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As men get older, it becomes progressively possible that they are going to have a prostate problem. While there is no real method to stop this from taking place, you can learn to identify the symptoms.

It is important to catch the problem early so you can treat symptoms before they get worse. In addition, in the case of prostate cancer, catching it early will greatly improve treatment capabilities and can even save your life.

What you should keep in mind is that not all prostate problems are caused by cancer. In fact, numerous men have prostate issues and never develop cancer. Here are some problems that men could have:

- Prostatitis means that a prostate gland is swollen due to infection. Acute prostatitis is a temporary swelling caused by a one time infection. A man will likely have a fever and other signs of infection. This can be treated quickly with antibiotics. Chronic prostatitis is a continuing condition due to a repeated infection. This is more persistent and harder to cure.

- Prostate cancer is clearly the most dangerous problem you can have with your prostate. Besides looking for signs, you should also undergo regular prostate screening to help expose a problem.

- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is an enlarged prostate that is caused by problems other that infection or cancer. The risk of having this problem increases with age and can be successfully treated. It can cause irritating symptoms but is not serious. There are medicines available that help relieve symptoms, for example the frequent urge to urinate.

As a result of the location and function of the prostate, nearly all of the issues a man face from prostate problems are associated with urination and sexual functioning.

Urination problems include:

Frequent urge to urinate
Inability to pass urine completely or urinate at all
Slow stream or dribbling
Pain or burning while urinating
Blood in urine

Sexual symptoms:

Inability to achieve an erection
Pain during ejaculation
Blood in semen

In addition to these signs, you can also experience pain in the lower back and thighs.

Prostate problems happen in a large percentage of men over the age of 50, so you should watch for symptoms if you are older. However, not all men with prostate problems are over fifty, so you should see a doctor if you notice these symptoms, regardless of your age.