01/18/2026
https://hnwazfk.com/55QdXxmnProstate
What Is the Prostate and What Does It Do?
Written by Matt McMillenMedically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on April 16, 2024
What Is the Prostate?
What Does the Prostate Do?
What Causes Enlarged Prostate?
Who Might Get an Enlarged Prostate?
9 min read
What Is the Prostate?
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located under the bladder and next to the re**um of people assigned male at birth (AMAB). It surrounds the urethra, a tube that transports urine from the bladder and through the p***s. The prostate plays an important role in s*xual reproduction. It helps make semen, the fluid that carries s***m out of the p***s — via the urethra — when you ej*****te.
Talk with your doctor if you're p*eing more than normal or if you're straining to go. Both could be symptoms of an enlarged prostate. (Photo Credit: The Image Bank RF/Getty Images)
What Does the Prostate Do?
The prostate is a small gland that is part of the male reproductive system. It's supposed to be about the shape and size of a walnut.
It rests below your bladder and in front of your re**um. It surrounds part of the urethra, the tube in your p***s that carries p*e from your bladder.
The prostate helps make some of the fluid in semen, which carries s***m from your testicles when you ej*****te.
What Causes Enlarged Prostate?
If you have a prostate, it will almost certainly get larger as you age. It's not clear why it happens, but it may be linked to the decline in the male s*x hormone testosterone as you get older. This enlargement is a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The key word is benign. BPH has nothing to do with cancer and doesn't increase your risk of cancer. But it can make it more difficult to p*e and ej*****te. Why? As your prostate grows, it presses on your urethra. That interferes with the flow of urine and the release of ej*****te during or**sm.
Enlarged prostate and aging
Your prostate likely will begin to get larger around age 25. Symptoms usually don’t begin before the age of 40. By the age of 60, you have a 50% chance of symptoms. That number climbs to 90% by the time you’re over 80.
Is an enlarged prostate dangerous?
It can be. If your urethra becomes severely or completely blocked, you won’t be able to p*e at all. This can happen suddenly and is a medical emergency. Without prompt treatment, your kidneys may be damaged. Other serious complications of BPH include:
Urinary tract infections
Bladder stones
Bladder damage
Blood in your urine
Who Might Get an Enlarged Prostate?
BPH is common and can't be prevented. Age and a family history of BPH are two things that increase your chances of getting BPH. A few stats on that:
Some 8 out of every 10 people AMAB eventually develop an enlarged prostate.
About 90% of men over the age of 80 will have symptoms of BPH.
About 30% of men will find their symptoms bothersome.
Enlarged Prostate Symptoms
If you have trouble p*eing or have to go a lot, especially at night, these could indicate that you have an enlarged prostate. Other signs and symptoms include:
Your bladder doesn’t empty completely after you p*e.
You feel the need to go suddenly with no sensation of buildup.
You may stop and start several times.
You have to strain to get any flow going.
It’s important to see your doctor if you have early symptoms of BPH. Although rare, it can lead to serious problems such as kidney or bladder damage.
BPH is different for each person. In fact, some people with very large prostates have few, if any, symptoms. But your doctor should be aware either way.
Enlarged Prostate Treatment
How your doctor handles your condition depends on the details of your case -- your age, how much trouble it’s causing, and more. Treatments may include:
Watchful waiting. If you have an enlarged prostate but are not bothered by symptoms, you may be advised merely to get an annual checkup, which might include a variety of tests.
Lifestyle changes. This includes cutting back on how much you drink at night and before bedtime, especially drinks with alcohol or caffeine.
Medicine. Common treatments for BPH are alpha-blockers, which ease BPH symptoms, and what’s called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, or 5-ARIs, which help shrink the prostate. Many people with an enlarged prostate take them together.
The FDA now requires labels on 5-ARIs to include a warning that they may be linked to an increased chance of a serious form of prostate cancer. These medications are dutasteride (Avodart) and finasteride (Propecia and Proscar). The combination pill Jalyn also contains dutasteride as one of its ingredients.
Surgery. If you have severe symptoms and other treatments haven't helped, you might have to turn to surgery. Talk to your doctor about possible risks and outcomes.
What Is Prostatitis?
This is inflammation of the prostate, sometimes caused by an infection. Prostatitis does not make you more likely to develop prostate cancer. However, it can cause serious, even deadly complications, including:
Sepsis, a life-threatening infection in your bloodstream
Inflammation of your reproductive organs neighboring your prostate
Sexual dysfunction
Abscesses in your prostate
There are four main types of prostatitis:
Acute bacterial prostatitis. This is caused by a bacterial infection that develops suddenly.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis. Also caused by a bacterial infection, it can be hard to treat and may last years.
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). It is the most common type of prostatitis. About 1 in 3 people AMAB will develop this at some point in their lives.
Nonbacterial prostatitis (asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis). While this condition causes inflammation, it does not have symptoms or require treatment.
Prostatitis symptoms
What your symptoms are depends on the type of prostatitis you have.
