Prostate Health

The best protection against prostate problems and prostate disease is to have regular medical checkups that include a careful prostate exam. Men should also see a doctor promptly if symptoms occur such as:

• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
• Dribbling of urine
• Inability to urinate
• Feeling that the bladder is not empty after urination
• Weak or interrupted urine stream
• Pain or burning during urination
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in urine or semen
• Frequent pain in the lower back, hips, or ribs
• Weight loss

During your routine doctor visit, there are a number of tests he or she might use to determine the health of your prostate. The most common procedures are the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test.

Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)

According to the American Cancer Society, men over the age of 50 with at least a 10-year life expectancy should receive annual prostate checkups, including a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). During this exam, the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger (digit) into the rectum to feel for any unusual features of the prostate, including hardness, bumps, or swelling. Although uncomfortable, the procedure is not usually painful.

PSA Test

Many doctors also administer a blood test for Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA), a protein produced in the prostate that helps keep semen in a liquid state. PSA levels may be high in men who have prostate cancer, or BPH or enlarged prostate. A rise in PSA scores from year to year may also suggest that the prostate is growing larger.

Not all experts agree on the usefulness of the PSA test for detecting prostate cancer. It fails to detect prostate cancer in 20% to 40% of men who have the disease, and three quarters of men with an elevated PSA are later found not to have cancer upon further testing. Despite its limitations, organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association recommend that men have an annual PSA test beginning at age 50.