Prostatitis is a disease related to inflammation of the prostate gland.It can develop in men of any age and is either chronic or acute.There are problems with diagnosis, so patients often seek help from a doctor when prostatitis is already in an advanced stage 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 time, treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man just needs to follow the doctor's recommendations and have regular follow-up examinations.In this case, there will be no complications after prostatitis - fertility is fully maintained, even if prostatitis occurs with acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop spontaneously;The cause of the inflammatory process is E. coli, mycoplasma, streptococci, staphylococci, trichomonas and other pathogenic microorganisms.Their peculiarity is that they reproduce very quickly and quickly destroy prostate tissue.The main causes of the disease are:
- any inflammatory disease of the urinary system - cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
- chronic stool disorders - especially constipation, in which men have a strong urge to strain and prostatitis develops as an organ response to pressure;
- infections from distant foci - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, influenza, when prostatitis is directly associated with the penetration of infectious agents into glandular tissue;
- 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 the tissues of the prostate gland and is often the cause of prostatitis in men over 40 years old;
- Weakened immunity due to severe hormonal imbalance;
- sexually transmitted infections - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- Frequent urinary retention – enlarged bladder puts strong pressure on the prostate;
- injury in the pelvic area.
Typically, prostatitis develops after an infection enters the prostate tissue through the urethra, less often through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.Prostatitis has a very important provoking factor - a general weakening of the immune system, if this occurs due to the body's reaction to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional outbursts.
Men should have a regular sex life and their lifestyle should be active.Otherwise, stagnation of secretions occurs in the tissues of the prostate, which is an ideal environment for pathogenic microorganisms to multiply - prostatitis develops rapidly.Inevitably, prostate cells become deprived of oxygen, which only increases the risk of prostatitis spreading beyond the organ - the inflammation will also affect neighboring organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, features of the course
Depending on the cause, there are several types of prostatitis:
- bacterial prostatitis - begins based on the penetration of infection into prostate tissue;Diagnosis of this type of prostatitis often occurs in young and older men;
- Congestive prostatitis - due to a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual life in men and pelvic trauma, often accompanied by infection and then prostatitis becomes a mixed type;
- acalculous prostatitis - develops as a result of an untreated chronic form of the disease;Such prostatitis is common in older men.
According to the form of appearance, prostatitis is divided into acute and chronic.Diagnosis of the acute form of the disease is rare;Treatment should only be done in a hospital because prostatitis occurs with severe symptoms.Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a “slow” clinical picture, periodic remissions, complete absence of specific symptoms and rapid transition to serious problems - degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant cells, cessation of secretion production and decreased sperm secretion.
Symptoms and diagnosis of prostatitis
Symptoms directly depend on the type of prostatitis that begins to develop in the tissues of the prostate:
- bacterial prostatitis - high body temperature, blood or pus in the urine, problems with urination (thin and weak urine stream, urine comes out in a "dribble"), acute pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- calculous prostatitis - weak or completely absent erection, bloody urine, such symptoms of prostatitis often appear in men aged 50 years and older;
- Congestive prostatitis - discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or complete lack of erection, improper urination.
Chronic prostatitis is distinguished by a “faint” clinical picture;All symptoms are unexpressed and can periodically cause anxiety.But if a man has pain in the groin and testicles for 2-3 months, a general increase in body temperature and a decrease in sexual desire, then this means that you need to see a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" and proceed with treatment.It is worth knowing the following nuances:
- Symptoms of prostatitis in men in their 50s are weakened erections and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but there may be no pain at all;
- Symptoms of prostatitis in men in their 30s always appear clearly and the first sign is urinary disorders: the enlarged prostate puts pressure on the bladder and men cannot go to the toilet;
- Symptoms of prostatitis in men in their 60s may be absent - at this age prostatitis is often chronic, but a lack of full erection can be cause for concern.
The doctor can prescribe effective treatment only after diagnosing the disease - prostatitis often has symptoms of other diseases of the genitourinary system.Therefore, the patient's complaint alone is not enough to make a diagnosis;The following are specified:
- rectal examination;
- prostate secretion test;
- analysis to confirm/refute sexually transmitted diseases;
- prostate ultrasound examination;
- Computed tomography of the organ.
Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs and scrotum may be indicated as additional examination.Involvement of specialized specialists may be necessary to rule out or confirm comorbidities.
Treatment - general principles, course duration
Symptoms of prostatitis in men and treatment are directly related, because when prescribing treatment, the doctor must first alleviate the patient's general condition.Men often experience severe pain, which means treatment should begin with painkillers.Treatment for prostatitis is determined by a urologist or internist who will usually prescribe the following medications:
- nonsteroidal 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;
- Prostate function support and alpha blockers.
Can lack of erection caused by prostatitis be treated?Yes, for such complaints, the doctor will prescribe specific drugs that help improve blood supply to the genitals and clean the vessels of the prostate from waste and toxins.If symptoms of prostatitis are detected in a man over 40 years old, then no additional medications are needed to restore erection - as soon as the inflammatory process stops, all sexual abilities will be restored.But if the cause of prostatitis in a 30-year-old man is sexually transmitted diseases (sexually transmitted infections), then to restore sexual activity, additional treatment of the identified infection is required.
The best treatment is comprehensive, therefore, to stop prostatitis as quickly as possible, you need to follow some of the doctor's recommendations:
- drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day - prostatitis is characterized by stagnation of secretions and their need to be quickly removed from the tissues to reduce the load on the organ and reduce swelling;
- adhere to bed rest - it is impossible to combine treatment with physical activity, as it will irritate the organ, prostatitis will only progress, which will make treatment prolonged and ineffective;
- exclude spicy, sour, fatty foods, alcohol from the diet - these are also irritants, which will only aggravate prostatitis.
As soon as the signs of the disease become less obvious, it is necessary to restore sexual activity.Prostatitis will be cured much faster if you make sure the prostate is regularly drained and do not allow even the slightest secretion to stagnate in its tissues.
If drug treatment does not bring positive results, prostatitis occurs in a chronic form and recurs frequently, then this is a reason for surgical intervention.Activities 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 the prostate and seminal vesicles, along with nearby 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, physiotherapeutic procedures can be prescribed in addition to medications. How long prostatitis is treated depends on the stage and form of the disease, and the degree of neglect.Treatment usually lasts 2 weeks, but this is very average.
It is possible to completely cure prostatitis, the only important thing is to see a doctor in time.Treatment should be prescribed individually;Traditional methods do not help prevent prostatitis at all, but can accelerate the onset of complications.