As men age, their prostate glands enlarge. In most cases, this natural occurrence, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), causes few problems. Because of its anatomical position surrounding the urethra, BPH may block urination, and surgeons may need to remove the prostate if the condition becomes bad enough. Of far more concern than BPH is prostate cancer, […]

A wide variety of cancers involving the skin and soft tissues of the penis can occur, though cancer of the penis is not common (Mosconi et al., 2005). Any lesion on the pe­nis must be examined by a physician, for benign and malignant conditions can be very similar in appearance, and STIs can appear as […]

An inguinal hernia (ING-gwuh-nul HER-nee-uh) is caused when the intestine pushes through the opening in the abdominal wall into the inguinal canal (the inguinal canal was originally used by the testes when they descended into the scrotum shortly before birth). This can happen during heavy lifting or straining. When it does, the intestine pushes down […]

Other conditions may also affect the male reproductive organs, including steroid use, hernias, and hydoceles. Over the last few years, steroids have become a controversial topic as more and more male athletes disclose past steroid use. In 2005, congressional hearings began to evaluate steroid use in major league baseball. We will discuss this more in […]

Priapism (pry-AE-pizm) is a painful and persistent erection that is not associated with priapism sexual desire or excitement (Van der Horst et al., 2003). Blood becomes trapped in the A condltion In which actions are iong-iasting and often painful. erectile tissue of the penis and is unable to get out. The most common cause of […]

It is a good idea for every man to examine and explore his own sexual anatomy. A gen­ital self-exam can help increase a man’s comfort with his genitals (see Sex in Real Life, “Testicular Self-Examination”). It can also help a man know what his testicles feel like just in case something were to change. We […]

Now that we’ve discussed the male sexual and reproductive system, let’s explore male maturation. In the following section we will discuss the physical changes that accom­pany male puberty. Many of these changes are controlled by hormonal changes that oc­cur and contribute to physical changes in a young boy’s body. In Chapter 8 we will dis­cuss […]

The internal sex organs of the male include the testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and Cowper’s glands. All of these organs play important roles in spermatogenesis, testosterone production, and the process of ejaculation.   The Testicles   The testicles (also referred to as the testes, TEST-eez) are egg­shaped glands that rest in […]