How Common Is Prostate Cancer
About one in nine men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during his lifetime. Prostate cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer affecting males. Close to 200,000 American men receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer every year. There are many successful treatments and some men dont need treatment at all. Still, approximately 33,000 men die from the disease every year.
Risk Factors For Prostate Cancer
Some risk factors have been linked to prostate cancer. A risk factor is something that can raise your chance of developing a disease. Having one or more risk factors doesnt mean that you will get prostate cancer. It just means that your risk of the disease is greater.
- Age. Men who are 50 or older have a higher risk of prostate cancer.
- Race. African-American men have the highest risk of prostate cancerâthe disease tends to start at younger ages and grows faster than in men of other races. After African-American men, prostate cancer is most common among white men, followed by Hispanic and Native American men. Asian-American men have the lowest rates of prostate cancer.
- Family history. Men whose fathers or brothers have had prostate cancer have a 2 to 3 times higher risk of prostate cancer than men who do not have a family history of the disease. A man who has 3 immediate family members with prostate cancer has about 10 times the risk of a man who does not have a family history of prostate cancer. The younger a mans relatives are when they have prostate cancer, the greater his risk for developing the disease. Prostate cancer risk also appears to be slightly higher for men from families with a history of breast cancer.
- Diet. The risk of prostate cancer may be higher for men who eat high-fat diets.
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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer symptoms do not usually manifest themselves in the early stages of the disease. Less than five percent of men with prostate cancer show early urinary symptoms. The condition has usually progressed to later stages when prostate cancer symptoms do arise.
Some men may experience symptoms that can indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Others may find out during a routine check-up, a blood test, or a rectal exam with their doctor. Because the symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to other symptoms patients, will need to go through further testing to determine whether they actually have prostate cancer.
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Five Clinical Manifestations Of Prostatitis:
Urinary changes, the beginning of the urination discomfort, urination is not a sense, or burning sensation, urinary frequency, urgency, dysuria and itching and so on. Patients in the early morning found outside the urethra with secretions of adhesion, urine after the leaching of all hands and lanterns.
Urine abnormalities, the majority of urine deepened there may be turbid, white urine, but also a hematuria. Patients often have prostatic effusion, mostly in the urinary terminal or stool force, the urethra out of white secretions.
Neurasthenia, manifested as multiple dreams, anxiety, uncertainty and so on. Even affecting learning and work, is very annoying.
Because the prostate has a layer of lipid capsule, the formation of blood â prostate barrier, the general drug is difficult to penetrate directly, so the general effect of treatment is generally not ideal.
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The Dangers Of The Untreated Enlarged Prostate Gland To Back Pain
While most cases of BPH dont cause any serious health problems, its important to get it treated if youre experiencing back pain. Left untreated, BPH can lead to other more serious health problems, such as:
Urinary retention: This is when the bladder cant empty properly, leading to a build-up of urine. This can cause infection and even damage to the kidneys.
Bladder stones: These are hard, calcified deposits that can form in the bladder due to a build-up of urine. They can cause pain and difficulty urinating.
Here are the rest of the benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms.
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How Lung Cancer And Back Pain Are Linked
When we think about back pain, usually the last thing that comes to mind is cancer. Instead, we connect it to things like an injury, such as a muscle strain or ruptured disc. Or we may think its because of a degenerative disease, like arthritis or osteoporosis.
Back pain caused by lung cancer shares some common features with many of these disorders. Yet it also has distinct differences. These may relate to how and where the cancer causes pain, both directly and indirectly.
Some possible ways in which lung cancer can produce back pain include:
- A tumor can place direct pressure on the structure of the back, most often in the mid to upper back rather than lower back.
- A tumor can irritate the nerves that serve the lining of the lungs and chest wall. This may trigger a sharp and sometimes chronic nerve pain.
- Cancer spread from the lungs to the spine and bones happens in some 30% of people with lung cancer.
- Spread of cancer to the adrenal glands occurs in 40% of people with lung cancer, and can cause pain right above the kidney.
Healthcare providers may overlook a possible lung cancer as the cause of back pain, especially in people who have never smoked. However, at the current time, most of the people who develop lung cancer are non-smokers, either never smokers or former smokers. Lung cancer cases are rising in young women and men who have never smoked.
Urinating Frequently During The Day
It may be more difficult to notice a change in frequency during the day than at night. Most of us dont go around counting how many times we use the washroom in a given day!
Besides, whats normal, anyway?
Normal urination during the day is considered to be within a range offour to seven times for most healthy adult men. If youre going more often than this, it could indicate a prostate issue.
It can be easy to miss this sign. Drinking more water or caffeinated beverages than usual can be an easy explanation for a few extra trips.
