Prostatitis is the most common urological pathology, which is characterized by an inflammatory process in the prostate gland.According to statistics, it occurs in almost 40% of men; the main risk group is patients 30–45 years old.Almost every third visit to a urologist is related to this disease.
Important!
The information from this article cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-medication.To make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
The occurrence of pathology is often facilitated by decreased immunity, hypothermia, the presence of bad habits and a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sex life, and sexually transmitted infections.Treatment of prostatitis can be quite long, especially in the later stages of development.The sooner a man seeks medical help, the greater the chance of a successful recovery.Without timely treatment, the risk of serious consequences increases, including infertility, problems with sexual function and urination.
In the article we will talk about the mechanisms of development of the disease, symptoms and causes, as well as modern treatment methods.
What is the prostate?
The prostate (or prostate gland) is an unpaired male organ that is responsible for producing secretions to maintain sperm activity.The organ is located under the bladder and surrounds the urethra.It is small in size - about the size of a walnut, but is extremely important for men's health.
The prostate gland supports the production of sperm cells, ensures their movement and ejaculation, participates in the formation of sexual desire and the onset of orgasm, affects the activity of the testicles and the synthesis of androgens (male sex hormones).
Any pathological processes in the prostate affect the composition of the prostatic secretion.As a result, the quality of sperm deteriorates and its fertilizing ability decreases.In addition, the risk of urinary tract infections increases, since normally the prostate gland prevents bacteria from entering the urethra.
Unfortunately, diseases requiring prostate treatment are quite common.Usually we are talking about various tumor and hormonal processes.Prostatitis is considered one of the most common pathologies of the organ, as it has a different pathogenesis.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of prostate inflammation may vary depending on the form of the disease diagnosed in a man.Regardless of the form, a comprehensive treatment is selected aimed at eliminating the existing symptoms.
There are 3 groups of symptoms characteristic of prostatitis:
- Pain syndrome.Pain with prostatitis can vary in intensity and location.Sometimes the pain syndrome spreads to the lower abdomen, scrotum, perineum, anus and lower back.The more inflammation develops, the more painful the patient becomes.The pain may become more intense during or after sexual activity or urination.
- Dysuric syndrome.Due to the increase in size of the prostate, increased pressure is placed on the ureters, which leads to a gradual decrease in the lumen.The patient has problems with urination, and after visiting the toilet there remains a feeling of a full bladder.
- Sexual deviations.In some cases, a man may experience frequent painful spontaneous erections or a complete lack of sexual arousal.Often with prostatitis, orgasmic sensations fade, and sexual intercourse itself becomes short or the erection may completely disappear during sexual intercourse.
One of the first signs of the development of prostatitis in a man is frequent urination and discomfort in the groin area.There is a burning sensation in the urethra, which intensifies while going to the toilet.There is general fatigue, decreased potency, accelerated or painful ejaculation.However, the disease is not always characterized by the appearance of corresponding symptoms.There are forms of prostatitis that are asymptomatic in the early stages.This means that diagnosing pathology in such cases will be difficult.
Causes
Often the disease occurs against a background of decreased immunity, in the presence of sexually transmitted infections or concomitant pathologies.A common cause of prostatitis is a bacterial infection, which causes inflammation of the prostate tissue.
There are a lot of risk factors for the development of pathology, let’s highlight the main ones:
- Hypothermia.Hypothermia leads to severe stress in the body, which can cause weakened immunity.As a result, the pathogenic microflora begins to actively multiply, which leads to an inflammatory process.
- Inactive lifestyle.Sedentary work and lack of physical activity negatively affect blood circulation in the pelvic organs.This leads to stagnation and inflammation.
- Excess body weight.As a rule, overweight patients lead an inactive lifestyle, which leads to poor circulation of internal organs.Congestion and inflammation develop in the tissues of the prostate gland.For this reason, normalizing weight is considered one of the main ways to prevent prostate diseases.
- Presence of chronic pathologies.A source of chronic infection in the body increases the risk of prostate inflammation.
- Chronic constipation.Retention of feces in the intestines leads to pressure on the prostate, which provokes circulatory problems.In addition, constipation often contributes to the proliferation of pathogens.
- Organ injuries.In case of traumatic damage to the prostate or pelvic organs, blood flow deteriorates and local immunity decreases.This increases the risk of developing prostatitis.
