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Causes of prostatitis, types and symptoms of the disease

Prostatitis in men

One of the most common specific male diseases, without a doubt, is prostatitis.The likelihood of encountering it at a younger age is significantly less than at an older age.Therefore, for this disease, the common truth that health must be protected from a young age is absolutely true.

What is prostatitis

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland, accompanied by swelling.Increasing in size, the prostate compresses the urethra, around which the gland is located.This interferes with the complete exit of urine from the body, which causes characteristic pain and difficulty in emptying the bladder.

In addition, with prostatitis, the biochemical properties of prostate juice, one of the most important components of sperm, change.Prostate juice is the secretion of the prostate gland, which is responsible not only for sperm fertility, but also for the antimicrobial protection of this important male organ.Male sexuality directly depends on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the secretion.

Normal and inflamed prostate

Causes of prostatitis in men

The prevalence of this disease is due to the fact that there are many reasons that can provoke it.Causes of prostatitis:

  1. Viral and bacterial infections.The cause of prostatitis can be not only sexually transmitted diseases, but also chronic inflammatory processes in the body (tonsillitis, bronchitis, tuberculosis, sometimes even caries);
  2. Fungal diseases;
  3. Stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs.This unfavorable phenomenon can occur in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle (office workers and drivers), have irregular sex (long periods of abstinence or, conversely, a promiscuous sex life), frequent constipation, and high weight;
  4. Frequent hypothermia;
  5. Stressful situations;
  6. Injuries in the pelvic area;
  7. Poor circulation in the prostate gland;
  8. Weakening of the body's immune defense.
Lack of sexual desire in a man is an indirect sign of prostatitis

Types of prostatitis

The popular classification of prostatitis is based on the reasons for its occurrence:

  1. Infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal);
  2. Non-infectious (stagnant);
  3. Hormonal-dystrophic (disruptions in the body’s hormonal system);
  4. Allergic (allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases);
  5. Vegetovascular (impaired blood circulation in the prostate).

Other classifications are less relevant to the general public and are more designed to make it easier for doctors to make a diagnosis.Thus, according to the nature of the disease, acute and chronic prostatitis are distinguished, according to the degree of involvement of gland tissue in the inflammatory process - catarrhal, parenchymal and follicular, etc.

Separately in medicine, the following types of prostatitis are distinguished:

  • Asymptomatic chronic prostatitis, which, as the name suggests, occurs without showing any signs.The only symptom of the disease is the periodic detection of bacteria and leukocytes in the urine;
  • Chronic granulomatous prostatitis.A rather rare disease in which prostate tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue with the formation of many granulomas (small nodules).

How do the symptoms of prostatitis manifest?

The initial symptoms of prostatitis depend on the nature of the disease.The first symptoms of acute prostatitis are pronounced malaise, headaches and fever.

Specific signs of acute prostatitis:

  • Frequent and painful urination that does not bring relief.In severe cases, acute urinary retention may develop;
  • Painful bowel movements;
  • Burning in the perineal area.
A man is worried about unpleasant symptoms of prostatitis

Indirect signs of acute prostatitis include painful nocturnal erection, decreased or absent sexual desire, and accelerated ejaculation.In addition, severe pain during sexual intercourse can make it difficult for a man to achieve orgasm.If you notice these signs, consult a doctor immediately!At the initial stage, prostatitis is easily treatable.

Chronic prostatitis is sluggish and has a rather mild clinical picture, as a result of which many people do not pay due attention to their health.Chronic prostatitis actively manifests itself only in the acute stage.On average, it appears 1-2 times a year with symptoms characteristic of the acute form of the disease.

Methods for diagnosing the disease

A urologist must diagnose prostatitis in a patient.First of all, he conducts a thorough interview with the patient.The doctor may ask the following questions:

  • How long has the patient suffered from this disease?
  • How often does it flare up?
  • What symptoms does the patient notice?
  • What is the nature of sexual activity (regular/irregular) of the subject?
  • What risk factors does the patient have for this disease (previous STIs, surgical operations in the pelvic area, other chronic inflammatory processes)?

After collecting the medical history, the doctor begins to examine the patient, which includes a digital rectal examination and palpation of the scrotum.If palpation does not reveal changes in the prostate, the doctor must exclude other diseases of the genitourinary system.

As a rule, already at this stage an experienced specialist can make the correct diagnosis.But sometimes the doctor prescribes additional tests.As a rule, this is necessary in controversial cases or to select the most effective treatment regimen.

