- Loss of bladder control. You may cough or laugh and find you’ve urinated a bit without being aware it was going to happen. This incontinence can be a sign of prostate cancer.
- Inability to urinate while standing. If you’ve been forced to sit in order to urinate because it’s impossible to do so while standing, advise your doctor. This is a common sign of prostate cancer and may seem harmless or trivial at first, especially if there is no presence of pain, but it’s an important symptom in some cases, and your doctor should be aware of it.
- Blood in the urine. Again, there could be other reasons why you see blood when you pee, but it’s always best to know for sure. If you see red in the porcelain bowl, go see your physician.
- Pain. While many people do seek medical attention for any type of ongoing pain, when you experience pain in the ribs, spine, hips or lower back, especially if accompanied by any of the other symptoms listed here, you should ask your doctor for testing. If you’ve felt dull but increasingly painful aching in these areas, it could be a sign of the prostate cancer spreading to your bones. This is a serious situation and should not be overlooked for any period of time.
- Erectile dysfunction. There could be many reasons for erectile dysfunction, but when one possibility is prostate cancer, you should ask your doctor for an examination and tell him or her your symptoms. Be specific and don’t downplay any other problems you’ve been experiencing.
- Weight loss. Of course, if you’ve lost some pounds due to a new exercise regimen and healthy diet, congratulations! However, if you notice that you’ve lost weight and can’t seem to figure out why, you may have an outstanding health issue that you’ve been unaware of. See a physician and tell him that you’re losing weight and don’t know why or how. You may need to agree to some testing to get to the bottom of things, but if the cause is prostate cancer, you’ll be glad you found out earlier rather than later.