The prostate, a gland below the bladder, can become enlarged (benign prostatic hyperplasia), inflamed (prostatitis) or cancerous. The urethra--the tube which carries urine from the kidneys out through the penis--runs through a hole in the center of the prostate. You may experience difficulty with urination with all three of the above-mentioned conditions, but other symptoms may help to distinguish one condition from another.
Enlarged Prostate
The prostate continues to grow throughout a man's life, and according to the Mayo Clinic, half of men in their sixties suffer the effects of an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyerplasia, or BPH) impinging on the urethra. The resulting compression of the urethra causes difficulty starting or stopping urination, straining during urination, a weak urine stream or dribbling of urine. You might need to urinate more frequently, especially during the night, and you might have sudden intense urges to urinate. Your urine might be tinged with blood. If your enlarged prostate prevents you from completely emptying your bladder, you might develop urinary tract infections or bladder stones. An enlarged prostate produces higher than normal levels of prostate serum antigen (PSA) that can cause a false positive result in screening for prostate cancer. BPH does not cause prostate cancer or increase your risk for developing it.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is the inflammation of the prostate from a bacterial infection or some other factors, and causes urinary symptoms and pain in the groin. Like BPH, prostatitis causes frequent or urgent needs to urinate, and dribbling or hesitant urination. Unlike BPH, with prostatitis urination and ejaculation are painful. You might have pain in your abdomen, groin, lower back, penis or testicles. Symptoms of an acute infection in your prostate also include high fever, chills and nausea. Category 4 prostatitis, called asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, produces no noticeable symptoms, but like other forms of prostatitis, it can increase PSA levels leading to a false positive result in prostate cancer screening. Prostatitis does not cause prostate cancer or increase your risk for developing it.
Prostate Cancer
According to the Mayo Clinic, prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men. Fortunately, it usually grows slowly and remains confined to the prostate. In the early stages, most men do not notice any symptoms, so it is important to have yearly digital rectal exams and PSA tests to catch it at an early stage. High PSA levels in your blood can indicate cancer, but can also result from BPH or prostatitis.
In later stages of prostate cancer, you may have urinary symptoms such as a weak stream of urine or blood in the urine. These symptoms overlap with BPH, but with advanced prostate cancer you might also have blood in the semen (the fluid containing sperm), pain in the abdomen or groin, bone pain and swelling in the legs.