Even a night out for dinner with a few more glasses of beer than usual can cause several extra trips to the bathroom because alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it triggers anincrease in urine production.
Diuretics cause your kidneys to process more salt and water out into your urine, resulting in increased volume that makes you need to go more often.Source:WonderWhizKids.com
But like your nighttime routine, if you notice an ongoing pattern of having to go more often during the day, ask your doctor about it. A simple blood test and rectal examination is often the first diagnostic step, which is quick and painless.
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Why Is Lower Back Pain Such A Common Problem
The bottom part of your back typically has just five vertebrae fewer than your neck and mid-back. And these vertebrae do a lot of heavy lifting! Your lower back is where your spine connects to your pelvis, bearing the weight of your upper body. This area experiences a lot of movement and stress, which may lead to wear, tear and injuries.
Management Of Prostate Cancer Pain
The same study reveals that pain has a major impact on numerous dimensions of patients quality of life. Patients with poorly controlled pain experience significant physical effects, such as decreased strength, limited mobility, and difficulty sleeping. In terms of psychological effects, patients with pain have increases in fear, anxiety, and depression and a decrease in their overall enjoyment of life. Socially, pain has an effect on the patients ability to form and maintain relationships with others and also places an increased burden on caregivers. However, there are treatment options for the management of pain in patients with prostate cancer.
Pharmacologic management of pain usually start with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , and opioid analgesics, while step-two drugs include codeine, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and propoxyphene. Step-three drugs are usually opioids like morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and fentanyl. For a small percentage of people who cant take oral medication, transdermal fentanyl or rectal morphine suppositories are also options. Adjuvant medication may be used to increase the efficacy of opioids or to treat pain of a different etiology, and it includes tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants and corticosteroids. Local therapy may consist of palliative radiation, multimodal chemotherapy or physical therapy, while systemic therapies refers to the use of bisphosphonates.
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Potential Complications Of Prostatitis
Acute prostatitis can be a life threatening condition that requires treatment in an emergency setting. Some medications for chronic prostatitis have side effects, such as headaches or low blood pressure.
Complications of untreated prostatitis can be serious, but you can help minimize your risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan that you and your urologist design specifically for you.
Complications of prostatitis can include:
- adverse effects of prostatitis treatment
- epididymitis, which refers to inflammation of the coiled tube in the back of the testicle
Treating Lower Back Pain In Austin Tx
While lower back pain can be an early sign of cancer, it is also important to note that many other reasons can explain it, as well. For example, an unattended injury from prolonged standing and lifting weights in the gym can strain the muscles in the back, causing pain.
If you are experiencing discomfort and persistent lower back pain, make sure to get early screening and diagnosis with a trusted physician. Resist from trying to find answers on medical websites. Despite having scientifically backed data and articles, it is still better to have a thorough consultation with your primary care physician.
The dedicated team of healthcare professionals at Endeavor Physical Therapy in Austin, TX can help you identify the root cause of your lower back pain. You may call us at 467-4546 or book an appointment using our online form.
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Diagnosing Back Pain And Prostate Cancer
A doctors first step in finding out the cause of back pain typically is to take an image, usually an X-ray or CT scan.
For men who have early stage or localized prostate cancer, that it would spread to the bone is very unusual, says Chris Filson, a doctor at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center. However, if a patient has more advanced prostate cancer, we have to do additional tests to ensure theres no involvement of the cancer in the bone.
A doctor who suspects or already has diagnosed prostate cancer will look for characteristic changes in the bone. The X-ray or CT scan also can indicate how much of your spine is affected and where.
In addition, an MRI can detect problems that an X-ray or CT scan cant.
Chiropractors are often the ones who first spot or suggest the presence of prostate cancer. Joint pain, especially back pain, often sends people to chiropractic care when they dont have any other symptoms of prostate cancer.
Whether youre seeing a chiropractor or medical doctor, be sure to provide your complete medical history. This can help your doctor diagnose your back pain. Its especially important to mention any personal or family history of cancer.
Richard Describes His Symptoms He Had To Get Up Several Times During The Night To Pass Urine He
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005. I had all the symptoms of somebody whos suffering from prostate cancer, difficult to pee, getting up several times during the night, bursting to go and then not able to go properly, and this lasted, you know quite a few weeks stroke months, went to see my GP, who sent me for a blood test to test my PSA level, I didnt know what that was at the time. So I got the results of that test, he suggested that there may be a problem with my prostate, I was sent to the hospital for them to do a biopsy. They did a biopsy, which, a very unpleasant procedure but necessary, and then got the results of that confirming that I had prostate cancer, and then was given the options by the consultant. After discussing it with my wife, decided the best thing to do was have the prostate removed which I did in July 2005. The operation itself was pretty straightforward, but the recovery was very difficult. Theres a lot of side effects, a lot of incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and its quite a long recovery period, so that was very difficult, much more so than the operation itself, but in the years after that its just got a lot better and everythings sort of, all my functions returned to normal, including the erectile dysfunction problem after two years, and since then Ive been fine, I have an annual check, and my PSA level is zero, which it should be, and Ive been fine ever since.