Laboratory diagnostic methods

  1. General analysis of urine and blood;
  2. Urethral swab;
  3. Spermogram;
  4. PCR analysis (detects hidden infections);
  5. Study of prostate juice (for chronic prostatitis).For men over 50 years of age, a PSA (prostate specific antigen) level test is required if prostate cancer is suspected.

Instrumental diagnostic methods

  • Ultrasound of the prostate.This is the most accessible and informative way to examine the prostate gland.It can be performed externally through the abdominal wall or transrectally.The last method is extremely unpleasant, but the most informative.Ultrasound can detect the presence of abscesses and stones in the affected organ, as well as the degree of narrowing of the urethra;
  • Uroflowmetry.Allows you to determine the speed of urine flow.Using this study, the doctor can evaluate the permeability of the urinary canal and the contractility of the bladder.

There are several more auxiliary diagnostic methods that are prescribed by a doctor in special cases (cystoscopy, CT scan of the pelvic organs, biopsy, transurethral examination).

Methods of treating prostatitis

As is the case with any other disease, prostatitis is effectively treated only in its acute form.Chronic prostatitis is extremely difficult to treat, and often only significant remission can be achieved.

Treatment of acute prostatitis

A patient with acute prostatitis must be hospitalized, since such a condition is dangerous due to its complications, including the development of sepsis.

The main point in the treatment of acute prostatitis isantibiotic therapy.An acute condition requires prompt therapeutic measures, so drugs are prescribed before tests are obtained to identify the causative agent of the disease.According to WHO recommendations, the patient is routinely prescribed fluoroquinolones.If the analysis reveals a causative agent of acute prostatitis that is not sensitive to this antibiotic, the treatment is reconsidered.

Treatment of prostatitis with antibiotics

In addition to antibiotics, the patient is prescribed strict bed rest and a ban on prostate massage, as it can provoke the development of sepsis.Analgesics and NSAIDs (eliminate pain), rheological solutions (in case of severe intoxication of the body) and drugs that normalize blood microcirculation will help relieve the symptoms of prostatitis.

Surgical intervention is necessary only if there is a complete inability to empty the bladder and in the presence of abscesses.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis

In the treatment of chronic prostatitis, the use of antibiotics is still controversial.Some doctors believe that they should be prescribed without fail, others - that only if bacterial flora is detected in the prostate secretion.

Prostate massage is also a dubious procedure.This procedure involves only the lower part of the prostate gland.Massage, of course, will not do any harm, but its benefits cannot outweigh the psychological and physical discomfort that the patient feels during rectal manipulation.Therefore, today the optimal treatment regimen for chronic prostatitis is as follows:

  1. Taking NSAIDs, immunomodulators and drugs that improve blood circulation;
  2. Taking sedatives and antidepressants if you have problems with erection;
  3. Exercise therapy and physiotherapy (electrophoresis, UHF, magnetic laser therapy, etc.).These therapeutic methods play a leading role in the treatment of chronic prostatitis.

Traditional medicine for the fight against prostatitis offers infusions of hazel and aspen bark, pumpkin seeds and parsley juice.It is worth mentioning that natural remedies should be used only in combination with the treatment prescribed by the doctor.Otherwise, the disease may progress, leading to dire consequences.

Folk remedies for fighting prostatitis - aspen bark, pumpkin seeds, parsley and hazelnuts

Consequences of prostatitis

The complications of this disease are quite serious.Here are the main ones:

  • Loss of sexual desire and erection.Against the background of these deviations, men often develop impotence, which most often has a psychological cause;
  • Infertility;
  • Formation of cysts and stones in the prostate gland;
  • Prostate sclerosis is the replacement of functional tissue of the scar gland, which leads to disruption of its functioning;
  • Prostate adenoma is a benign tumor of the prostate gland that can only be removed surgically;
  • Prostate cancer.It is a consequence of an untreated adenoma.
Considering how easily prostatitis is treated in the initial stages and how serious its consequences are, men should cast aside false modesty and consult a doctor before it is too late.
A man with prostatitis at a urologist

Prevention of prostatitis

Simple recommendations will help prevent prostatitis:

  1. Lead an active lifestyle.Morning exercises are the best option, squats are especially useful;
  2. Take a contrast shower, visit a bathhouse, ideally before sexual intercourse;
  3. Establish a regular sex life;
  4. Avoid stressful situations;
  5. Don't get too cold.It is better to equip the seat in the car with heating;
  6. Avoid cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, which increase blood pressure.

A healthy lifestyle has never hurt anyone, and it also plays a major role in the prevention of prostatitis.

Timely diagnosis and proper treatment of prostatitis is a guarantee of successful recovery.Be healthy!