Every man has one, it’s important for their sex life, yet few men know anything about their prostate or what can go wrong with it.
The prostate, found only in men, is located below the bladder. The prostate often enlarges as men get older, but for two-thirds of men aged 50 or over this doesn’t cause any problems.
In some cases, an enlarged prostate can press on the tube carrying urine from the bladder and cause urinary problems. This is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Other prostate conditions include inflammation of the gland, also known as prostatitis, which is sometimes caused by an infection. This can make urinating painful. Sometimes a single cell in the prostate starts to multiply out of control and cancer can develop.
Black men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men. Researchers are looking at what may be the cause of this increased risk, but genes probably play an important role.
