Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010 - North Mississippi - (Page 20)

“The prostate gland, when men get older, often grows in size, and as it grows outward it also compresses and squeezes down on the urethra, making it harder for the bladder to push the urine through,” says Sheldon Marks, M.D., author of Prostate and Cancer: A Family Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survival. Well, I am getting older. So it was off to see a specialist. One quick consult later and my doctor thought he’d narrowed down the diagnosis to an enlarged prostate. But first he had to rule out other things. the ‘other things’ Urologists usually conduct a bevy of tests to ensure something else isn’t causing the symptoms, Marks says. For example, urgency or not being able to urinate could be a sign of a urinary tract infection. In that case, the urologist would conduct a urinalysis, which also would determine if the urine contained blood. Blood in urine could mean a bladder stone or bladder cancer. It also could indicate a condition called prostatitis. According to Marks and Katz, prostatitis is a catchall word for an inflammation of the prostate gland. There are two types: acute and chronic. Acute prostatitis is less common and more severe. It is marked by a urinary tract infection, abdominal or genital pain, increased urination urgency, a need to urinate at night, a burning sensation during urination, nausea, fever, chills and vomiting. If left untreated, it can create bladder infections, prostate abscesses or a complete blockage. Chronic prostatitis has similar symptoms but with much less severity, and the symptoms tend to fluctuate. A sufferer may feel better for a time, even months, but then the pain returns. the extent of the prostate’s pressure against my urethra—the passageway from the bladder where urine flows out of the body—and chronicle whether the bladder or any of my internal plumbing was damaged. During a cystoscopy, the urologist inserts a thin, flexible scope into the urethra and navigates it along the passageway to the bladder, peering inside the scope. All in all the test is minimally invasive, but it can be painful. tests to get Among the tests to determine if a man has prostatitis, a urologist may conduct a uroflow exam, which measures urine flow. This test involves a specially designed toilet that electronically monitors force and flow. Of course, a digital rectal exam (commonly called a prostate exam) would be conducted to determine if the prostate is enlarged or feels out of the ordinary. Then there’s a cystoscopy. After my urinalysis and prostate exam, my urologist wanted to see diagnosis confirmed After the intimate encounter with my urologist, I got the prognosis: chronic prostatitis. Luckily, a round of antibiotics and a change in lifestyle—eliminating caffeine and certain foods, especially spicy dishes—became the course of action. In some cases, prostate patients are placed on lifelong medications to reduce the size of the prostate and keep it in check. Herbal supplements also may be effective, but talk to your doctor before taking them. photograph by Stephen Swintek, getty imageS vim & vigor • sp rin g 2 010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010- North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Weight-loss Success Stories
Come See Us
Hit the Links
Excuses, Excuses
Easing the Pressure
Prostate Predicament
On Mended Knees
Imaging IQ
Will Power
Caregiving: A Survival Guide
Form Factors
Wake-Up Call
Stroke of Luck
Weight Matters
History Lesson
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2010 - North Mississippi