Due to the prolonged and problematic treatment and the high probability of relapse, there is reasonable doubt about the possibility of curing chronic prostatitis. There is no clear answer to this question.
The disease detected at an early stage is completely cured in 90% of cases, but as irreversible pathological changes develop, the prognosis for treatment deteriorates. In cases of advanced prostatitis, stable remission can be achieved.
What treatment is used – outpatient or inpatient?
The treatment algorithm for chronic prostatitis involves the appointment of physiotherapy and constant use of medications for 2-3 months. Hospital treatment is prescribed for the following indications:
- Acute form of the disease, manifested by a high temperature above 38°.
- The occurrence of complications due to serious illness.
- Lack of results from home therapy.
If the disease becomes latent, the patient is usually discharged from the hospital and further treatment takes place on an outpatient basis. Advantage of hospitalization:
- Constant monitoring of treating staff.
- Ability to provide emergency care and pain relief.
- No temptation to violate recommendations regarding diet and bad habits.
- The course of treatment is constantly adjusted according to its effectiveness.
Hospitalization has several disadvantages: the high cost of care (in paid clinics), the stress experienced by a man who finds himself in a hospital environment.
The outpatient clinic allows the patient not to move away from his usual environment, to carry out daily activities and to work (of course, without leaving his home). Another advantage of home therapy is that it is relatively inexpensive.
The decision on how the treatment will be carried out depends on the treating physician. Based on individual indications, you can start treatment at home. In this case, the patient should receive detailed, step-by-step treatment, indicating the need for regular doctor visits and physical procedures.
How long does it take to treat chronic prostatitis?
The duration of treatment is individual. Some patients get rid of the disease in a few months, others have to be treated for years.
Several factors influence the speed of recovery:
- Stage of disease— chronic prostatitis in the early stages of development is often discovered by chance, during an annual examination of the patient. At this stage, serious pathological changes occur in the body that require long-term treatment.
- The role of the patient- the desire to get better, scrupulous compliance with therapeutic advice, abandoning bad habits (smoking and alcohol), shortening the duration of treatment and improving its prognosis.
- Individual characteristics- statistics indicate that 80-90% of patients who received help in the early stages of a chronic illness were able to completely get rid of the disease. After the transition from a latent form to an acute form, with pronounced symptoms, the percentage of successful therapy is sharply reduced to 65-70%.
The longer you wait to see a doctor, the more likely it is that conventional complex treatment will not have the desired effect and surgical intervention will be necessary.
Chronic prostatitis, in certain forms, can develop into prostate cancer. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are a necessary condition for cancer prevention.
Is complete recovery possible?
You can completely get rid of prostatitis in the early stages of the disease. If the inflammatory process has become acute, characteristic irreversible changes in the vas deferens and tissue structure are usually observed.
Once clinical symptoms appear, it becomes impossible to completely cure chronic inflammation of the prostate. Therapy aims to achieve stable remission.
After the acute inflammation is relieved, preventive preventive measures are prescribed. If drug treatment does not produce results, partial or complete surgical removal of the prostate is performed.
Over the years of research, general international recommendations for the treatment of chronic prostatitis have been developed, which have significantly increased the cure rate of patients. The probability of a complete cure is of the order of 50 to 65%, that of a stable remission of 65 to 80%, depending on the severity of the disease.
Methods for treating chronic inflammation of the prostate
Many articles on the Internet and medical reference books are devoted to how to treat chronic prostatitis. Most sources agree that there is no single, effective cure for the disease; complex therapy is necessary, including:
- A drug cure.
- Non-drug treatment.
- Physiotherapy.
- Surgery.
- Massage.
A clinically proven treatment regimen for chronic prostatitis aims to overcome several negative manifestations of the disease:
- Suppress the inflammatory process.
- Elimination of congestion and normalization of blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
- Elimination of catalysts of the inflammatory process.
- Combat the consequences of prostatitis.
- Prevent recurrence of the disease.
Complex treatment of chronic prostatitis aims to overcome all the listed negative manifestations and therefore is more effective than monotherapy. The effectiveness of the approach largely depends on the patient's desire for healing, which is manifested in scrupulous compliance with all the recommendations of the attending physician. Another factor contributing to the complete recovery of the patient is the use of large clinics. Medical centers use modern methods of effective treatment of chronic inflammation of the prostate, carried out under the guidance of experienced medical staff.
Pathogenic therapy is the modern standard for combating the inflammatory process. The essence of the principle is to develop an individual course based on the characteristics of the patient.
How to treat with medication
After diagnosing chronic prostatitis, a man will have to be patient, since the treatment regimen involves taking medications for a long time. Success in the fight against the disease depends on careful adherence to the prescribed therapeutic program.
The duration of treatment for chronic prostatitis varies from several months to six months. It is forbidden to stop taking medications yourself when you feel better, as this can provoke a stable form of the disease.
The standard of treatment includes the prescription of the following medications:
- Antispasmodics and analgesics— from the beginning and almost until the end of treatment, the disease is accompanied by severe pain associated with swelling of the gland. If it is not possible to reduce the symptoms, additional anesthetic injections are recommended.
- Anti-inflammatory medications— suppositories containing a substance from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives are recommended. The use of rectal suppositories is effective due to the almost direct effect of the active components on the prostate tissue.