Acute bacterial prostatitis typically causes:
Fever
Chills
Body aches
Painful or frequent urination
Difficulty urinating
Symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis are similar to those of acute bacterial prostatitis; however, they are usually less severe and you won’t develop a fever. They include:
Pain while urinating
Frequent urination
Difficulty urinating
Painful ej*******on
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) causes pain or discomfort that lasts 3 or more months. It can occur in the following parts of your body:
Between your sc***um and a**s
Central lower abdomen
P***s
Sc***um
Lower back
Other symptoms include:
Painful ej*******on
Pain in your urethra or p***s during or after urination
Frequent urination
Urgent need to p*e
Difficulty p*eing
Prostatitis risk factors
You are more likely to get prostatitis if you:
Are young or middle-aged
Have frequent urinary tract infections, a recent infection in your bladder, or an infection in your reproductive system
Have had prostatitis in the past
Have an abnormality in your urinary tract, which includes your kidneys, urethra, bladder, and ureters, which connect your kidneys and bladder
Have a urinary catheter, a tube inserted in your urethra to drain your bladder
Have HIV or AIDS
Prostatitis treatment
Your treatment will depend on the type of prostatitis that you have.
Acute bacterial prostatitis. This is treated with antibiotics for 2-4 weeks. You may require IV antibiotics. In rare cases, your doctor may need to drain an abscess in your prostate.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis. Treatment for this type takes longer and is more complicated. You may need to take antibiotics for up to 12 weeks. To prevent the return of infections, your doctor may prescribe ongoing treatment with low-dose antibiotics.
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). This requires a variety of treatments to address your pain and urinary difficulties as well as the anxiety this condition can cause. Physical therapy also may be part of your treatment plan.
Prostate Tests
Your doctor can use a variety of tests to check on the condition of your prostate. A few of them include:
Digital re**al exam. Your doctor puts on a glove and gently inserts one finger into your re**um to check the size, shape, and firmness of your prostate, as well as for any lumps.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This blood test checks the amount of a protein called PSA, which is produced by prostate cells. Higher levels may be a sign of cancer. By themselves, they are not proof you have prostate cancer.
Higher levels could also point to an enlarged prostate or prostatitis. But you may have low PSA levels despite having prostate cancer. If you opt to take this test, your doctor will discuss what your results mean.
Prostate biopsy. If you have high PSA levels or other reasons to suspect prostate cancer, your doctor may suggest a biopsy. It involves taking tissue samples from your prostate, which are analyzed to find out whether you have cancer.
Screening for Prostate Cancer
Screening for prostate cancer is controversial. You may read different kinds of advice and guidance from various sources. Talk to your doctor about what is best for you. Different health organizations make different recommendations regarding screening.
American Cancer Society
It recommends that you talk to your doctor about the benefits, risks, and limits of prostate cancer screening before deciding whether to be tested. This discussion should take place:
At age 50 if you have an average risk for prostate cancer
At 45 if you have a higher than average risk of prostate cancer, including being African-American or having a father or brother who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer at 65 or younger
At age 40 if you have more than one first-degree relative (father, brother, or son) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age
American Urological Association
It recommends that men aged 55-69 who are considering screening should talk with their doctor about the risks and benefits of testing and make the decision based on their personal situation and needs.
The group doesn't suggest screening for:
Men and those AMAB aged 39 and younger
Men and those AMAB who are aged 40-54 and have only an average chance of getting cancer
For those men who have decided on screening after talking with their doctor, a routine interval of 2 years or more may be preferred over yearly tests.
Compared with annual screening, it is expected that 2-year intervals give you most of the benefits and reduce false positive results.
Routine PSA screening is not recommended for those AMAB older than 70 or for anyone who is expected to live only 10-15 more years.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
It recommends that men aged 55-69 should talk with their doctor about the risks and benefits of screening before making a decision, which should be based on their personal situation and needs.
Routine PSA screening is not recommended if you're older than 70.
Takeaways
If you have a prostate, expect that it will grow larger starting around age 25, a common condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. This may cause symptoms that you should discuss with your doctor. Treatment can help. Keep in mind that having BPH doesn't mean you have prostate cancer or a higher risk of prostate cancer. The two are not related. Prostatitis is a separate condition that affects your prostate and causes unpleasant symptoms. Treatment can cure it.
Prostate FAQs
Can you get an er****on without a prostate?
Often, the answer is yes. If you had your prostate removed as part of prostate cancer treatment, your ability to have an er****on could return within a month of surgery. However, the time could stretch to a year or longer. Also, if you had trouble getting an er****on before your prostate was removed, you’ll still have it after surgery. If you can’t get an er****on on your own, talk to your doctor about your options, such as medications, pe**le implants, and pumps.
Can an enlarged prostate be cured?
No. This is a chronic condition that often gets worse over time. However, medications and procedures can ease your symptoms, stop the growth of your prostate, and even shrink it.
How can you massage the prostate?
You can do this by inserting a finger into your a**s until it reaches your prostate. Gently press and massage your prostate. It has no medical benefit. However, it can be s*xually stimulating, either by yourself or with a partner. Just use lots of lubricant to avoid injury.
How can you avoid prostate cancer?
Unfortunately, nothing can guarantee protection against prostate cancer. However, the American Cancer Society recommends maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting processed meat, red meat, sugary drinks, and highly processed foods. Also, consider limiting calcium, both in supplement form and in your diet. Several studies have linked high dairy and calcium intake to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
