By Ruth Hill R.N.
Men’s Health Month has been observed since June 1994! Throughout June, Men’s Health Network shares education, amplifies awareness, and distributes free resources to improve the health of men, boys, and the families who care about them. This year’s theme “Partners in Care: For Better Lifespans Across the Lifespan”, highlights the role that families, communities, and care partners play in supporting healthier outcomes for men.
The health of men in America is steadily deteriorating, largely due to poor health education, lack of awareness, and culturally induced behavior patterns. This has caused a silent health crisis, whereby men face higher mortality rates than women for 9 of the 10 leading causes of death in addition to a shorter life span.
More than 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions that negatively affect their quality of life. Over 50% of men in their 60s and as many as 90% in their 70s or older have symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Each year, over 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and about 30,000 will die of it.
BPH is a condition associated with aging, probably due to hormonal changes. Among men over 50, prostate enlargement may continue throughout the rest of their lives.
BPH symptoms include both a difficulty in starting urination and an uncontrollable urge to urinate. In the early phase of prostate enlargement, a man may find it increasingly difficult to urinate because the bladder muscle must work harder to push urine through the narrower urethra. This extra force may eventually thicken the bladder muscle, making it overly sensitive to fluid and leading to an urgent, frequent need to urinate. Over time, the bladder muscle may weaken, so that urine is not completely excreted. This leads to urinary infection. Any unusual variation or difficulty in the pattern of urination is a red flag that a prostate problem may exist. There is no known link between BPH and prostate cancer.
An enlarged prostate usually does not interfere with the ability to have sex. However, embarrassing BPH symptoms may discourage a man from pursuing sexual activity.
Prostatitis is the swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland, an issue for men of all ages and affects 35% of men aged 50 and older. Prostatodynia (pain in the area of the prostate gland) occurs in about 3 out of 10 men with prostate irritation. In some instances, the pain may be caused by a muscle spasm (an involuntary, sudden contraction) in the bladder or the urethra.
Activities that increase a risk of developing prostatitis include:
- Having had a recent bladder infection
- Having BPH
- Having gonorrhea, chlamydia, or other sexually transmitted diseases
- Having frequent, unprotected sex, or unprotected sex with multiple partners
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Eating a lot of spicy, marinated foods
- Injury to the lower pelvis (often as a result of cycling, lifting weights, etc)
Treating Prostate Problems
Prostatitis is not considered a serious disease, and it doesn’t lead to cancer. But it’s painful, extremely inconvenient, and sometimes difficult to cure. There are several treatment options that usually provide relief. These include cannabis, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and surgery.
The relationship between cannabis and the prostate is an active area of research, primarily focusing on prostate cancer and chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain. Some laboratory and animal studies suggest cannabidiol (CBD) may have anti-tumor properties, with past observational surveys noting a lower prevalence of prostate cancer among cannabis users. There is multiple anecdotal research that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with (CBD) in high doses cures prostate cancer. Other research indicates CBD for prostatitis. Cannabidiol Alleviates Chronic Prostatitis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome via CB2 Receptor Activation and TRPV1 Desensitization is one such study.
CBD has natural anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, and many patients use medical hemp cannabis to manage the pelvic discomfort associated with chronic prostatitis.
Encourage the men in your life to be screened for BPH and discuss any change in their urinary function with their physician. Both bloomcbd.com and Synergy-Wellness are reliable websites to obtain information on medically safe tested products for prostate issues.
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