Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate. It can develop in men of any age, follow a chronic or acute course. There are problems with diagnosis, so often patients seek help from a doctor when prostatitis is at an advanced stage and traditional treatment does not help. The danger lies in the high probability of developing prostate cancer and complete infertility.
If prostatitis is diagnosed in a timely manner, the treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man will only have to follow the doctor's recommendations and periodically undergo a follow-up examination. In this case, there will be no complications after inflammation of the prostate - reproductive abilities are fully preserved, even if prostatitis is accompanied by acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop "from scratch", the cause of the appearance of the inflammatory process is Escherichia coli, mycoplasmas, streptococci, staphylococci, Trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Their peculiarity lies in the very rapid 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 - especially constipation, in which men have to push hard and prostatitis develops as an organic response to pressure;
- infections from distant foci - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, influenza, when prostatitis is directly related to the penetration of infectious agents into the tissues of the gland;
- frequent hypothermia or, conversely, overheating - can be associated with the features of professional activity;
- lack of regular sexual activity, hypodynamia - prostatitis causes stagnation of secretion in the tissues of the prostate gland, most often this is the cause of prostatitis in a 40-year-old man;
- weakened immunity against the background of severe hormonal disorders;
- sexually transmitted infections - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- frequent urinary retention - an enlarged bladder puts a 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 through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Prostatitis has a very important provoking factor - a general weakening of the immune system, if it happened as a response of the body to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional "outbursts".
Men should have a regular sex life and their lifestyle should be active. Otherwise, stagnation of secretion occurs in the tissues of the prostate, which is an ideal environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms - prostatitis develops rapidly. Inevitably, prostate cells are starved of oxygen, which only increases the chances that prostatitis will go beyond the organ – the inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, course features
Depending on the original cause, there are several types of prostatitis:
- bacterial prostatitis - begins against the background of penetration into the tissues of 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 damage to the small pelvis, often accompanied by infection, then prostatitis becomes a mixed type;
- calculous prostatitis - develops as a result of an untreated chronic form of the course of the disease, most often such prostatitis occurs in older men.
According to the form of 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, since prostatitis occurs with severe symptoms. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "slow" clinical picture, periodic remissions, a complete absence of specific symptoms and a rapid transformation into serious problems - the degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant ones, the cessation of secretion production anddecreased semen secretion.
Symptoms and diagnosis of inflammation of the prostate
The symptoms directly depend on the type of prostatitis that begins to grow in the tissues of the prostate:
- bacterial prostatitis - high body temperature, presence of blood or pus in the urine, problems with urination (thin and weak stream, "drip" urine flow), sharp pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- calculous prostatitis - a weak erection or its complete absence, blood in the urine, such symptoms of prostatitis are more often present in men 50 years and older;
- congestive prostatitis - discomfort of the perineum and testicles, partial or complete absence of erection, inappropriate urination.
Prostatitis of the chronic form of the course is characterized by a "fuzzy" clinical picture, all symptoms are unexpressed and can periodically disturb. But if men develop pain in the groin and testicles within 2-3 months, the overall body temperature rises and sexual desire decreases, it means you need to see a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" andfollow a treatment. It is worth knowing the following nuances:
- symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 50 are a weakening of 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 a 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 make a diagnosis, the following is prescribed:
- rectal examination;
- laboratory study of prostatic secretion;
- analysis for the detection / refutation of sexually transmitted infections;
- ultrasound examination of the prostate;
- organ computed tomography.
As additional examinations, ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and scrotum may be prescribed. It may be necessary to call in limited specialists to exclude or confirm concomitant diseases.
Treatment - general principles, duration of the course
Symptoms of prostatitis in a man and its treatment are directly related, because when prescribing treatment, the doctor should first of all alleviate the general condition of the patient. In men, severe pain is often present, which means that treatment should begin with painkillers. Treatment for prostatitis is determined by a urologist or andrologist, and the following medications will most often be prescribed:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and diuretics - prostatitis is manifested by a violation of the urinary process;
- antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - prostatitis is accompanied by severe pain in the groin;
- support prostate functionality and alpha-blockers.
Is lack of erection treated in the context of prostatitis? Yes, with such complaints, the doctor prescribes specific drugs that improve blood supply to the penis and cleanse the prostate vessels of toxins and toxins. If symptoms of prostatitis are detected in 40-year-old men, additional drugs to restore erection will not be required - as soon as the inflammatory process stops, all sexual abilities will be restored. But if venereal diseases (sexually transmitted infections) have become the cause of prostatitis in 30-year-old men, additional treatment and the identified infection will be required to restore sexual activity.
The best treatment is complex, and therefore, in order to stop prostatitis as soon as possible, you need to follow some 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 tissues in order to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
- adhere to bed rest - treatment cannot be combined with physical activity, as they will irritate the organ, prostatitis will only progress, which will make treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude from the diet spicy, sour, fatty foods, alcohol - these are also irritants, in which prostatitis will only worsen.
As soon as the signs of the disease fade, it will be necessary to restore sexual activity. Prostatitis will be cured much faster if regular drainage of the prostate is provided, and even a slight stagnation of secretion 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 performing surgery. The operation can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes prostate tissue affected by prostatitis;
- prostatectomy - prostatitis is a real danger to a man's life, so it is completely removed from both the prostate and the seminal vesicles with adjacent tissues.
Operations are not performed at a young age, as this can lead to complete infertility - prostatitis is treated with therapeutic methods, physiotherapy procedures can be prescribed in addition to drugs. The amount of prostatitis that 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.
It is possible to completely cure prostatitis, 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 time of onset of the development of complications closer.