- Features of sexual activity.Excessively active sex life or prolonged abstinence can also cause the disease.
In addition, any conditions that suppress the immune system can contribute to the development of the disease.We are talking about constant stress, lack of sleep, overwork.
Types of disease
Often, the symptoms of a pathology depend on its type and nature of its course.There are several types of prostatitis, each of which has its own characteristics:
- Bacterial.The most common type of disease that occurs as a result of bacterial infection and decreased immunity.There are acute and chronic forms of pathology.As a rule, a man is worried about pain and discomfort in the perineum, urination problems, deterioration in general health and increased body temperature.In severe cases of the disease, the presence of blood or pus in the urine is noted.However, such symptoms are more typical for the acute stage and relapses of the disease.With chronic prostatitis, symptoms may be “blurred” or not appear.
- Abacterial.In this case, the disease has an inflammatory and non-inflammatory nature, it is often called chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS).With this form of prostatitis, destructive changes in the muscle tissue of the gland are observed.The causative agents are autoimmune diseases, organ development abnormalities, and chronic cystitis.
- Stagnant.This condition develops against the background of chronic prostatitis and is associated with impaired microcirculation and blood circulation in the pelvic organs.In addition, pathology can manifest itself in the absence of sexual intercourse for a long time, as this provokes stagnation of secretions in the prostate gland.Most often, patients with this form of the disease experience erectile dysfunction, problems with urination and discomfort in the groin area.
- Calculous.The development of this form of prostatitis is facilitated by the appearance of calculi (stones) in the tissues of the prostate gland.As a rule, the disease occurs in patients over 55–60 years of age.The causes of the pathology are improper treatment of chronic prostatitis or urolithiasis.Characteristic symptoms of such prostatitis in men include difficulty urinating, weakening of erection and the appearance of blood in the urine.
- Purulent.A dangerous consequence of improper treatment of acute prostatitis can be a purulent form of the disease.In this case, an acute pain syndrome develops, which affects the entire area of the perineum and groin.The man experiences a sharp increase in temperature, severe problems with urination and the presence of purulent inclusions in the urine.Purulent prostatitis is considered the most dangerous, since if left untreated it can cause an abscess and lead to death.
Diagnosis of prostatitis
The diagnosis of the disease is carried out by a urologist - it is worth making an appointment with him if characteristic symptoms appear.During the initial consultation, the specialist collects the patient’s medical history, asks about existing complaints and conducts a rectal examination of the prostate gland.After this, a number of additional examinations are prescribed, which are necessary to diagnose the existing type of prostatitis and prescribe competent treatment.
The examination includes:
- Ultrasound (TRUS) of the pelvic organs.
- Clinical blood test.
- General urine analysis.
- Microscopic analysis of prostate secretion.
- A smear from the urethra and bacterial culture of the secretion for the presence of sexually transmitted infections.
If necessary, the patient may be referred for additional studies: spermogram, CT (or MRI) of the pelvic organs.
Important!
The information from this article cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-medication.To make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Treatment methods
Lack of proper treatment for prostatitis can lead to serious health problems.Patients are often diagnosed with complications such as cystitis, vesiculitis, pyelonephritis, infertility and erectile dysfunction.That is why the correct selection of therapy is extremely important.
As a rule, treatment of prostate inflammation involves a comprehensive approach, including medication and supportive care.In difficult cases, the patient undergoes surgery.
As part of drug therapy, antibiotics are prescribed to stop the inflammatory process.If the disease is of an infectious-bacterial nature, then additional antibacterial treatment is carried out.
Also, as part of drug therapy, medications are used to eliminate existing symptoms.These could be:
- Painkillers.
- Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants.
- Diuretics.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Medicines to normalize prostate function.
- Drugs to restore erection.
It is mandatory to follow a number of recommendations:
- Drinking enough water throughout the day (1.5–2 liters).
- Following a diet, excluding spicy, fatty and salty foods from the diet.
- Elimination of alcohol.
Sometimes medicinal herbal preparations that have a bactericidal effect are used to relieve inflammation.However, taking infusions and decoctions is permissible only in consultation with a urologist.Remember that folk remedies are not a panacea for the disease and only help with the symptoms, but do not eliminate the cause.
