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What infections cause high PSA?

In addition to urinary tract infection and prostatitis, there are other reasons that can cause a high PSA level. These include: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – Benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as BPH, is enlargement of the prostate caused by aging.

advancedurology.com - What Does Having a High PSA Level Mean? - Advanced Urology
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What Does Having a High PSA Level Mean?

Your body fights off foreign substances like viruses or other diseases with proteins called antigens. Antigens are produced throughout the body and can indicate if there is a problem with a specific region. For example, men produce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) which can signal potential problems with prostate or urinary tract health if levels are too high.

What is Prostate-specific Antigen?

Prostate-specific antigen, also known as PSA, is a protein produced in the prostate gland. When there are issues with the prostate gland, it affects the amount of PSA that is produced. A high PSA level can indicate a range of bigger health problems from urinary tract infection to cancer.

How is PSA level tested?

PSA level is tested with a PSA test, which is performed through a simple blood draw that shows the amount of PSA in a man’s blood stream.

What does having a high PSA level mean?

An elevated PSA level can indicate something is wrong with the prostate or an issue with another area of the body that is impacting the prostate. Although there is no “standard” range for PSA level, typically, if a man has a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL he should have further testing done to check for larger health problems.

What can cause PSA to rise quickly?

Sudden elevated PSA can be caused by prostatitis. Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate. When the prostate is inflamed, it can be difficult or painful to urinate. If you have prostatitis, you may experience a persistent urge to urinate, wake up at night to urinate, or feel like you need to make frequent trips to the restroom. You may also have pain in the testicles or anorectal region or general pelvic discomfort. Chronic prostatitis is usually caused by autoimmune diseases, stress, and pelvic floor spasms. Urinary tract infections, bladder infections, urinary retention, and prostate stones usually cause bacterial prostatitis. Prostatitis is usually treated with antibiotics.

How high can PSA levels go with prostatitis?

PSA levels can vary by age and individual. As mentioned before, there is no “standard range” for PSA levels, but typically anything greater than 4.0 ng/mL indicates a problem. However, your PSA level can be below 4.0 ng/mL and you can have prostatitis. After antibiotic treatment, an elevated PSA level due to prostatitis should decline.

Can a UTI raise PSA levels?

Yes. This is another cause of a high PSA level that can be treated with antibiotics. For elevated PSA levels caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI), your doctor can prescribe a course of antibiotics to treat the infection. After treatment, your PSA level should decline.

Can kidney stones affect your PSA count?

Typically, no. While kidney infections or UTIs can cause an elevated PSA count, kidney stones generally do not. Kidney stones are formed in the kidneys and pass through the bladder and urethra. PSA is produced in the prostate. If you had a kidney stone that got caught in your urethra at the prostate, and caused further inflammation of the prostate, it could result in a spike in your PSA level.

Other Reasons for an Elevated PSA Test

In addition to urinary tract infection and prostatitis, there are other reasons that can cause a high PSA level. These include:

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Can you get a hard on after prostate removal?

Most men who have normal sexual function and receive treatment for early prostate cancer regain erectile function and can have satisfying sex lives after robotic prostatectomy.

mountsinai.org - Sex After Robotic Prostate Surgery | Mount Sinai - New York

Most men who have normal sexual function and receive treatment for early prostate cancer regain erectile function and can have satisfying sex lives after robotic prostatectomy. However, it is a gradual process and may take up to a year. Very few of our patients experience erectile dysfunction, but we work closely with those who do. Penile rehabilitation can help you resume sexual functioning. Studies show that going for too long without blood flow to the penis can damage the muscle and tissue, which can affect your ability to have erections on your own. The goal of penile rehabilitation is to keep the penile tissue and muscles oxygenated and stretched to preserve erectile function while the nerves in the penis fully recover. We encourage our patients to start working on penile rehabilitation even before surgery. Pre-operative visits could include early evaluation, penile Doppler studies (a test of blood flow into and out of the penis), and testosterone level estimations, if our experts feel that your particular case could benefit from these evaluations. Occasionally, we start penile rehabilitation using medications a few weeks before surgery in order to enhance the blood supply to the penis and “jump start” sexual rehabilitation. Post-operative rehabilitation usually starts a few weeks later and may include the following treatment options to maximize your chances of recovery.

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