Benign Prostate Problems

Types of non-cancerous prostate problems:

Most clinical conditions of the prostate are benign (non-cancerous), including the following:

• benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)  - an age-related condition of the prostate that is not malignant. BPH is the most common non-cancerous prostate problem, occurring in most men by the time they reach their 60s. Symptoms are slow, interrupted, or weak urinary stream; urgency with leaking or dribbling; and frequent urination, especially at night. Although it is not cancer, BPH symptoms are often similar to those of prostate cancer.
• prostatism - the symptom of decreased urinary force due to obstruction of flow through the prostate gland. The most common cause of prostatism is BPH. 
• prostatitis - inflammation or infection of the prostate gland characterized by discomfort, pain, frequent or infrequent urination, and sometimes fever.
• prostatalgia  - pain in the prostate gland, also called prostatodynia. It is frequently a  symptom of prostatitis.

These problems are quite common and may happen to men of all ages. Prostatitis is mainly a problem of men younger than age 50, and BPH primarily affects men older than age 50.

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Disclaimer - This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. © 2009 Staywell Custom Communications.