Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate gland. It can develop in men of any age and be chronic or acute in nature. There are problems in diagnosis, so patients often seek help from doctors when prostatitis is in an advanced form and traditional treatment does not help. The danger lies in the high probability of developing prostate cancer and complete infertility.
If prostatitis is diagnosed on time, then the treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man will only need to follow the doctor's recommendations and periodically undergo control examinations. In this case, there will be no complications after inflammation of the prostate - reproductive abilities are fully preserved, even if prostatitis appears with acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop out of nowhere, the cause of the inflammatory process is E. coli, mycoplasma, streptococci, staphylococci, trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Their specialty is very fast reproduction and rapid destruction of prostate tissue. The main causes of the disease are:
- any inflammatory diseases of the urinary system - cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
- chronic stool disorders - in particular, constipation, in which men have a need to push hard, and prostatitis develops as a response of the organ to pressure;
- infections from remote foci - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, flu, when prostatitis is directly related to the penetration of infectious agents into the tissue of the gland;
- frequent hypothermia or, conversely, overheating - may be associated with the characteristics of work activity;
- lack of regular sexual activity, physical inactivity - prostatitis causes stagnation of secretions in prostate tissues, and is often the cause of prostatitis in a 40-year-old man;
- weakened immunity due to serious hormonal imbalance;
- sexually transmitted infections - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- frequent retention of urine - an enlarged bladder exerts strong pressure on the prostate;
- injuries in the pelvic area.
Most often, prostatitis develops after the infection penetrates the prostate tissue through the urethra, much less often through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Prostatitis has one very important provoking factor - a general weakening of the immune system, if it occurs as an organism's response to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional outbursts.
Men should have a regular sex life and their lifestyle should be active. Otherwise, there is a stagnation of secretions in the prostate tissues, which is an ideal environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms - prostatitis develops quickly. Inevitably, prostate cells experience oxygen starvation, which only increases the chances of prostatitis spreading beyond the organ - the inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, characteristics of the course
Depending on the cause, there are several types of prostatitis:
- bacterial prostatitis - begins against the background of infection penetration into the prostate tissue; diagnosis of this type of prostatitis often occurs in young and older men;
- congestive prostatitis - caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual life in men and pelvic injuries, often accompanied by infection and then prostatitis becomes a mixed type;
- calculous prostatitis - develops as a consequence of an untreated chronic form of the disease; such prostatitis is more often found in older men.
According to the form of origin, prostatitis is divided into acute and chronic. Diagnosis of the acute form of the disease is rare, treatment should be carried out only in hospital conditions, because prostatitis occurs with severe symptoms. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "slow-down" clinical picture, periodic remissions, complete absence of specific symptoms and rapid transformation into serious problems - degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant ones, cessation of secretion production and decrease in sperm secretion.
Symptoms and diagnosis of prostate inflammation
The symptoms directly depend on which type of prostatitis begins to develop in the prostate tissues:
- bacterial prostatitis - high body temperature, presence of blood or pus in the urine, problems with urination (thin and weak stream, "dripping" urine), acute pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- calculous prostatitis - weak erection or its complete absence, blood in the urine, such symptoms of prostatitis are more often present in men over 50 years old;
- congestive prostatitis - discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or complete absence of erection, irregular urination.
Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "blurred" clinical picture, all symptoms are unexpressed and can occasionally be disturbing. But if men feel pain in the groin and testicles within 2-3 months, the general body temperature rises, and libido decreases, then it meansthat you need to see a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" and undergo treatment. It is worth knowing the following nuances:
- symptoms of prostatitis in men over 50 years old are a weakened erection and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but pain may be completely absent;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men over 30 years of age always manifest themselves acutely, and the first sign is a violation of urination: an enlarged prostate puts pressure on the bladder and men simply cannot go to the toilet;
- Symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 60 may be absent - at this age, prostatitis is often chronic, but the complete lack of erection can be disturbing.
A doctor can prescribe effective treatment only after diagnosing the disease - prostatitis often has symptoms of other diseases of the genitourinary system. Therefore, patients' complaints alone are not enough to establish a diagnosis, the following is prescribed:
- rectal examination;
- laboratory examination of prostate secretions;
- analysis for the identification/refutation of sexually transmitted infections;
- ultrasound examination of the prostate;
- computerized tomography of organs.
As additional examinations, ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and scrotum may be prescribed. Specialists may need to be involved to rule out or confirm co-morbidities.
Treatment - general principles, course duration
Symptoms of prostatitis in men and its treatment are directly related, because when prescribing therapy, the doctor must first of all relieve the general condition of the patient. Men often have severe pain, which means that treatment should start with painkillers. How to treat prostatitis is determined by a urologist or andrologist, and the following drugs will most often be prescribed:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and diuretics - prostatitis is manifested by violation of the urinary process;
- antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - prostatitis is accompanied by severe pain in the groin;
- support the functionality of the prostate and alpha-blockers.
Can erectile dysfunction due to prostatitis be treated? Yes, for such complaints, the doctor prescribes special drugs that improve the blood supply to the genital organ and clean the veins of the prostate from waste and toxins. If the symptoms of prostatitis are detected in men over 40 years old, then no additional drugs will be needed to restore an erection - as soon as the inflammatory process stops, all sexual abilities will return. But if the cause of prostatitis in 30-year-old men is sexually transmitted diseases (sexually transmitted infections), then in order to resume sexual activity, you will have to undergo additional treatment for the identified infection.
The best treatment is comprehensive, and therefore, in order to stop prostatitis as soon as possible, you must follow some recommendations of the doctor:
- drink at least 2 liters of fluid a day - prostatitis is characterized by stagnation of secretions and it will have to be quickly removed from the tissue in order to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
- adhere to bed rest - the treatment cannot be combined with physical activity, because it will irritate the organ, prostatitis will only progress, which will make the treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude spicy, sour, fatty food, alcohol from the diet - these are also irritants, which will only worsen prostatitis.
As soon as the signs of the disease become less pronounced, it will be necessary to resume sexual activity. Prostatitis will be cured much faster if you ensure regular drainage of the prostate and do not allow even a slight stagnation of secretions in its tissues.
If drug treatment does not give positive results, prostatitis occurs in a chronic form with frequent relapses, then this is a reason for undergoing surgical intervention. The operation can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes prostate tissue affected by prostatitis;
- prostatectomy – prostatitis is a real threat to a man's life, so his prostate and seminal vesicles with adjacent tissues are completely removed.
Operations are not performed at a young age, as this can lead to complete infertility - prostatitis is treated with therapeutic methods, along with medication, physiotherapeutic procedures can also be prescribed. How long prostatitis will be treated depends on the stage and form of the disease, the degree of neglect. Treatment usually lasts 2 weeks, but this figure is very average.
Prostatitis can be completely cured, it is only important to see a doctor in time. Treatment must be prescribed individually, traditional methods will not help stop prostatitis at all, but can accelerate the development of complications.