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, in the main risk group - patients aged 30–45 years. Almost every third visit to a urologist is associated with this disease.
Important!
The information in this article should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. For the correct diagnosis and treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
The occurrence of pathology is often facilitated by a decrease in immunity, hypothermia, the presence of bad habits and a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual activity, sexual infections. Treatment of prostatitis can be quite long, especially in the later stages of development. The earlier a man seeks medical help, the greater the chance of a successful recovery. In the absence of timely therapy, the risk of serious consequences increases, including infertility, problems with sexual function and urination.
In the article we will talk about the mechanisms of the development of the disease, symptoms and causes, as well as modern methods of treatment.
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 the prostate gland normally 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 inflammation of the prostate may vary depending on the form of the disease diagnosed in a man. Regardless of the form, a comprehensive treatment is selected to eliminate the existing symptoms.
There are 3 groups of symptoms characteristic of prostatitis:
- Pain syndrome. Pain in prostatitis can be different both in intensity and localization. Sometimes the pain syndrome spreads to the lower abdomen, scrotum, perineum, anus and lower back. The more inflammation develops, the more soreness worries the patient. The pain may become more intense during or after sexual activity or urination.
- Dysuric syndrome. Due to the increase in the size of the prostate, there is increased pressure on the ureters, which leads to a gradual decrease in the lumen. The patient has problems with urination, while after going to the toilet there is 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, orgastic sensations fade, and the sexual intercourse itself becomes short, or the erection may completely disappear during intercourse.
One of the first signs of prostatitis in a man is frequent urination and discomfort in the groin area. There is a burning sensation in the urethra, which intensifies during a trip to the toilet. There is general fatigue, decreased potency, accelerated or painful ejaculation. However, the disease is not always characterized by the appearance of appropriate symptoms. There are forms of prostatitis that are asymptomatic in the early stages. This means that the diagnosis of pathology in such cases will be difficult.
Causes
Often the disease occurs against the background of a decrease in immunity, in the presence of sexual infections or concomitant pathologies. A common cause of prostatitis is a bacterial infection, against which inflammation of the tissues of the prostate gland begins.
There are a lot of risk factors for the development of pathology, we will highlight the main ones:
- hypothermia. Hypothermia leads to severe stress in the body, which can provoke a weakening of the immune system. As a result of this, the pathogenic microflora begins to actively multiply, which leads to an inflammatory process.
- Inactive lifestyle. Sedentary work and lack of physical activity negatively affect the blood circulation of the pelvic organs. This leads to congestion and inflammation.
- Overweight. As a rule, overweight patients lead an inactive lifestyle, which leads to impaired blood circulation in internal organs. Stagnant processes and inflammation develop in the tissues of the prostate gland. For this reason, normalization of weight is considered one of the main ways to prevent prostate diseases.
- The presence of chronic diseases. A focus of chronic infection in the body increases the risk of inflammation of the prostate.
- Chronic constipation. The retention of feces in the intestine leads to pressure on the prostate, which provokes circulatory disorders. In addition, constipation often contributes to the reproduction of pathogens.
- Organ injury. In the event of a traumatic lesion of the prostate or pelvic organs, blood flow worsens, 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 onset of the disease.
In addition, any condition that depresses 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 pathology depend on its type and nature of the 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 a bacterial infection and a decrease in immunity. There are acute and chronic forms of pathology. As a rule, a man is concerned about pain and discomfort in the perineum, urination disorders, deterioration in general well-being and fever. In severe cases, the presence of blood or pus in the urine is noted. However, these symptoms are more typical for the acute stage and relapses of the disease. In chronic prostatitis, the symptoms may be "blurred" or not appear.
- abacterial. In this case, the disease is inflammatory and non-inflammatory in nature and is often referred to as chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). With this form of prostatitis, destructive changes in the muscle tissue of the gland are observed. The pathogens are autoimmune diseases, anomalies in the development of the organ, 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, the pathology can manifest itself with a long absence of sexual intercourse, 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 contributes to the appearance of calculi (stones) in the tissues of the prostate gland. As a rule, the disease occurs in patients older than 55–60 years. The causes of the pathology are improper treatment of chronic prostatitis or urolithiasis. The characteristic symptoms of such prostatitis in men include impaired urination, 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. A man has 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
Diagnosis of the disease is carried out by a urologist - it is worth making an appointment with him when characteristic symptoms appear. During the initial consultation, the specialist collects the patient's history, asks about existing complaints and conducts a rectal examination of the prostate gland. After that, a number of additional examinations are prescribed, which are necessary for the diagnosis of the existing type of prostatitis and the appointment of competent treatment.
