A Woman's Guide to Prostate Health

The Role of Women in Men's Health

Just as most women consider OB/GYN primary care, urology and prostate care should be considered primary care for men. Regular check-ups, screenings and tests are "musts" for men to maintain prostate health. As the "gateway" to many other critical areas of men's health, an array of related conditions must be regularly checked. These conditions can include—bladder, kidney and urination problems such as incontinence, kidney stones, tumors and insidious "silent" prostate problems with no symptoms.

The following are tips on what you should and can do to promote your partner's prostate health:

1. Become a Prostate Care Coordinator
2. Develop Prostate Radar
3. Observe and Recognize the 10 Signs of a Prostate Problem
4. Be his Prostate Compliance Officer
5. Reassure Him that the Diagnostic Tests are Generally Simple, Easy and Quick
6. For Those Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, Educate Him About the Various Treatment Options specifically designed for Patients with Prostate Cancer
7. Help Him Relax
8. Help Him Adjust During and After Treatment
9. Be a Team

Become a Prostate Care Coordinator

Men are often reluctant or afraid to face health problems, admit they are sick or show weakness. As such, they risk failing to protect their families from the effects and impacts of undetected or untreated serious medical conditions, including those associated with prostate care.

Women need to become the "Prostate Care Coordinators" for their men. They must become the schedulers and reminders regarding check-ups, regular exams and tests. In this role, they also need to provide emotional, psychological and physical support to men who face prostate conditions, benign or malignant, temporary or chronic. This includes being his "prostate advocate," accompanying him to treatment and diagnostic visits and providing another pair of eyes and ears.

Develop Prostate Radar

Women Must Develop "Prostate Radar". They must use observation, informed education and knowledge of his family history. But this can be difficult—when confronted by a health condition, men often stop talking. Women must look for changes in behavior—where the man regularly begins to remove himself from situations that may become uncomfortable for him because of underlying urinary conditions, or where there could be urinary pain, fear of embarrassment or bladder inconvenience.

Observe and Recognize the 10 Signs of a Prostate Problem

• In the car, is he stopping more frequently to visit the restroom?
• Are social activities increasingly revolving around frequent bathroom visits?
• Does he wake up often to urinate?
• Does his underwear have urine stains?
• Do you hear complaints about a weak flow with less force and having to "push" the urine out?
• Does he say it feels like his bladder is not emptying?
• Does he complain of trouble starting or stopping urine flow?
• Does it appear he is unable to urinate naturally?
• Does he complain about burning or painful urination?
• Has he mentioned blood in his urine, painful ejaculation, or frequent pain in the lower back, hips or thighs?

All of these signs can be indicators of a prostate problem. If you become aware of all or some of these signs, have him call a urologist/prostate specialist for an appointment. If he is reluctant, you do it. In the meantime, see if simple changes in his routine can help clear up or improve the problem—like stopping liquids two hours before bedtime.

Be his Prostate Compliance Officer

Use regularly scheduled, common events each year as a reminder that he should get his regular prostate exam. These can include when you change the clocks at the onset of Daylight Savings Time; replace smoke alarm batteries; visit your OB/GYN for regular pap tests and mammograms. Use these occasions to make sure your man visits a urologist.

Reassure Him that the Diagnostic Tests are Generally Simple, Easy and Quick

The initial office consultation is simple. It most often requires that the patient provide a thorough patient-history and that the urologist perform a physical exam followed by laboratory studies such as a urine analysis and PSA blood test.

Through this initial evaluation, the urologist can determine what, if anything is required. The urologists might see nothing out of the ordinary and recommend that nothing more be done or, he might determine that simple lifestyle changes be adopted. In some cases, the urologist might recommend further diagnostic study and treatment.

As the "Prostate Care Coordinator, women need to be aware that while the PSA test is a good indicator, it is not meant to be the sole determinant. Doctors also consider such factors as "PSA velocity" (how quickly the PSA values have risen over time) and "PSA density" (a measurement relative to prostate size, as well as other factors).

For Those Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, Educate Him About the Various Treatment Options specifically designed for Patients with Prostate Cancer

• Observation—"watchful waiting"
• Hormonal therapy
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery—including "Four-Handed, Sensory-Guided Surgery."

Women must help men understand that even cancerous prostate conditions can be controlled, and that men with these conditions can live very long and productive lives.

Help Him Relax

Often times, treating your man's prostate symptoms usually means simple lifestyle changes. Those men with issues other than prostate cancer, such as sexual dysfunction, can also usually be treated with medication. Remember though, more often than not, patients generally have good prostate health and, when a condition arises, they require nothing more than lifestyle changes and or medication.

Help Him Adjust During and After Treatment

Perspective is key after life-saving and life-changing prostate cancer surgery and treatments: Women must help men understand that they can adjust to new realities, if necessary, post surgery. They must proactively provide the man in their lives with the emotional and psychological support to deal with sexual function or incontinence issues that can arise in a percentage of cases where radical prostate cancer surgery has been involved. Remember, prostate surgery does NOT mean the end of sex in many cases.

Additionally, women should know that for men being treated for benign prostate growth, urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction are rare occurrences.

In all cases, it is important for women to reinforce to their loved one that his life and good health are of utmost importance.

Be a Team

It is important for women to stress the point to their men that they are a 'team' and that they are in "this" together. Along with their doctors, they form an even bigger team to assure that his medical conditions are well cared for.