Prostate cancer is a condition that needs immediate medical attention. It is definitely a serious disease, the second most effective cancer in terms of killing the men affected with it. You do have to be extra vigilant with this disease though it is reported to be slow growing. Why? Because it has also been reported that the disease only makes itself known through symptoms in its later stages. While the cancer may be slow, it has progressed slowly without your knowledge. So, better find out if you are at risk of getting the disease. Then, get your prostate checked regularly by your urologist even if you are not feeling any symptoms yet. Here are the symptoms that are associated with prostate cancer:
Urinary symptoms
There are many urinary symptoms that are associated with prostate cancer. You may even think at first that your problem is purely bladder related.
Frequent urination
You may find yourself going back and forth to relieve yourself, especially at night. Though you may have genuine reasons for thinking that you have a bladder problem, have both your bladder and your prostate checked. This is just to cover all possible grounds.
Hesitancy
It may take some time for you to get your urine flow starting. This is true even if you have felt quite an urgency to pee.
Weak flow
The hesitancy may be coupled with a weak flow. You may have felt a strong urge to pee that is why you rushed to the comfort room, only to be rewarded by a weak flow. The flow may be trickles that stop and then go again. It can be continuous but very short.
Painful urination
Another sign that there is a problem is painful urination. This could mean another problem, such as a sexually transmitted disease. However, it could also be prostate cancer trying to make itself known. So go and get checked for STDs and for prostate problems, just to be sure. This symptom may even be accompanied by fever, rounding up the symptoms for urinary tract infection (UTI). The UTI itself can be a symptom of prostate cancer as a whole.
Blood in urine
Another serious indicator of prostate cancer is blood in your urine. Again, this symptom could be pointing to some other problem but it could definitely mean prostate cancer in some cases. Have your urine tested and your prostate checked.
Loss of bladder control
An embarrassing symptom that may occur is loss of bladder control. For men who are in their sixties or older, this may be misconstrued as just part of getting old. After all, some seniors who have no prostate cancer may start experiencing loss of bladder control. Still, it is best to have this checked out, no matter how embarrassed you may be about it. You actually need your physician’s help more. You may get back to normalcy after treatment.
Not urinating at all
If you are not urinating despite the fact that you are drinking adequate fluids, you may already be experiencing kidney failure. At this point, your prostate cancer may have already gotten out of hand. You need to be rushed to the hospital. This is a much serious condition compared to the embarrassing loss of bladder control symptom.
There are some urinary symptoms when you have prostate cancer because your urethra is squeezed by your enlarged prostate. Enlarged prostate could mean either prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Both cases needed to be checked and treated by a physician.
Sexually related symptoms
A prostate problem does not only affect the urinary function but also the sexual function.
Impotence or new-onset erectile dysfunction
If you are an older man or a stressed one, you may think that you are experiencing impotence because of your age or activities. While that may be the case, it is still good to know exactly what the problem is.
Blood in the semen
As with blood in the urine, blood in the semen can be pretty alarming. You may have to get a sample of your semen checked to know what it is a sign of. This could be a possible but not as common symptom of prostate cancer.
Painful ejaculation
Painful ejaculation is also a symptom of prostate cancer. It may also be a sign that you have a sexually transmitted disease.
Other symptoms
Bone pain
Severe bone pain may need immediate checking. You may get checked by both a urologist and an orthopaedic surgeon. If it is prostate cancer, you will feel the intense bone pain in the hips, thighs and back area. Of course, this could also be a sign of advancing age.
The problem with symptoms is that they can be quite confusing. A symptom could point towards several and not just one disease. So, it is better to take note of all the symptoms and see what the most probable diseases may be. Then get checked by the physicians who are specializing in your possible diseases. They may confirm your suspicions or refer you to other doctors instead. With prostate cancer, your most likely physician is a urologist and possibly a separate oncologist.