The prostate, a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder is essential for producing the bulk of the fluid in semen.The prostate often enlarges as men get older, but according to the National Health Service, enlargement of the prostate does not cause a problem for the majority of men. There are several conditions that may lead to, or are associated with, enlargement of the prostate gland.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition mainly linked with aging. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), BPH is unlikely to produce symptoms before age 40. However, more than 50 percent of men in their sixties and 90 percent in their seventies and eighties can experience symptoms of BPH. Since an enlarged prostate gland often blocks the urethra, many of the initial symptoms of BPH center on urination problems. For example, some men may experience difficulty urinating, while others may have the urge to urinate frequently. BPH may be treated with drug therapy, and minimally invasive techniques such as laser therapy. In some cases, surgery is necessary.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer may cause an enlarged prostate gland. Prostate cancer is very different than BPH, though both conditions may produce similar symptoms. According to Mayo Clinic, prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. It normally grows slowly and remains confined to the prostate gland. In this case, only minimal treatment is necessary. However, some types of prostate cancer are aggressive and spread quickly to other parts of the body. The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2010, there will be 217,730 new cases of prostate cancer and 32,050 deaths from the disease.
Prostatitis
The prostate gland may also become enlarged as a result of inflammation. In this case, a patient may be diagnosed with a condition known as prostatitis. According to the NIDDK, doctors often have difficulty diagnosing prostatitis because the symptoms vary with individual cases. There are four types of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. A doctor will base treatment on the type of prostatitis a man has. For example, antimicrobials are used to treat bacterial forms of prostatitis, whereas non-bacterial prostatitis may only respond to lifestyle changes.
