12 Bringing health care news to your home There’s no denying that the prostate gland is a common source of trouble for men as they get older. So it’s good to know that great care for prostate problems is available right here in our area. Here are four important questions men may have about prostate health, with information from Brett Hill, MD, a urologist with UroHealth Partners in Columbus. Why do prostate problems happen as men age? The prostate is a reproductive gland that helps make semen. It’s typically about the size of a walnut in your 20s, but it can grow to the size of a lemon by the time you’re 60. In many men, the prostate grows large enough to interfere with urination, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Symptoms include: ● Trouble starting a urine stream. ● A weak urine stream. ● Dribbling after you urinate. ● Waking up to urinate at night. ● Having an urgent need to urinate. ● Feeling like your bladder hasn’t emptied fully. Treatments for BPH include medications that relax muscles near the prostate or shrink the prostate gland. But if that doesn’t help, a minimally invasive procedure may offer you relief. Options range from traditional transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to newer laser and thermal treatments, as well as a procedure that lifts the prostate out of the way. Do I need prostate cancer screening? Prostate cancer is another condition that becomes more common as men age. It often causes no early Prostate health: What men should know
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