Prostatitis is the most common urological pathology, 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 to 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 proper diagnosis and treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
The onset of the pathology is often facilitated by a decrease in immunity, hypothermia, the presence of bad habits and a sedentary lifestyle, the lack of regular sexual activity, sexual infections. Treatment of prostatitis can be quite long, especially in the later stages of development. The sooner a man seeks medical attention, the greater the chances 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 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 spermatozoa, ensures their movement and ejaculation, participates in the formation of sexual desire and the beginning of orgasm, influences 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 the sperm deteriorates and its fertilization capacity decreases. It also increases the risk of urinary tract infections, as the prostate gland normally prevents bacteria from entering the urethra.
Unfortunately, diseases that require prostate treatment are quite common. We are usually talking about various tumors 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 can vary depending on the form of the disease diagnosed in a man. Regardless of the form, a comprehensive treatment is selected to eliminate existing symptoms.
There are 3 groups of symptoms characteristic of prostatitis:
- Pain syndrome. Pain in prostatitis can be different both in intensity and in localization. Sometimes the pain syndrome spreads to the lower abdomen, scrotum, perineum, anus, and lower back. The more inflammation develops, the more pain 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, pressure on the ureters increases, 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, orgasmic sensations fade away and intercourse itself becomes short or the erection can disappear completely 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 bathroom. There is general fatigue, reduced 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 these 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 many risk factors for the development of pathology, we will highlight the main ones:
- hypothermia. Hypothermia leads to severe stress in the body, which can result in a weakening of the immune system. 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 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, weight normalization is considered one of the main ways to prevent prostate disease.
- The presence of chronic diseases. A chronic infection focus in the body increases the risk of prostate inflammation.
- Chronic constipation. Retention of stool in the intestine leads to pressure on the prostate, which causes circulatory disturbances. In addition, constipation often contributes to the reproduction of pathogens.
- Organ damage. In case of traumatic injury to 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.
Also, 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 diseases
Often the symptoms of pathology depend on the 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 due to a bacterial infection and a decrease in immunity. There are acute and chronic forms of pathology. As a rule, a man is worried about pain and discomfort in the perineum, urination disorders, deterioration in general well-being and fever. In severe cases, there is blood or pus in the urine. However, these symptoms are more typical for the acute phase and relapses of the disease. In chronic prostatitis, symptoms may be "fuzzy" or not appearing.
- bacterial. 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. Pathogens are autoimmune diseases, abnormalities 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. Also, the pathology can manifest itself with a long absence of sexual intercourse, as this causes 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.
- computer. The development of this form of prostatitis contributes to the appearance of stones (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 decreased urination, weakening of the 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, acute pain syndrome develops, affecting the entire area of the perineum and groin. A man has a sharp rise in temperature, severe problems with urination and the presence of purulent inclusions in the urine. Purulent prostatitis is considered the most dangerous, as 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 the 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 to diagnose the existing type of prostatitis and prescribe competent treatment.
The survey includes:
- Ultrasound (TRUS) of the pelvic organs.
- Clinical blood test.
- General urine analysis.
- Microscopic analysis of prostatic secretion.
- A swab of the urethra and a bacterial seeding of the secret to the presence of sexually transmitted infections.
If necessary, the patient can be referred for further 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 proper diagnosis and treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Methods of treatment
Lack of proper prostatitis treatment can lead to serious health problems. Patients are often diagnosed with complications such as cystitis, vesiculitis, pyelonephritis, infertility, and erectile dysfunction. This 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 medications 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. Can be:
- Pain relievers.
- Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants.
- Diuretics.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.
- Medicines to normalize the function of the prostate.
- Preparations to restore an erection.
It is mandatory to follow a number of recommendations:
- Drink enough water during the day (1. 5–2 liters).
- Diet, exclusion from the diet of spicy, fatty and salty foods.
- Alcohol exclusion.
Sometimes medicinal herbal preparations are used to relieve inflammation, which has a bactericidal effect. However, taking infusions and decoctions is allowed only in agreement with the urologist. He reminds 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 the 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 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 a 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, improve 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 the intake of immunomodulators and multivitamin complexes aimed at improving the body's protective functions 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 takes a long time to recover and often results in 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 the individual lobes of the organ, affects the structure of the mucous membranes and the submucosal layer. As a result, 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 the disease should be started immediately after the first symptoms appear. As a rule, complications and health consequences can be avoided in such cases. 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 urination process normalizes, and the signs of infection disappear.
In the absence of the necessary therapy, obstruction of the urinary tract and abscesses can develop. Such conditions will require urgent hospitalization and often surgery.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic prostatitis
The chronic form of the disease is characterized by slow development. Symptoms are intermittent or absent, which is why many men ignore their presence for years and don't seek medical attention.
At the same time, at the very beginning of the development of the pathology, patients notice 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, symptoms become less pronounced, but the deterioration in well-being increases. Many complain of a lack of morning erection, decreased libido and increased groin sweating.
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 medical history, 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 fundamental 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 favorable to the development of the disease, its relapse 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.
- During sedentary work, take regular short breaks and a light workout.
- Incorporate exercise and walking into your routine.
- Normalize nutrition and eliminate constipation (it is better to consult a specialist regarding the problem).
- Having a 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 signs of prostatitis appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. This is the only way to avoid dangerous health consequences.