An important component of treatment is prostate massage.It is performed in the absence of contraindications.The essence of this procedure is to remove the accumulated inflammatory secretion from the organ.Due to this, it is possible to improve blood circulation in tissues, eliminate congestion, stimulate local immunity and restore the patency of secretory ducts.
Another popular way is to use physical therapy.In the 21st century, it is difficult to imagine high-quality modern treatment of chronic prostatitis without the use of complex physiotherapy.With its help, it is possible to restore blood circulation in the pelvic organs, enhance the effect of medications and eliminate congestion.The therapy uses ultrasound, laser, thermal or electromagnetic effects.
With a prolonged course of the inflammatory process and a decrease in immunity, the patient is prescribed immunotherapy.It includes taking immunomodulators and multivitamin complexes aimed at improving the body's protective functions and overall well-being.
Sometimes a conservative treatment regimen for prostatitis does not bring the necessary results, so the patient requires surgical intervention.
Of course, surgery requires a long recovery and often provokes a number of complications, including infertility.That is why it is not performed on young men of childbearing age.
Symptoms and treatment of acute prostatitis
Acute prostatitis is characterized by rapid appearance and development.It is worth noting that it occurs quite rarely - in about 5% of cases.
The inflammatory process in the prostate gland develops progressively, so several stages of the acute form can be distinguished:
- Catarrhal.The inflammatory process affects individual lobes of the organ and affects the structure of the mucous membranes and submucosal layer.As a result, congestion occurs in the follicles of the gland.
- Follicular.Focal suppuration of the affected lobes occurs.
- Parenchymatous.There is multiple damage to the organ; almost all tissues are involved in the inflammatory process.An abscess forms, which can rupture and release purulent contents into the bladder, urethra or rectum.
Symptoms of acute prostatitis include: intense pain, increased body temperature, chills, profuse sweating, and weakness.This condition can be caused by various microorganisms.The most common causes are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter.
Treatment of the pathology must begin immediately after the first symptoms appear.As a rule, in such cases it is possible to avoid complications and health consequences.The patient is prescribed a combination of antibiotics that is effective against the existing causative microorganism.In this case, the effect of therapy is observed after 2–3 days.In a man, almost all symptoms disappear, the process of urination is normalized and signs of infection disappear.
In the absence of necessary therapy, urinary tract obstruction and abscess may develop.Such conditions will require urgent hospitalization, and often surgical intervention.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic prostatitis
The chronic form of the disease is characterized by sluggish development.Symptoms are inconsistent or absent, so many men ignore their presence for years and do not seek medical help.
At the same time, at the beginning of the development of the pathology, patients note an increase in sexual desire and spontaneous erections.However, at the same time, signs of chronic prostatitis appear, such as a reduction in the duration of sexual intercourse and painful ejaculation.As the disease progresses, the symptoms become less pronounced, but the deterioration in well-being increases.Many people complain of a lack of morning erection, decreased libido and increased sweating in the groin area.
During an exacerbation of prostatitis, a man experiences pain in the genital area, difficulty urinating and fever.However, other symptoms of the pathology may be absent, which often complicates the diagnosis.
To make an accurate diagnosis, a comprehensive examination is required, which will include a medical history, rectal examination of the prostate gland and a number of laboratory tests.In some cases, additional instrumental methods are used.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis in its chronic form takes from 3–4 weeks to 6–12 months.Of primary importance is eliminating the causes of the inflammatory process in the prostate gland.Otherwise, it will not be possible to exclude the recurrent nature of the pathology.
Preventive measures
To prevent prostatitis in men, it is recommended to correct lifestyle and give up bad habits.This is due to the fact that if the factors predisposing to the development of the disease persist, its reoccurrence is possible.A key role in prevention is played by proper nutrition, adequate sleep and physical activity, and regular sex life.
In addition, urologists advise following the following recommendations to avoid inflammation of the prostate gland:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- When working sedentarily, take regular short breaks and light warm-ups.
- Include physical activity and walking in your routine.
- Normalize your diet and get rid of constipation (it is better to consult a specialist regarding the existing problem).
- Have regular sex life with a regular partner.
- After 40 years, undergo annual preventive examinations with a urologist.
And, of course, it is worth remembering that if any signs of prostatitis appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.This is the only way to eliminate dangerous health consequences.