The prostate gland is a walnut-sized structure, weighing in at about 20 to 30 grams (about an ounce) that is made up of muscle fibers that surround numerous smaller glands and ducts. The main purpose of the prostate is to take care of sperm. To do this it produces and stores the fluid that nourishes the sperm and then helps them swim as they make their way out of the penis.
The prostate gland is positioned underneath the bladder and is wrapped around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis and out of the body.
Diagram: Location of Prostate Gland and Associated Structures
When the prostate gland is healthy, location is generally not an issue. But it can become an issue when one of several things happen. For example:
- If the prostate grows larger than it should, it can press up into the bladder and cause urine to stay in the bladder after urination (called urinary retention), resulting in urinary tract infections and other problems.
- If the prostate squeezes against the urethra, it can slow the flow of urine, causing a long delay before the urinary stream begins and other problems. If the prostate gets a stranglehold on the urethra, it can stop the flow of urine completely.
- If the prostate cells become cancerous, the gland can serve as “ground zero” for cancer cells to travel to the bladder, spine, liver, brain, and elsewhere in the body.
Any of the above can occur in some form as a result of growth (BPH) or inflammation (prostatitis) of the prostate or as a symptom or result of prostate cancer.
Ten Amazing Functions of the Prostate Gland
Main Prostate Disorders →
See also
The Prostate Test, It’s No Laughing Matter
