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 proper diagnosis and treatment, you should always see a doctor.
The occurrence of pathology is often facilitated by decreased immunity, hypothermia, the presence of bad habits and an inactive lifestyle, lack of normal sexual activity, sexual infections. Treatment of prostatitis can be quite long, especially in the late stages of development. The earlier a man seeks medical help, the greater the chance for 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 mechanism of disease development, symptoms and causes, as well as modern treatment methods.
What is the prostate?
The prostate (or prostate gland) is an unpaired male organ responsible for producing secretions to maintain sperm activity. This organ is located below the bladder and surrounds the urethra. It is small in size - about the size of a walnut, but very 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 testicular activity and the synthesis of androgens (male sex hormones).
Any pathological process in the prostate affects the composition of prostate secretions. As a result, the quality of the sperm deteriorates, and its fertilization ability decreases. In addition, the risk of urinary tract infection increases, because the prostate gland normally prevents bacteria from entering the urethra.
Unfortunately, diseases that require treatment of the prostate are quite common. Usually we talk about various tumor and hormonal processes. Prostatitis is considered one of the most common organ pathologies, because it has a different pathogenesis.
Disease symptoms
Symptoms of prostate inflammation may vary depending on the form of the disease diagnosed in a man. Regardless of its form, comprehensive treatment is chosen to eliminate existing symptoms.
There are 3 groups of symptoms characteristic of prostatitis:
- Pain syndrome. Pain in prostatitis can vary 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 pain worries the patient. The pain may be worse during or after sexual activity or urination.
- Screened syndrome. Due to the increase in the size of the prostate, there is an increase in pressure on the ureter, which leads to a gradual decrease in the lumen. The patient has problems urinating, while after going to the toilet there is a feeling of a full bladder.
- Sexual Deviance. In some cases, a man may experience a painful spontaneous erection or a complete lack of sexual stimulation. Often with prostatitis, the orgasmic sensation fades, and the sexual intercourse itself becomes short, or the erection may 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 increases during the trip to the toilet. There is general fatigue, decreased potency, accelerated or painful ejaculation. However, this disease is not always characterized by the appearance of appropriate symptoms. There is an asymptomatic form of prostatitis in the early stages. This means that pathological diagnosis in such cases will be difficult.
Cause
Often the disease occurs on the background of decreased immunity, with the presence of sexual infections or concomitant pathologies. A common cause of prostatitis is a bacterial infection, which causes inflammation in the tissue of the prostate gland to begin.
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 trigger a weakening of the immune system. As a result, the pathogenic microflora begins to multiply actively, which leads to the inflammatory process.
- Inactive lifestyle. Sedentary work and lack of physical activity have a negative effect on the blood circulation of the pelvic organs. This leads to congestion and inflammation.
- Overweight. As a rule, overweight patients lead a sedentary lifestyle, which leads to impaired blood circulation in the internal organs. Stagnant and inflammatory processes develop in the tissue 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. The focus of chronic infection in the body increases the risk of prostate inflammation.
- Chronic constipation. Retention of feces in the intestine leads to pressure on the prostate, which causes blood circulation 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 prostatitis.
- Characteristics of sexual activity. An overly active sex life or prolonged abstinence can also cause the onset of the disease.
In addition, any condition that suppresses the immune system can contribute to the development of the disease. We are talking about constant stress, lack of sleep, too much work.
Types of diseases
Often pathological symptoms depend on the type and nature of the course. There are several types of prostatitis, each with its own characteristics:
- Bacteria. 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, urinary disorders, deterioration of general well-being and fever. In severe cases, the presence of blood or pus in the urine is observed. However, these symptoms are more typical for the acute stage and relapse of the disease. In chronic prostatitis, symptoms may be "blurred" or not appear.
- abacteria. In this case, the disease is inflammatory and non-inflammatory 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, anomalies in the development of organs, chronic cystitis.
- stagnant. This condition develops on 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 in the absence of sexual intercourse for a long time, because this creates a stagnation of secretions in the prostate gland. Often, patients with this form of the disease experience erectile dysfunction, problems with urination, and discomfort in the groin area.
- count. The development of this form of prostatitis contributes to the appearance of calculi (stones) in the tissue of the prostate gland. As a rule, this disease occurs in patients over 55-60 years old. Pathological causes are incorrect treatment for chronic prostatitis or urolithiasis. Characteristic symptoms of prostatitis in men include urinary disturbances, erectile weakness and the appearance of blood in the urine.