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Prostate Cancer Can Cause Pain In Many Areas And Not Just Because Of Bone Spread But Also Due To Other Features Of The Disease
It can feel different ways depending on the nature of the cause.
Curable early stage prostate cancer usually does not cause pain, says Sean Cavanaugh, MD, a radiation oncologist with GenesisCare, a premier provider of cancer and urology care.
That is the most important message do not use pain as a primary screening mechanism for prostate cancer.
Most pain associated with prostate cancer is from bone metastases in stage IV disease.
For example, men with bone metastases to their spine may have pain in their back.
Prostate cancer can spread to the ribs , pelvis and femur .
Prostate cancer metastases to the spine, pelvis and femur.Wan-Hsiu Liao, Sheng-Hsiang Lin and Tsu-Tuan Wu, CC BY-SA 2.0/creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/Wikimedia Commons
Even shoulder and arm pain are possible when a metastatic tumor is pressing against the spine.
Bone metastases occur in approximately 80% of patients with advanced prostate cancer, says the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it almost always goes first to the bones.
Bone pain from prostate cancer can feel like a dull ache or feel like a toothache in the bones, or you may feel a sharper sensation.
Can worsen with movement
May come and go or be constant
What Causes Back Pain
Its not always clear what causes back pain, but fortunately, the majority of factors that lead to discomfort in this area of the body are more likely to be a minor injury than they are to point towards some kind of carcinoma, including prostate cancer. Indeed, the most common causes of back pain in men, according to Healthline, are:
- Cancers of the Lymphatic System
- Skeletal disorders
- Pulled muscles and lifting-related injuries
- Histologic tumors and cancers of body tissues
- Metastatic prostate cancer
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Diagnosing Cancer And Back Pain
A doctor will consider your symptoms and medical history when diagnosing potential lower back pain causes. Its important to include if you have a history of cancer or a family history of cancer.
Because cancer is a rare cause of lower back pain in those who dont already have cancer, a doctor may recommend other treatments before doing a full cancer work-up.
However, if pain persists after physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medications, a doctor may order imaging studies and blood testing. These tests can help identify if there are potential cancer markers that are causing the lower back pain.
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When To Contact A Medical Professional
- Less urine than usual
- Back, side, or abdominal pain
- Blood or pus in your urine
Also call if:
- Your bladder does not feel completely empty after you urinate.
- You take medicines that may cause urinary problems, such as diuretics, antihistamines, antidepressants, or sedatives. DO NOT stop or change your medicines without talking to your provider.
- You have tried self-care steps for 2 months and symptoms have not improved.
Cancer Of The Skin And Tissue
Skin or tissue cancer such as melanoma may also cause lower back pain. When left undiagnosed and untreated, melanoma can spread and affect the area of the spine resulting in pain in the back. Symptoms that may go hand-in-hand with skin cancer are:
- Redness at the margin or border of the mole
- Mole changing its surface, becoming scaly, lumpy, or in some cases, bleeding
- An old sore that does not heal with interventions
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Symptoms That May Suggest Lung Cancer
Symptoms of back pain linked to lung cancer may overlap with back pain caused by other conditions. If the cancer involves the spine, it can mimic many of the symptoms of an upper back injury.
Lung cancer-related back pain may feel dull like a muscle ache, or it may seem sharp like a pinched nerve. People with cancer that has spread to the adrenal glands may sometimes say they have kidney pain on one side of their back. They also may describe a feeling like theyve just been kidney punched.
That said, back pain related to lung cancer may have certain telltale signs. Red flags that back pain may be due to lung cancer include:
- Back pain that is present at rest
- Back pain that is worst at night
- Back pain that happens without any activity
- Back pain that worsens the longer you lie in bed
- Back pain that gets worse when you take a deep breath
- Back pain that doesnt respond to physical therapy or other treatment
The back pain may come with other telltale lung cancer signs like a cough that wont go away or shortness of breath. Unintentional weight loss, chronic fatigue, or coughing up blood may further suggest lung cancer.
The typical symptoms of lung cancer are less likely to be present with lung adenocarcinoma, which often affects non-smokers. The most common symptoms with this type of cancer are fatigue and shortness of breath with exercise, which people may attribute to age or inactivity instead.