At Private GP Services we offer a range of tests and check ups for both Men and Women’s health administered by experienced health care professionals. Our services put the care back in your hands, so you can choose appointment lengths, a range of tests to check the health concerns you have and the option to see the same GP at each appointment ensuring your ongoing support is in the hands of a doctor you can trust.
Today we’d like to talk about one of our Men’s health screenings and our private PSA testing. Our Prostate check comes with PSA included, so let us read on to find out about our most intimate of men’s health.
The prostate is a gland that only men have, it is responsible for making semen which is the fluid that carries sperm. It is around the size and shape of a walnut and grows larger as you age. Sitting underneath the bladder and surrounding the urethra, if the prostate grows too large or develops complications it can an effect your fertility, ability to go to the toilet and your general wellbeing. The health of your prostate can be determined through our private PSA test.
There are three common problems that can arise with the prostate:
Enlarged Prostate (BPE): Also known as ‘benign prostatic enlargement’, an enlarged prostate isn’t usually caused by anything malicious such as cancer, and the prostate grows larger naturally with age. As the prostate grows it may make the urethra, (the tube through which you urinate and ejaculate) narrower, this in turn makes it harder to urinate and may cause you to want to urinate more often.
An enlarged prostate is common in men over the age of 50. Having an enlarged prostate doesn’t increase your risk of cancer, but you can have BPE and prostate cancer at the same time.
Prostatitis: Prostatitis is what we call a set of symptoms which indicate an infection or inflammation of the prostate. It can affect men of any age but is typically seen in men aged 30-50. Due to it being an infection or inflammation there are varying factors to consider, this means different types of prostatitis needs to be treated in different ways. Trying to find the right diagnosis can take time and may require a number of tests.
Prostate Cancer: Cancer is a condition that arises when the bodies natural cell growth is no longer under control. In healthy cell growth as each cell ages and dies it is replaced by a healthy new cell in an orderly fashion, retaining the same shape and function as the previous cell. Cancer is what occurs when the cells begin to grow out of control, growing in ways that wasn’t intended. If this is allowed to go on long enough, or happens quickly enough, the result is cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in the UK, affecting about 1 in 8 men at some point in their lives. It often grows slowly and has a low risk of spreading to other areas of the body, so it may never cause you any symptoms or problems in your lifetime. Because of this, prostate cancer is often not life-threatening, so it may not require treatment but regular check-ups and monitoring instead.
Some men will develop a prostate cancer that is faster growing and has a higher risk of spreading however, this is more likely to cause problems and symptoms and require treatment to prevent it spreading or getting worse.
Considering how common it is, and how naturally prostate problems can develop, every man needs a prostate check at some point in their lives. As an enlarged prostate is a natural part of growing older, the older you get the more necessary a prostate check becomes to make sure you are still in good health and there are no untoward problems to be concerned about.
As with any medical condition, the earlier it can be caught the easier it can be to treat, the more time you have to do something about it. There are several factors to consider whether you maybe at higher risk and that it may be finally time to go for a prostate check.
Age: Prostate cancer mostly affects men over the age of 50 and your risk only increases with age. The average age for men to be diagnosed is between the ages of 70-74. If you are under 50 years old then your risk is very low. Men under 50 can still get it, but it isn’t common.
Family History: You are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer if your father or brother has been diagnosed with it compared to a man who has no relatives with prostate cancer. You may have a higher chance if the relative was under the age of 60 when they were diagnosed, indicating it is likely genetic.
Ethnicity: It is more common to have prostate cancer as a black male than for men of other ethnic backgrounds. The reasons for this are not yet clear but genetics may play a role. In the UK around 1 in 4 black males will get prostate cancer in their lives compared to the UK average of 1 in 8.
Lifestyle: No one yet knows how to prevent prostate cancer but we know that lifestyle can have a huge influence. A good diet and lots of exercise can reduce your risk whereas the opposite may contribute to a body out of balance.
If any of the above risk applies to you, we would recommend booking your private PSA test and getting your prostate checked from the age of 40 onwards.
If these risks don’t apply to you then the general guideline is to begin an annual prostate check from the age of 55 onwards.
PSA stands for ‘prostate specific antigen’. The PSA test therefore is a test that detects the levels of PSA in your blood. An antigen is a foreign molecule, or cell, present in the body that can cause an immune system response. The Prostate specific antigen is found only in the prostate, and therefore can create a direct link to the health of the prostate based on levels of PSA in the blood. PSA tests are not offered as a nationwide health screening, but we at Private GP Services offer a private PSA test for your convenience.
It is normal for all men to have a small amount of PSA in their blood as it is produced by normal cells as well as cancer cells, but this amount rises as you get older.
A raised PSA level can indicate a prostate problem but this doesn’t necessarily mean cancer.
The PSA can tell you if you have a possible problem such as an enlarged prostate, an infection such as prostatitis, a urinary infection or prostate cancer.
If you are over the age of 50 a PSA test is likely for you, as it can help to inform yourself and your GP about whether your prostate is functioning as it should.
If you are under the age of 50 your GP will take into account your risks and judge whether a PSA test is what you require and whether you are in enough danger to spend time worrying about it.
As with all health concerns you are welcome to book in a consultation with your local Private Gp Services and speak to an experienced GP about your health concerns.
Alternatively, the PSA test is included in our Men’s Health Screening, which checks your prostate which you can book in for today.
We hope you’ve learned a little about yourself today, about prostate problems and the PSA test. If you fit the risks or have any worries and concerns at all, please reach out to us and book in with us for your private PSA test and prostate check, so we can see to your needs and discuss the options that are best for your health. Here at Private GP Services we are experienced health care professionals who have your needs in our hands.
