A muscular gland in the male reproductive system, the Prostate is the size of an apricot and is located in front of the rectum and below the bladder.
The urethra runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, letting the urine flow out from the body.
Function of Prostate Glands
Prostate glands are small muscular glands that help in transporting sperm and keeping them safe. So the gland is extremely vital for reproduction.
The prostate gland is a very important organ in the male reproductive system which has a key function outlined below:
Secretion of fluid
The prostate gland secretes a fluid. The prostate fluid is squeezed in the urethra and is expelled along with sperm as semen during ejaculation. This fluid is milky and constitutes about 30 percent of the total volume of semen. This fluid protects the sperm, helps it to live longer, and also helps to make the sperm more mobile. One of the enzymes in the prostatic fluid is PSA, prostate specific antigen, which makes the thick semen a little runnier, helping the sperm to travel more easily and increasing the possibility of fertilizing the egg successfully. This fluid contains enzymes, zinc and citric acid.
Conditions of the Prostate Glands
Prostatitis is a condition in which there is inflammation in the prostate glands due to infection. It is usually treatable by antibiotics.
Enlarged prostate also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), is a common condition, affecting a large number of men over 50 years of age. It makes urination very painful and difficult. It is commonly treated through medicines or surgery. BPH is not cancer and neither does it increase the chances of getting cancer.
Prostate cancer is the one of the most common causes for cancer in men. Surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy and radiation are the few of the common modes of treatment.
Some of the common prostate treatments
Treatment for Enlarged Prostate
Alpha blockers may be prescribed to relax the muscles around the urethra so that the urine flows more freely.
5-alpha-reductase-inhibitors reduce the levels of DHT, a form of testosterone. Reduced levels of DHT causes the prostate to shrink and hence improve the flow of urine.
Surgery may be used to remove the prostate gland in some cases where medications fail to improve the symptoms.
Prostate cancer treatment
Prostatectomy, Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy and hormone therapy are some of the common treatment options used to treat prostate cancer.
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