Prostate cancer: Dr Philippa Kaye discusses symptoms
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During the period sandwiching the month that leads the country closer to the winter solstice men should also be aware, should also check, and should therefore know what to look for.
In recent months, as the seasons have taken us inexorably closer to the summer solstice in June, Prostate Cancer UK has been trying to increase awareness.
Recently, they launched a new 30-second checker where any man can find out their risk through answering three simple questions.
If they don’t have any other symptoms and their risk is low enough, they need not take any further action.
However, if they do have symptoms then it is suggested they seek medical advice.
Some of the symptoms of prostate cancer can be embarrassing, particularly when it involves one saying they have difficulty “getting or keeping an erection”.
This is just one of the symptoms of prostate cancer if it has spread beyond the prostate.
Other symptoms of advanced prostate cancer include:
• Back pain
• Hip pain
• Pelvis pain
• Blood in the urine
• Blood in the semen
• Unexplained weight loss.
Although this may sound unnerving Prostate Cancer UK adds: “These symptoms can all be caused by other health problems. But it’s still a good idea to tell your GP about any symptoms so they can find out what’s causing them and make sure you get the right treatment, if you need it.”
It often said with cancer it is far better to get it checked and for it to nothing at all, than to wait a few months, even a year, and discover there was action that could have been taken and wasn’t.
Prostate cancer is pernicious in that symptoms don’t appear until later stages.
As a result it is very hard to catch and treat early.
Symptoms of prostate cancer vary, but many centre around the act of urination.
Difficulty starting to urinate, a weak flow of urine, a feeling the bladder hasn’t emptied properly, difficulty emptying the bladder, needing to urinate more often, dribbling urine after urination, a sudden need to urinate; these are all common symptoms of prostate cancer.
As with the more unusual symptoms of prostate cancer there is a strong chance it could be a sign of a non-cancerous problem known as an enlarged prostate.
But who wants to take that chance?
Men are getting better about talking about their health.
Great strides have been made in recent years about getting men, young and old, to talk about their mental health.
More strides are yet needed to get them to think about their physical health.
Much like vertigo sufferers, men are slowly learning there’s nothing wrong with looking down.
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