A swollen prostate is referred to as an enlarged prostate. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Prostate gland enlargement rarely causes signs and symptoms in men younger than 40, but about half the men in their 60s have some signs and symptoms." A swollen prostate can be the result of the continued growth of the prostate and changes in sex hormones. Two other causes are cancer and infection.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
The most common cause of an enlarged prostate is the non-cancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. Prostate growth occurs in two phases. Phase one happens during early puberty when the gland doubles in size. Phase two generally occurs around the age of 25. According to the National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse, "This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH." A man with BPH will have changes in urination as the prostate enlarges and compresses the urethra. The urgent need to urinate, difficulty starting to urinate, increased frequency of urinating during the night, and stopping and starting while urinating are some common symptoms of an enlarged prostate. A medical examination can diagnosis the problems with urination as BPH or a more serious condition. Moderate symptoms are treated with medication. Surgery is recommended if medication is not effective or if symptoms are severe.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is a cancerous lesion that develops in the tissues of the prostate, occurs in older men and can cause an enlargement of the prostate. The symptoms of prostate cancer include urgency to urinate, increased frequency in the need to urinate, difficulty initiating urination and waking up at night to urinate. Less common signs of prostate cancer are impotence, blood in the urine or semen, loss of bladder control, and bone pain. Medical examination and a prostate specific antigen, or PSA, blood test can detect prostate cancer before symptoms develop.
Prostatitis
A swollen prostate is a symptom of prostatitis, which is the inflammation of the prostate. Bacteria is the most common cause of an infection in the prostate, which can result in acute or chronic prostatitis. In addition to urgency, frequency and difficulty in urinating, a man will have pain in the abdomen and penis, a fever, chills, nausea and vomiting. Medical examination and diagnostic testing are tools to diagnosis prostatitis. Antibiotics are prescribed for acute prostatitis. Chronic prostatitis is treated with medication that relaxes the muscles of the bladder neck and prostate.
