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 a doctor 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 in a timely manner, then treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man will only need to follow the doctor’s recommendations and periodically undergo follow-up examinations. In this case, there will be no complications after suffering prostate inflammation - reproductive abilities are preserved in full, even if prostatitis occurs with acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop out of nowhere; the cause of the onset of the inflammatory process is E. coli, mycoplasma, streptococci, staphylococci, trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Their peculiarity is very rapid 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 an organ response to pressure;
- infections from distant foci - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, influenza, when prostatitis is directly related to the penetration of infectious agents into the glandular tissue;
- frequent hypothermia or, conversely, overheating - may be associated with the characteristics of work activity;
- lack of regular sexual activity, physical inactivity - prostatitis provokes stagnation of secretions in the tissues of the prostate gland, and is often the cause of prostatitis in a 40-year-old man;
- weakened immunity due to serious hormonal imbalances;
- infections that are sexually transmitted - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- frequent urinary retention – an enlarged bladder puts strong pressure on the prostate gland;
- injuries in the pelvic area.
Most often, prostatitis develops after infection penetrates into the prostate tissue through the urethra, much less often this occurs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Prostatitis has one very important provoking factor - a general weakening of the immune system, if this occurs as the body's response to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional outbursts.
Men should have regular sex life and their lifestyle should be made active. Otherwise, stagnation of secretion occurs in the tissues of the prostate gland, which is an ideal environment for the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms - prostatitis develops rapidly. Inevitably, prostate cells experience oxygen starvation, which only increases the chances that prostatitis will spread beyond the organ - inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, features of the course
Depending on the cause of origin, 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 elderly men;
- congestive prostatitis - caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sex 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 its occurrence, prostatitis is divided into acute and chronic. Diagnosis of the acute form of the disease is rare; treatment should be carried out only in a hospital setting, because prostatitis occurs with severe symptoms. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "sluggish" clinical picture, periodic remissions, a complete absence of specific symptoms and rapid transformation into serious problems - the degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant ones, the cessation of secretion production, and a decrease in the secretion of sperm.
Symptoms and diagnosis of prostate inflammation
Symptoms directly depend on what type of prostatitis begins to develop in the tissues of the prostate gland:
- bacterial prostatitis - high body temperature, the presence of blood or pus in the urine, problems with urination (thin and weak stream, "drip" urine output), 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 50 years of age and older;
- congestive prostatitis - discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or complete absence of erection, improper urination.
Chronic prostatitis is distinguished by a "blurred" clinical picture; all symptoms are unexpressed and can be periodically disturbing. But if men experience pain in the groin and testicles within 2-3 months, general body temperature rises, and libido decreases, then this means that 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 aged 50 are weakened erections and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but pain may be completely absent;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men aged 30 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 aged 60 may be absent - at this age prostatitis is often chronic, but the complete absence of an erection may 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, patient complaints alone are not enough to make a diagnosis; the following are prescribed:
- rectal examination;
- laboratory examination of prostate secretion;
- analysis to identify/refute sexually transmitted infections;
- ultrasound examination of the prostate;
- computed tomography of the organ.
As additional examinations, ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and scrotum may be prescribed. It may be necessary to involve specialized specialists to exclude or confirm concomitant diseases.
Treatment - general principles, course duration
The symptoms of prostatitis in a man and his treatment are directly related, because when prescribing therapy, the doctor must first of all alleviate the patient’s general condition. Men often have severe pain, which means treatment should begin with painkillers. How to treat prostatitis is determined by a urologist or andrologist, and most often the following medications will be prescribed:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and diuretics - prostatitis is manifested by a violation of the urinary process;
- antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - prostatitis is accompanied by severe pain in the groin;
- supporting prostate functionality and alpha-blockers.
Is the lack of erection due to prostatitis treated? Yes, for such complaints, the doctor prescribes specific medications that improve blood supply to the genital organ and cleanse the vessels of the prostate gland from waste and toxins. If symptoms of prostatitis are detected in men 40 years old, then additional drugs will not be needed to restore an erection - as soon as the inflammatory process is stopped, all sexual abilities will be restored. But if the cause of prostatitis in 30-year-old men is sexually transmitted diseases (sexually transmitted infections), then to restore sexual activity you will need to undergo additional treatment for the identified infection.
The best treatment is comprehensive, and therefore, in order to stop prostatitis as quickly as possible, you need to follow some doctor’s recommendations:
- drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day - prostatitis is characterized by stagnation of secretions and will need to be quickly removed from the tissues in order to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
- adhere to bed rest - treatment cannot be combined with physical activity, because it will irritate the organ, prostatitis will only progress, which will make treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude spicy, sour, fatty foods, 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 restore sexual activity. Prostatitis will be cured much faster if you ensure regular drainage of the prostate gland and do not allow even a slight stagnation of secretions in its tissues.
If treatment with medications does not give positive results, prostatitis occurs in a chronic form with frequent relapses, then this is a reason to undergo surgical intervention. The operation can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes prostate tissue that has been affected by prostatitis;
- prostatectomy – prostatitis poses a real danger 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, because this can lead to complete infertility - prostatitis is treated with therapeutic methods, physiotherapeutic procedures can be prescribed in addition to medications. 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.
It is possible to cure prostatitis completely, it is only important to consult a doctor in time. Treatment must be prescribed individually; traditional methods will not help stop prostatitis at all, but they can speed up the onset of complications.