- Sustained. A dangerous consequence of improper treatment of acute prostatitis can be the purulent form of the disease. In this case, an acute pain syndrome develops, which affects the entire perineum and groin area. A man has a sudden increase in temperature, severe problems with urination and the presence of purulent inclusions in the urine. Purulent prostatitis is considered the most dangerous, because if left untreated it can cause abscesses 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 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, several additional examinations are prescribed, which are necessary to diagnose the existing type of prostatitis and prescribe competent treatment.
Reviews include:
- Ultrasound (TRUS) of the pelvic organs.
- Clinical blood tests.
- General urine analysis.
- Microscopic analysis of prostate secretions.
- Swabs from the urethra and secreted bacterial seeding 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 proper diagnosis and treatment, you should always see a doctor.
Treatment Methods
Lack of proper prostatitis treatment 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 so important.
As a rule, the treatment of prostate inflammation involves an integrated approach, including drugs and supportive care. In severe cases, patients undergo 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 also carried out.
Also, as part of drug therapy, drugs are used to eliminate existing symptoms. It can be:
- Pain reliever.
- Antispasmodic and muscle relaxant.
- Diuretic.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Medicines to normalize prostate function.
- Preparations to restore erection.
It is mandatory to follow some recommendations:
- Drink enough water throughout the day (1. 5-2 liters).
- Diet, 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, taking infusions and decoctions is only allowed in agreement with a urologist. Remember that folk remedies are not a cure for this disease and only help with the symptoms, but do not eliminate the cause.
An important component of treatment is prostate massage. It is done if there are no contraindications. The essence of this procedure is to remove the accumulated inflammatory secret from the body. Due to this, it is possible to improve tissue blood circulation, eliminate congestion, stimulate local immunity and restore the patency of secretion channels.
Another popular way is to use physical therapy. In the 21st century, it is difficult to imagine high-quality modern treatment for chronic prostatitis without the use of complex physiotherapy. With its help, it is possible to restore blood circulation in the pelvic organs, increase the effect of the drug and relieve congestion. As part of the therapy, ultrasonic, laser, thermal or electromagnetic effects are used.
With a long inflammatory process and decreased immunity, patients are given immunotherapy. It includes taking immunomodulators and multivitamin complexes aimed at improving the body's protective functions and general well-being.
Sometimes the 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 causes several complications, including infertility. That is why it is not done to young men of fertile age.
Symptoms and treatment of acute prostatitis
Acute prostatitis is characterized by rapid onset and progression. Keep in mind that it happens 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 membrane and submucosa layer. As a result, congestion appears in the follicles of the gland.
- follicular. Focal suppuration of the affected lobe occurs.
- Parenchyma. There are various organ lesions, almost all tissues are involved in the inflammatory process. An abscess is formed, which can be opened with the release of purulent contents into the bladder, urethra, or rectum.
Among the symptoms of acute prostatitis: severe pain, fever, chills, sweating profusely, weakness. This condition can be caused by various microorganisms. The most common causes are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter.
Pathological treatment 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. Patients are given a combination of antibiotics that are effective against existing pathogens. In this case, the therapeutic effect is observed after 2-3 days. In a man, almost all symptoms disappear, urination becomes normal and signs of infection disappear.
If no therapy is needed, urinary tract obstruction and abscesses may develop. Such conditions require immediate hospitalization, and often surgical intervention.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic prostatitis
The chronic form of the disease is characterized by slow progression. Symptoms are fleeting 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 the pathology, the patient noted an increase in sexual desire and spontaneous erection. However, at the same time, 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 obvious, but the deterioration of well-being increases. Many complain about lack of morning erection, decreased libido and increased sweating in the groin.
During an exacerbation of prostatitis in a man, there is pain in the genital area, impaired urination and fever. However, other pathological symptoms may be absent, which often complicates the diagnosis.
An accurate diagnosis requires a comprehensive examination, which will include history taking, 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 chronic form takes from 3-4 weeks to 6-12 months. The most important is the elimination of the causes of the inflammatory process in the prostate gland. Otherwise, it is not possible to exclude the recurrent nature of the pathology.
Preventive measures
For the prevention of prostatitis in men, lifestyle correction and 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. The main role in prevention is played by proper nutrition, good sleep and physical activity, a regular sex life.
In addition, urologists advise to follow the following recommendations to avoid inflammation of the prostate gland:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- When working sedentary, take frequent short breaks and light exercise.
- Incorporate exercise and walking into your routine.
- Normalize nutrition and eliminate constipation (it is better to consult a specialist about the problem).
- Have a normal sex life with a normal partner.
- After the age of 40, annual preventive examination by a urologist.
And, of course, it should be remembered that if any signs of prostatitis appear, you should immediately see a doctor. This is the only way to avoid dangerous health consequences.