When to Seek Help for Prostate Problems

Your prostate is a small gland in the body, charged with producing semen. As you grow older, it tends to get larger. And, due to its location below your bladder, that enlargement can cause lower urinary tract symptoms and other signs of prostate problems. But how can you tell when to seek medical attention? Here’s what you need to know.

Common signs of prostate problems

Any of the following symptoms could indicate developing prostate problems:

• Frequent urge to urinate (called urgency)
• Nocturia, or the need to get up and urinate multiple times during the night
• Noticing blood in urine (hematuria)
• Pain or burning with urination
• Pain when ejaculating
• Experiencing pain or stiffness in your lower back, hips, pelvis, rectum or even the upper thighs
• Urinary flow that dribbles, is hard to initiate or hard to stop

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s time to speak with your healthcare provider. They could be a sign that you’re experiencing one or more of the prostate problems highlighted below.

Prostate conditions: seeking diagnosis

Many of the symptoms listed above could be associated with more than one condition affecting the prostate. Potential concerns include: 

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, a condition in which the gland becomes enlarged for reasons that aren’t cancer. Multiple, non-surgical treatments are available, including lifestyle changes, medications and PAE treatment in Georgia.
• Prostatitis, either acute or chronic, describing a bacterial infection that will usually require antibiotics to be resolved.  
• Prostate cancer

Because these prostate problems all have some overlapping symptoms, its important to see your healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. With timely medical attention, you can receive a diagnosis of infection, or differentiate between BPH vs prostate cancer. Then, if BPH is the cause of your prostate problems, you can request a consultation with the Georgia Prostate Institute. When you come into our offices, we can review your candidacy for minimally invasive Prostate Artery Embolization, relieving your symptoms without the risks of surgery.