The survey includes:
- Ultrasound (TRUS) of the pelvic organs.
- Clinical blood test.
- General urine analysis.
- Microscopic analysis of prostate secretion.
- A swab from the urethra and a bacterial seeding of the secret for the presence of sexually transmitted infections.
If necessary, the patient can be referred for additional studies: spermogram, CT (or MRI) of the pelvic organs.
Important!
The information in this article should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. For the correct diagnosis and treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Treatment Methods
Lack of proper treatment of prostatitis can lead to serious health problems. Often, patients are diagnosed with complications such as cystitis, vesiculitis, pyelonephritis, infertility and erectile dysfunction. That is why the right choice of therapy is extremely important.
As a rule, the treatment of inflammation of the prostate involves an integrated 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 has an infectious-bacterial nature, then antibacterial treatment is additionally carried out.
Also, as part of drug therapy, drugs are used to eliminate existing symptoms. It can be:
- Painkillers.
- Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants.
- Diuretics.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Medications to normalize prostate function.
- Preparations for restoring erection.
It is mandatory to follow a number of recommendations:
- Drinking enough water throughout the day (1. 5–2 liters).
- Dieting, exclusion from the diet of spicy, fatty and salty foods.
- Exclusion of alcohol.
Sometimes medicinal herbal preparations are used to relieve inflammation, which have a bactericidal effect. However, the intake of infusions and decoctions is permissible only in agreement with the 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 secret from the body. Due to this, it is possible to improve the blood circulation of tissues, eliminate congestion, stimulate local immunity and restore the patency of the 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 drugs and eliminate congestion. As part of the therapy, ultrasonic, laser, thermal or electromagnetic effects are used.
With a long 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 protective functions of the body and general well-being.
Sometimes a conservative treatment regimen for prostatitis does not bring the desired results, so the patient needs surgery.
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 onset 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, affects the structure of the mucous membranes and the submucosal layer. As a result of this, congestion appears in the follicles of the gland.
- Follicular. Focal suppuration of the affected lobes occurs.
- Parenchymal. There is a multiple lesion of the organ, almost all tissues are involved in the inflammatory process. An abscess is formed, which can open with the release of purulent contents into the bladder, urethra, or rectum.
Among the symptoms of acute prostatitis: intense pain, fever, chills, profuse sweating, weakness. This condition can be caused by various microorganisms. The most common cause is Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter.
Treatment of pathology should be started immediately after the first symptoms appear. As a rule, in such cases it is possible to avoid complications and consequences for health. The patient is given a combination of antibiotics that is effective against the existing pathogen. In this case, the effect of therapy is observed after 2-3 days. In a man, almost all symptoms disappear, the process of urination normalizes and signs of infection disappear.
In the absence of the 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 intermittent or absent, which is why many men ignore their presence for years and do not seek medical attention.
At the same time, at the beginning of the development of pathology, patients note an increase in sexual desire and spontaneous erections. However, at the same time, such signs of chronic prostatitis appear as a reduction in the duration of sexual intercourse and painful ejaculation. As the disease progresses, the symptoms become less pronounced, but the deterioration of well-being increases. Many complain about the lack of morning erection, decreased libido and increased sweating of the groin.
During an exacerbation of prostatitis in a man, there is pain in the genital area, impaired urination and fever. However, other symptoms of pathology may be absent, which often complicates the diagnosis.
An accurate diagnosis requires a comprehensive examination, which will include a history taking, a rectal examination of the prostate gland, and a series of laboratory tests. In some cases, additional instrumental methods are used.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis in the chronic form takes from 3-4 weeks to 6-12 months. Of paramount importance is the elimination of 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
For the prevention of prostatitis in men, lifestyle correction and the rejection of bad habits are recommended. This is due to the fact that while maintaining the factors conducive to the development of the disease, its recurrence is possible. A key role in prevention is played by proper nutrition, good sleep and physical activity, regular sex life.
In addition, urologists advise to follow the following recommendations in order not to encounter inflammation of the prostate gland:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- When sedentary work, take regular short breaks and a light workout.
- Incorporate exercise and walking into your routine.
- Normalize nutrition and get rid of constipation (it is better to consult a specialist regarding the problem).
- Have regular sex life with a regular partner.
- After the age of 40, annual preventive examinations by 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 avoid dangerous health consequences.