Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
The prostate is a small organ located at the base of the bladder and wrapped
around the urethra, the tube that empties the bladder through the penis. It sits
in front of the rectum, and the back
portion of the organ can be felt during rectal examination by a health care
practitioner.
The prostate's purpose is to help with the male reproductive system. It makes up
to 70% of the fluid that is ejaculated during intercourse, mixing its
secretions with the sperm that are made in the testicles. The prostate also
contracts at the time of ejaculation to prevent retrograde (or backward) flow of
semen into the bladder.
Because of its location, the symptoms of any prostate problem tend to be
associated with the bladder and can include urgency to urinate, frequency of
urination, burning with urination (dysuria), poor urine flow, or inability to
begin a urine stream.
What is prostatitis?
Prostatitis is the general term used to describe prostate inflammation
(-itis). Because the term is so general, it does not adequately describe the
range of abnormalities that can be associated with prostate inflammation.
Therefore, four types of prostatitis are recognized.