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Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), is a substance
produced only by the prostate, and is generally accepted
to be an indicator of disease, particularly
prostate cancer. PSA levels tend to be elevated in cancerous
prostates, but can also be elevated by
prostatitis or an
enlarged prostate, albeit
not usually to the same high
levels as with prostate cancer
The Prostate Specific Antigen
(PSA) test is a simple blood test typically
performed routinely on men over fifty as a
prostate cancer
screening test. It is not a highly conclusive test, as
abnormal values can indicate problems other than cancer
while normal values do not conclusively rule it out.
However, a high PSA reading usually means that there
is some kind of problem in the prostate that needs
attention.
There is much controversy regarding the PSA test.
Some believe it is responsible for an increase in
survival rates for prostate cancer, while others conclude
that it simply skewing statistical survival rates
because of the earlier detection of the cancer. Or, in other
words, is it improving the survival rate, or does the
statistical improvement simply mean that men are living
with knowledge of their cancer longer?
Typically, an elevated (abnormal) PSA leads to a
prostate biopsy—a process where hollow needles are
inserted into the gland and tissue is removed for
analysis. This procedure can sometimes cause problems
with large prostates, particularly if there is an
infection present (prostatitis.) If the prostate is
enlarged and the biopsy is negative, the diagnosis is
benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, which means
abnormal prostate enlargement without any detectable
cancer cells.
This is where conventional medicine fails us. A
patient with a benign biopsy is sent home, happy with
his benign diagnosis, and scheduled for another PSA
and/or biopsy in six months or one year. Little is
offered in the way of lifestyle modification or
nutritional advice. Thus, the criteria that brought
about the problem remain unaltered, and the patient is
blissfully unaware that his condition may be
progressing, and that the next biopsy—or the one after
it—may not have such a pleasant outcome. It is my strong
belief that the time to address so-called benign
problems is when they are first discovered—while they
are still benign!
In my opinion, the term benign in BPH is a misnomer.
Studies show that men with prostate cancer often have a
history of an
enlarged prostate (BPH) and/or
prostatitis
for several years before their cancer diagnosis. Thus,
while there is no specific scientific proof that these
conditions lead to prostate cancer, there is
circumstantial evidence that they all originate from the
same sources.
The same can be said about
erectile dysfunction (ED),
low libido and problems with having an
orgasm. Many studies show that men diagnosed with
prostate cancer had a history of ED or other sexual
problems long before the diagnosis. The bottom line is
that ED, BPH, and prostatitis—even though they are
relatively benign conditions—are indicators that the
prostate is not as healthy as it should be.
Rather than wait for such conditions to develop into
something potentially far worse, it is prudent to treat
these conditions early.
Typically, conventional medicine approaches the more
benign prostate problems with medication to alleviate
symptoms. While this solves the immediate problem,
it does little to correct the cause. I believe the best
approach is to rectify the problem at its source using
natural techniques to improve the prostate’s overall
health. This may take longer, but the results are often
permanent.
On the other hand, more serious conditions—like
prostate cancer—often trigger treatments that could be
classified as overkill. I have personally known several
men who had small, non-aggressive prostate tumors, for
which the treatment and its consequences were far more
debilitating than the likely course of the disease!
Again, if your PSA is high, your prostate is telling you
that it has a problem and you should address the
problem, not wait for it to grow into something more
severe. Also, if you are over fifty, and you have
not had your PSA tested recently, you should arrange for a
PSA test. You can see your doctor about this, or,
if you prefer, you can order a test kit from this site
to test your PSA in the privacy of your home. Click the
link that follows to order a personal
PSA test kit.
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