Deep inside every man's abdomen, there's a little gland that, at some time in his life, is going to become a concern. If you're lucky, that will simply mean simple, regular tests. But there's also a likelihood that it will fall prey to diseases that can range from merely irritating, to potentially fatal. It's essential that you take a proactive approach to your prostate by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting it checked regularly.

The prostate is a gland found only in men - women don't have anything comparable - that performs essential sexual functions. Normally about the size of a walnut, it's located below the bladder, where it surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries both urine and semen. Its three main functions are to produce seminal fluid, especially an alkaline liquid that protects sperm from acidity; to help pump seminal fluid out during ejaculation; and to squeeze off the urethra during climax, so that urine doesn't mix with the semen.

The type of prostate concern you may experience will likely be tied in to your age. Younger men are most likely to experience prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate, caused by an infection. Beginning in their 30s, and more likely after their 50s, men are more prone to benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH (it's also called benign prostatic hypertrophy), an enlargement of the prostate. Age also increases the likelihood of prostate cancer, second only to skin cancer as the most common type of cancer in men. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 217,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the U.S., and that about 32,000 will die of it. On average, one out of every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer; it will kill one out of every 36.

Despite decades of research, many of the prostate's functions and its diseases are still mysterious. Doctors know what has gone wrong, but they don't always know why.

Prostatitis can strike men at any age, but for men below the age of 40, it's the most likely prostate problem they'll encounter. About half of all men will have some prostatitis symptoms in their lifetime, which include fever, chills, vomiting, painful urination and ejaculation, pain in the lower back or at the base of the penis, frequent and urgent urination, and lack of energy. The infection may be caused by bacteria. The most common type is chronic nonbacterial; the least common, but the most severe, is acute bacterial prostatitis.

The risk of BPH, or enlarged prostate, can start at age 30, but is most likely after 40, and affects 80 percent of all men when they are in their 80s. For reasons still not fully understood, the gland enlarges, which puts pressure on the urethra and, if large enough, the bladder. Symptoms include frequent urination (especially at night), a long time for the stream to start, a feeling of still having to go after urination, dribbling, weak urine stream, painful urination, or blood in the urine.

The signs of prostate cancer are similar to those of BPH, since a tumor can make the prostate larger. Other symptoms may include painful ejaculation, blood in the semen, or frequent pain in the hips, lower back or upper thighs. This type of cancer is rare in men under 45, and most develop it after age 65. It is especially important to be checked for prostate cancer if other men in the family have had it, while African-American men are considered the highest-risk group.

Treatment for prostatitis depends on what kind you have. The causes of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, the most common type, aren't well known. Doctors mostly recommend pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs, and warm baths until the inflammation settles down. Chronic or acute bacterial prostatitis is treated with antibiotics.

BPH treatment usually depends on how severe it is. Men with very minor symptoms might only make lifestyle changes, such as cutting down on alcohol or caffeine. For more severe cases, medicines may be prescribed, including alpha blockers, which relax the prostate and allow urine flow, and alpha-reductase inhibitors, which halt the prostate's growth and may shrink it. Some men may have to stay on these for life. If it blocks urine flow, surgery may be necessary to remove excess prostate tissue.

If cancer is suspected, a biopsy is done to check for cancer cells. Treatment will depend on how fast the tumor is growing and the patient's age, and may include prostate removal, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, or chemotherapy.

In all cases, regular testing is important, especially after the age of 40. The most common is a rectal exam, where the doctor feels the prostate to determine its size. A blood PSA test determines levels of prostate-specific antigen, which may indicate cancer if the levels are high.

Good overall health is also important, including keeping weight under control, quitting smoking, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and eating properly. Many men take a herbal supplement called saw palmetto, initially used in Europe and now common in the U.S., which inhibits the body's tendency to convert testosterone into a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, believed to be instrumental in triggering prostate growth.