cancer, or both.Urodynamic Tests If your problem appears to be related to blockage, your doctor or nurse may recommend tests that measure bladder pressure and urine flow rate. You may be asked to urinate into a special device that measures how quickly the urine is flowing and records how many seconds it takes for the peak flow rate to be reached. Another test measures postvoid residual, the amount of urine left in your bladder when you have finished urinating. A weak stream and difficulty emptying the bladder completely may be signs of urine blockage caused by an enlarged prostate that is squeezing the urethra.Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) IVP is an x ray of the urinary tract. In this test, dye is injected into a vein, and x-ray pictures are taken at 0, 5, 10, and 15 minutes to see the progression of contrast through the kidney and ureter. The dye makes the urine visible on the x ray and shows any narrowing or blockage in the urinary tract. This procedure can help identify problems in the kidneys, ureters, or bladder that may have resulted from urine retention or backup.Abdominal Ultrasound For an abdominal ultrasound exam, a technician will apply gel to your lower abdomen and sweep a handheld transducer across the area to receive a picture of your entire urinary tract. Like the IVP, an abdominal ultrasound can show damage in the upper urinary tract that results from urine blockage at the prostate.Cystoscopy After a solution numbs the inside of the penis, the doctor inserts a small tube through the urethral opening at the tip of the penis. The tube, called a cystoscope, contains a lens and a light system, which allow the doctor to see the inside of the urethra and the bladder. The doctor can then determine the location and degree of the obstruction.After the Test You may have mild discomfort for a few hours after urodynamics and cystoscopy. Drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water each hour for 2 hours should help. Ask your doctor whether you can take a warm bath. If not, you may be able to hold a warm, damp washcloth over the urethral opening to relieve the discomfort. A prostate biopsy may also produce pain in the area of the rectum and the perineum (between the rectum and the scrotum).Your doctor may give you an antibiotic to take for 1 or 2 days to prevent an infection, but not always. If you have signs of infectionâincluding pain, chills, or feverâcall your doctor at once.Getting the Results Results for simple tests can be discussed with your doctor or nurse immediately after the test. Other tests may take a few days. You will have the chance to ask questions about the results and possible treatments for your problem. The doctor slides a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feels the part of the prostate that lies next to it. You may find the DRE slightly uncomfortable, but it is very brief. This exam tells the doctor whether the gland has any bumps, irregularities, soft spots, or hard spots that require additional tests.
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- The prostate is a gland that only men have. It is about the size of a walnut and sits below the neck of. the bladder, surrounding the bladder outlet (the urethra). The prostate makes a milky fluid, which is. part of semen and feeds the sperm. As men age, the prostate gland gets bigger. This happens over many years and for some men this. can cause bladder problems. Poor bladder control can also happen due to other health issues. Men with poor bladder control can.
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"THE ""NEW"" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK" By comparison, late stage prostate cancer can and commonly does cause symptoms. For example, late stage prostate cancer can cause severe need to urinate (“urgency”), and if it involves the bones of the spine, prostate cancer can cause terrible pain. Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.
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Prostatitis - Bacterial - Chronic Frequent and complete urination is recommended to decrease the symptoms of urinary urgency. If the swollen prostate restricts urine flow through the urethra, the bladder may not empty. Inserting a suprapubic catheter, which allows the bladder to drain through the abdomen, may be necessary.
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Super Prostate Formula Review: How Safe and Effective is This Product? Super Prostate Formula Overview. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer men develop after the age of 45. It develops when the prostate, a small walnut-sized organ that sits beneath the bladder in men, becomes inflamed. Shortly after, bothersome urinary problems start affecting the patients.
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can an enlarged prostate cause sciatic nerve pain? Hi Found you this, it could be helpful to you. Prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms until it is quite advanced. Some men notice difficulties with urinating. Most men with prostate cancer notice no symptoms. Usually the extra tissue growth is small, or does not impinge on other structures, and therefore causes no symptoms. If the extra growth presses on the urethra, men typically experience difficulty urinating.
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- Benign prostatic hyperplasia. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, makes urination difficult and uncomfortable. Your prostate gland is located underneath your bladder and surrounds your urethra, which empties urine from the bladder. As the prostate gland expands, it squeezes the urethra or causes the muscles around the urethra to contract, making it difficult to urinate. Prostate enlargement is very common as men age. Symptoms of prostate enlargement usually develop around age 50. By age 60, most men have some degree of BPH.
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Prostatitis - A Patient's Guide The prostate is a gland about the size and shape of a walnut. It is situated just underneath the urinary bladder (just under bladder neck) and surrounds a portion of urethra (prostatic urethra). The urethra is a tube that allows the passage of urine from the bladder through the penis when you pee.
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How do doctors check the condition of the prostate? Doctors use several tests to check on the condition of the prostate. DRE, or digital rectal exam: This is the standard prostate test. A doctor feels the prostate from the rectum, checking for things such as size, lumps, and firmness.
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What To Do When The Prostate Swells Normally, the prostate gland is about the size of a walnut. It’s attached to the base of the bladder. The urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body, goes right through the prostate gland. In most men, the prostate gland slowly grows with time.
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Prostate Diseases The prostate is a gland in men. It helps make semen, the fluid that contains sperm. The prostate surrounds the tube that carries urine away from the bladder and out of the body. A young man's prostate is about the size of a walnut. It slowly grows larger with age.
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Prostatitis Prostatitis is the inflammation (swelling) of the prostate gland. It can be very painful and distressing, but will often get better eventually. The prostate is a small gland found in men that lies between the penis and bladder. It produces fluid that's mixed with sperm to create semen. Unlike other prostate conditions, such as prostate enlargement or prostate cancer, which usually affect older men, prostatitis can develop in men of all ages.
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Understanding Prostate Changes: A Health Guide for Men The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut when a man is in his 20s. By the time he is 40, it may have grown slightly larger, to the size of an apricot. By age 60, it may be the size of a lemon. The enlarged prostate can press against the bladder and the urethra. This can slow down or block urine flow.
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Prostate Human Anatomy » Body Systems » Male Reproductive System » Prostate. Prostate is a glandular organ, fibromuscular in nature, which surrounds the prostatic part of urethra. It lies between the neck of the bladder above and the urogenital diaphragm below. It is about 1.5 inches long and has somewhat conical shape, surrounded by a fibrous capsule.
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- How do you massage the prostate gland? Massaging your own prostate can be a little tricky unless you use a sex toy designed for prostate massage. The prostate is located inside the anus about 2 to 3 inches in. It w…ill be very difficult to use your fingers on yourself.
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Overview Prostatitis is swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland situated directly below the bladder in men. The prostate gland produces fluid (semen) that nourishes and transports sperm. Prostatitis often causes painful or difficult urination. Other symptoms include pain in the groin, pelvic area or genitals and sometimes flu-like symptoms. Prostatitis affects men of all ages but tends to be more common in men 50 or younger. The condition has a number of causes.
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- They can also be caused by an enlarged, noncancerous prostate or by a urinary tract infection. Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer include: Dull, deep pain or stiffness in the pelvis, lower back, ribs, or upper thighs; pain in the bones of those areas.
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- An enlarged prostate many not cause any symptoms or noticeable problems in some men. However, as men age, an enlarged prostate may grow to the point where it presses on the bladder and urethra, causing urine flow to be slower and less forceful.