Is prostate trouble caused by youthful sex?

QI am a guy of 50, and I have heard a lot about that cancer of the prostate gland, and its links with sex. To be honest, doc, I have been fretting about what I have heard.

I am going to tell you candidly, doc, that when I was a young man I masturbated quite a lot. I have been told that this can make a guy get cancer of the prostate. So do you think I am likely to develop it?

Also, would it make me lose my nature? These days, my erections are not quite as good as they used to be. So I am wondering if that is a sign of cancer of the prostate?

Are there any other symptoms I should know about, doc?

AWell, cancer of the prostate gland is quite common in Jamaica. Also, it tends to occur a little earlier in life than it does in other countries. No one yet knows the reason for that.

However, you can forget all about this idea that masturbating when you were young could give you prostate cancer. You have somehow got hold of a garbled version of the truth. In reality, scientists have shown that this disease is appreciably LESS common in guys who have masturbated quite a bit.

Do not ask me why this is so, because it remains a mystery!

Now, what is the prostate gland? Well, it is a little structure, about the size of a lime, which is located in the lowest part of your belly. You cannot see it, because it is deep inside.

It is placed just below your urinary bladder. Indeed, your urinary pipe passes straight through it, before emerging at the tip of the penis.

The fact that the urinary pipe goes right through it is of enormous importance. It means that if the prostate enlarges, then there will be interference with the flow of urine.

So the main symptoms of prostate trouble are to do with urination. Prostate disease does NOT cause 'loss of nature', as you have heard. Nor does it usually cause difficulties with ejaculation.

Instead, the symptoms of prostate disorders tend to be:

Difficulty in getting a good stream of urine

Dribbling

Having to rush to pass water

Passing urine real frequently.

Now, so far I have been talking about 'prostate disorders'. You see, cancer is NOT the only disorder which affects this little gland.

In fact, it is far commoner to get 'benign enlargement' of the prostate. This just means that the gland gets bigger. That is something that happens to most men at around the age of 60 or 70.

It is a nuisance, but it is NOT cancer, and it is NOT life-threatening. Now you know why so many older guys have to rush to the toilet, or have to spend a long time in there before they can manage to 'get started'.

Cancer of the prostate is much less frequently seen than benign enlargement. It produces much the same symptoms. But when a doctor examines your prostate - which he does by putting a gloved finger up the rectum - he will usually find that the gland has become hard and 'craggy'.

Blood tests also help in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

As you can see, I do not think that at the moment there is any chance at all that you have prostate cancer - or, indeed, any kind of prostate trouble. But if you ever develop the kind of urinary symptoms I have mentioned, please go and see a doc immediately.

QDoctor, although I am 27 years old, I am still a virgin. I have always felt that I should wait for marriage before I have sex. Well, now I am engaged to be married.

But I am worried because I don't know anything about sexual intercourse. For instance, I don't even know the positions to take while having sex!

How could I make our first night of marriage enjoyable for my guy?

A I don't think you should be fretting about this. If you are marrying a good and loving guy, I hope that he will help you with the 'big night', and try to make everything nice and romantic for you.

But in the meantime, I think you should get yourself a good book about sex - what used to be called 'a marriage manual'. Most bookshops have a small section devoted to learning how to have sex - usually located among the health books.

As far as 'positions' are concerned, that should not be a problem! Most women lose their virginity while lying flat on their backs, with their knees bent. Until you and your husband have got used to each other, there is no need to move on to other postures.

However, you can get more information about positions from a helpful website run by the American women's magazine Cosmopolitan. You will find it at:

www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/positions

Two other things. First, I think you should buy yourself some lubricant from a pharmacy. That will make your 'first intercourse' easier and more comfortable.

Second, it would be worth going to see a woman doctor for a 'premarital check-up'. She can examine you, see that everything is OK, and help you with any worries you have about your body.

I wish you and your guy all the very best for your wedding, and for your future life together.

Q I am a female and 38 years old. About six years ago I started to get problems with recurrent yeast infections.

My doctor suggested that this was because I was taking the Pill, and because I wore pantyhose every weekday. I stopped the Pill, and switched to cotton underwear and 'stay-up' stockings.

But I still get vaginal yeast infections, with a bad discharge! Curiously, my recent swab tests have been negative. Please help.

ASorry to hear about this. People have traditionally blamed the Pill for creating a favourable environment for yeast, but it, nowadays, seems doubtful that this is true.

However, you certainly did the right thing in switching from pantyhose to cool cotton underwear.

Nevertheless, I am wondering if your current problems really are due to yeast. After all, it appears that your swab tests are now showing no yeast at all. Therefore, I am considering that you might have a common condition called 'bacterial vaginosis' (BV).

Could you raise this possibility with your current doc? If she agrees, she will put you on a special antibiotic called 'metronidazole'. I am keeping my fingers crossed in the hope that this drug will help you.

QI passed through the menopause six years ago, but now my menses seem to have started again.

Is this OK, doc?

ANo way! Most likely you are NOT experiencing renewed periods. The probability is that you are simply bleeding from somewhere - perhaps the lining of your womb.

This must be investigated immediately. I cannot stress strongly enough that any woman who has passed through the menopause, and then starts bleeding again, MUST see a doc right away.

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