What are the 3 crucial prostate cancer symptoms that everyone should know about?
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may be asking yourself if there were warning signs or symptoms you should have noticed earlier. Show
So what are the warning signs of prostate cancer?Unfortunately, there usually aren’t any early warning signs for prostate cancer. The growing tumor does not push against anything to cause pain, so for many years the disease may be silent. That’s why screening for prostate cancer is such an important topic for all men and their families. Get the Free Prostate Cancer Patient Guide.Enter your email address to get the pdf
* Email: Loading... In rare cases, prostate cancer can cause symptoms. Contact your doctor for an evaluation if you experience any of the following:
Remember: urinary symptoms don’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Prostatitis or BPH (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, also known as enlargement of the prostate) are benign diseases but can cause similar symptoms and are very common. What about difficulty in having an erection? Again, this is most likely not caused by cancer but by other factors such as diabetes, smoking, cardiovascular disease, or just plain getting older. That said: Symptoms are symptoms, and no matter what’s most likely to be causing them, you should get them checked out by a doctor. There are no warning signs of early prostate cancer. You can’t feel the growing tumor pushing against anything else, so there’s no pain. You can have the disease for years and not know it. That’s why regular prostate cancer screenings are so important. Symptoms of Prostate CancerOnce a tumor causes your prostate gland to swell, or once cancer spreads beyond your prostate, you may have symptoms including:
These aren’t symptoms of the cancer itself. They happen because the cancer growth is blocking your prostate. Symptoms of Advanced Prostate CancerSymptoms of advanced prostate cancer include:
Other Prostate ConditionsThese symptoms don’t always mean you have prostate cancer. Some other conditions may have similar signs. Prostatitis. This is often a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of your prostate gland. At least half of men will have it at some point. Medications can treat it. Prostatitis symptoms include:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This is an enlarged prostate because of unusual cell growth that isn’t caused by cancer. Signs of BPH include:
Bladder infection. Your bladder holds your urine. The organ is located directly above your prostate. Some bladder cancer symptoms can overlap with those for prostate cancer. They may include: Erectile dysfunction. This condition makes it hard for you to get or keep an erection. It’s also called impotence. The main signs of erectile dysfunction is not being able to achieve an erection, or to have it last long enough to have sex. Urinary tract infection (UTI). This can happen when bacteria grow in your bladder or kidneys. Some infections are caused by BPH blocking the flow of urine out of your bladder. Doctors treat them with antibiotics. UTI symptoms include: Talk to your doctor if: SOURCES: Prostate Cancer Foundation: “Prostate Cancer Symptoms and Signs.” Prostate Cancer UK: “Advanced prostate cancer: Managing symptoms.” Prostate Cancer Research Institute. National Library of Medicine. National Prostate Cancer Coalition. National Cancer Institute: “Understanding Prostate Changes: A Health Guide for Men.” Harvard Health Publishing: “Urinary Tract Infection in Men.” Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: “Bladder Cancer Signs and Symptoms.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Symptoms & Causes of Erectile Dysfunction.” |