Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate gland. It can develop in men of any age, have a chronic or acute course. There are problems in diagnosis, so patients often seek help from doctors when prostatitis is in an advanced form and traditional treatment does not help. The danger lies in the high probability of developing prostate cancer and complete infertility.
If prostatitis is diagnosed on time, then the treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man will only need to follow the doctor's recommendations and periodically undergo control examinations. In this case, there will be no complications after inflammation of the prostate - reproductive abilities are fully preserved, even if prostatitis has passed with acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop "from scratch", the cause of the inflammatory process is Escherichia coli, mycoplasmas, streptococci, staphylococci, trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Their specialty lies in very fast reproduction and rapid destruction of prostate tissue. The main causes of the disease are:
- any inflammatory diseases of the urinary system - cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
- chronic stool disorders - in particular, constipation, in which men have to press hard, and prostatitis develops as an organ response to pressure;
- infections from remote foci - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, flu, when prostatitis is directly related to the penetration of infectious agents into the gland tissues;
- frequent hypothermia or, conversely, overheating - may be associated with the characteristics of work activity;
- lack of regular sexual activity, hypodynamia - prostatitis causes stagnation of secretions in prostate tissues, it is more often the cause of prostatitis in a 40-year-old man;
- weakened immunity against the background of serious hormonal disorders;
- sexually transmitted infections - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- frequent retention of urine - an enlarged bladder exerts strong pressure on the prostate;
- trauma in the pelvic region.
Most often, prostatitis develops after the infection enters the prostate tissue through the urethra, much less often it occurs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Prostatitis has one very important provoking factor - a general weakening of the immune system, if it happened as an organism's response to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional "outbursts".
Men should have a regular sex life, and their lifestyle should be active. Otherwise, there is a stagnation of secretions in the prostate tissues, which is an ideal environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms - prostatitis develops quickly. Inevitably, prostate cells experience oxygen starvation, which only increases the chances that prostatitis will spread beyond the organ - the inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, characteristics of the course
Depending on the cause, there are several types of prostatitis:
- bacterial prostatitis - begins in the background of penetration into the tissues of the prostate infection, the diagnosis of this type of prostatitis occurs more often in young and older men;
- congestive prostatitis - caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual activity in men and pelvic injuries, often accompanied by infection and then prostatitis becomes a mixed type;
- calculous prostatitis - develops as a result of an untreated chronic form of the course of the disease, more often such prostatitis occurs in older men.
According to the course, prostatitis is divided into acute and chronic. Diagnosis of the acute form of the disease is rare, treatment should be carried out only in the 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 transformation into serious problems - degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant ones, cessation of secretion production and reduction of sperm. secretion.
Symptoms and diagnosis of prostate inflammation
The symptoms directly depend on which type of prostatitis begins to develop in the prostate tissues:
- bacterial prostatitis - high body temperature, presence of blood or pus in the urine, problems with urination (thin and weak stream, "dripping" urine), acute pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- calculous prostatitis - weak erection or its complete absence, blood in the urine, such symptoms of prostatitis are more often present in men over 50 years old;
- congestive prostatitis - discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or complete lack of erection, irregular urination.
Prostatitis of the chronic course is characterized by a "blurred" clinical picture, all symptoms are unexpressed and can periodically disturb. But if men report pain in the groin and testicles within 2-3 months, the overall body temperature rises, and the sexual desire decreases, it means that you need to see a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" and undergo treatment. The following nuances are worth knowing:
- symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 50 are a weakening of the erection and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but the pain syndrome may be completely absent;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 30 are always acute, and the first sign is a violation of urination: an enlarged prostate compresses the bladder and men simply cannot go to the toilet;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 60 may be absent - at this age prostatitis is often chronic, but the complete lack of erection can be disturbing.
The doctor will be able to prescribe effective treatment only after diagnosing the disease - prostatitis often has symptoms of other diseases of the genitourinary system. Therefore, the patient's complaints alone are not enough to establish a diagnosis, the following are prescribed:
- rectal examination;
- laboratory study of prostate secretion;
- analysis for the detection/refutation of sexually transmitted infections;
- ultrasound examination of the prostate;
- computerized tomography of organs.
As additional examinations, ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and scrotum may be prescribed. It may be necessary to involve narrow specialists to rule out or confirm co-morbidities.
Treatment - general principles, course duration
Symptoms of prostatitis in men and its treatment are directly related, because when prescribing therapy, the doctor must first of all relieve the general condition of the patient. In men, severe pain is often present, which means that treatment should be started with painkillers. How to treat prostatitis is determined by a urologist or andrologist, and the following drugs will most often be prescribed:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and diuretics - prostatitis is manifested by violation of the urinary process;
- antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - prostatitis is accompanied by severe pain in the groin;
- supports the functionality of the prostate and alpha blockers.
Is the lack of erection treated against the background of prostatitis? Yes, with such complaints, the doctor prescribes specific drugs that improve blood supply to the penis and clean the veins of the prostate from toxins and toxins. If the symptoms of prostatitis are detected in men at the age of 40, then no additional drugs will be needed to restore an erection - as soon as the inflammatory process stops, all sexual abilities will return. But if venereal diseases (sexually transmitted infections) became the cause of prostatitis in men older than 30 years, then additional treatment and an identified infection will be required to restore sexual activity.
The best treatment is complex, and therefore, in order to stop prostatitis as quickly as possible, you must follow some of the doctor's recommendations:
- consume at least 2 liters of fluid per day - prostatitis is characterized by stagnation of the secret and it will be necessary to quickly remove it from the tissue in order to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
- adhere to bed rest - the treatment cannot be combined with physical activity, because it will irritate the organ, prostatitis will only progress, which will make the treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude from the diet spicy, sour, fatty food, alcohol - these are also irritants, in which prostatitis will only worsen.
As soon as the signs of the disease become less pronounced, it will be necessary to resume sexual activity. Prostatitis will be cured much faster if regular drainage of the prostate is ensured and even a slight stagnation of secretions in its tissues is not allowed.
If drug treatment does not give positive results, prostatitis occurs in a chronic form with frequent relapses, then this is a reason for surgical intervention. The operation can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes prostate tissue affected by prostatitis;
- prostatectomy - prostatitis represents a real threat to a man's life, so the prostate and seminal vesicles with adjacent tissues are completely removed.
Operations are not performed at a young age, because this can lead to complete infertility - prostatitis is treated with therapeutic methods, along with medication, physiotherapy procedures can be prescribed. How much prostatitis will be treated depends on the stage and form of the disease, the degree of neglect. Usually the treatment lasts 2 weeks, but this figure is very average.
Prostatitis can be completely cured, it is only important to consult a doctor in time. Treatment should be prescribed individually, alternative methods absolutely will not help to stop prostatitis, but they can bring the moment of the beginning of the development of complications closer.