Fifty percent of men over 60 have symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Ninety percent of men over 70 have the symptoms. Thirty-five percent of men over 50 have prostatitis (infection in their prostate gland). This year, 230,000 men will be told they have prostate cancer. 30,000 men will die from it. Those are scary numbers for not knowing what a prostate is, aren't they?

Prostate: What is That?

The prostate is a small gland that surrounds the urethra- the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. During puberty, the prostate grows a lot. It stops growing and then starts again at about age 40. In a lot of men, it doesn't stop growing. About half of men do not complain of any symptoms regarding their prostate gland, but the rest of them develop health problems that need to be addressed immediately.

The 3 Illnesses Affecting Prostate Health Enlarged prostate (BPH)

- Prostate Cancer

- Prostatitis, an infection in the prostate gland

- Some symptoms of which every man should be aware:

- Difficulty urinating

- Pain while urinating

- Erectile Dysfunction

- Chills and Fever

- Pain in the lower abdomen

- How to Talk to the Doctor About Your Prostate Health

First, you need to make a list of all the symptoms you've been having and any questions you have concerning your prostate health. Tell the doctor about anything unusual you've been experiencing such as changes in frequency of urination or problems urinating.

Describe your symptoms to your doctor. Don't be shy about it. Doctors can only help you if you tell them what is going on. Whatever your diagnosis turns out to be, thoroughly discuss treatment options with your doctor. Follow his advice and take medications as prescribed.

If a man has prostate cancer and the problem is not caught before it has advanced very far, his chances of living are minimal. This is a terrifying thought because as studies have shown, men tend to put off going to the doctor. Some will go through severe pain and refuse to see an M.D... If you are one of those men, you need to listen carefully: If you have one of the three problems, you could end up impotent or worse- dead. If you are the wife, sister, daughter, son or father of a man over 40 and he does not see a doctor regularly, make sure he is informed.

By making yourself aware of the problems that will likely be part of your future and making the doctor aware of the symptoms you have, you may avoid years of pain, impotency and possible death.