The phenylacetic acid derivative is absorbed into the bloodstream through the rectum and quickly relieves the symptoms associated with the disease. Anti-inflammatory treatment includes the prescription of corticosteroids and NSAIDs. - Antiviral and antibacterial agents.Treatment standards prescribe the use of antibiotics in two cases. Treatment is necessary in the presence of an infectious catalytic factor that has caused inflammation, as well as as a preventative measure before surgical treatment.
To increase the effectiveness of drugs, lymphotropic therapy is carried out. Antibiotics are injected into the lymph nodes, which blocks venous outflow and drains the bladder. An instillation is performed (direct injection of an antibiotic into the bladder).
In later stages of the disease, a conservative method of treatment is used. Regular use of medications (alpha-blockers and NSAIDs) necessary to reduce the rate of prostate growth and reduce unpleasant symptoms. Along with drug treatment, non-drug and physical therapy is carried out.
Non-drug therapy
Advanced world experience convincingly proves the effectiveness of an integrated approach to the treatment of chronic prostatitis. Along with taking medications, the patient is prescribed new methods of non-drug therapy. Among them:
- Microwave hyperthermia- prostate tissue is exposed to high temperatures. The thermal energy source is delivered to the prostate by the transrectal method. Microwave therapy promotes better effects of medications and preserves prostate growth.
- Shock wave therapy.The consequence of chronic prostatitis is the appearance of irregularities in the soft tissues of the gland. The seals are destroyed by the shockwave. The consequence of the procedure is the elimination of the inflammatory process and improvement of blood supply.
The use of shock wave therapy as part of complex treatment reduces the duration of the patient's hospitalization and increases the effectiveness of taking medications. - Laser therapy for chronic inflammation of the prostate— the effect is based on the treatment of the gland with narrowly directed rays of light. Laser treatment leads to increased lumen in blood vessels, improved tissue metabolism and, consequently, tumor resorption. Another positive effect is the accelerated regeneration of damaged tissues.
- Ultrasonic Applications— the intense vibrations of the waves emitted cause tissue regeneration, improve trophism and metabolic processes. Ultrasound treatment devices are so easy to use that it is possible to purchase them for home use. The device kills parasites and has a bactericidal effect.
Non-drug therapy methods are prescribed individually, taking into account the presence of contraindications for the patient.
Physiotherapeutic approach
Innovative methods of treating chronic prostatitis are often combined with proven methods. Physiotherapy has a beneficial effect.
The purpose of the procedures meets several objectives:
- Increases blood flow.
- Establish metabolic processes in the body.
- Reduce areas of inflammation.
- Accelerate lymphatic flow to eliminate prostate pathogens.
- Stimulates the immune system and activates the body's own forces to fight disease.
The physiotherapeutic approach is used in the largest medical centers in the world. In Israeli hospitals, after undergoing therapeutic treatment, treatment in the sanatorium on the shores of the Dead Sea is obligatory.
A rapid improvement in well-being is achieved by completing the following physiotherapy courses:
- Phonophoresis— the technique boils down to the introduction of vitamins and drugs into the tissues of the skin and prostate under the influence of ultrasound. It has a positive effect on the body at the mechanical and chemical level and the effect of medications is enhanced.
- Reflexology— the term designates a whole system of practices based on the impact on the biologically active points of man. Other names of the technique: acupuncture, acupuncture.
During the session, the effect on the nerve endings leads to improvement in the statics of the gland, normalization of blood circulation and reduction of pain. - Vacuum treatment (cans)— many experts agree that disorders in the functioning of internal organs cause spinal pathologies. The technique is effective in combating congestion: after 1 to 2 sessions, the functioning of the prostate improves significantly and urination is normalized.
- Electrical stimulators— the procedure is effective in treating any form of prostatitis, improves erection and activates the immune system. The use of electrical stimulation lasts 10 to 15 days.
During the session, a source of electrical current is supplied to the prostate via the prostate. The waves affect the prostate, bones and muscle tissues, stimulating their work.
Physiotherapy does not replace drug treatment during an exacerbation, but rather promotes the effectiveness of prescribed medications, thus speeding up the man's recovery.
Surgery for chronic prostatitis
If treatment of chronic prostatitis does not give results, a constant progression of the disease is observed and surgical intervention is prescribed. Several methods have been developed:
- Prostatectomy.
- Prostate resection.
- Laser removal.
- Laparoscopy.
The choice of surgical intervention depends on several factors: the age of the patient, the invasive nature of the method, the presence of contraindications and the volume of the prostate.
The latest technologies for performing operations are associated with the absence of the need for dissection of abdominal tissues. Removal of the prostate is done through the urethral canal or through several small holes in the abdominal area.
Laser prostate ablation is widely used. The high-intensity light beam vaporizes the glandular tissue, resulting in a decrease in prostate volume.
The main feature of modern surgical treatment is minimal harm to the human body, which leads to a reduction in rehabilitation time and rapid recovery with complete restoration of all basic functions of the genitourinary system.
Due to the high risks associated with old age, after 60-65 years, surgical treatment is practically no longer carried out. Therapy is reduced to relieving the symptoms of prostatitis and improving conditions and quality of life.
Massage treatment
Clinical recommendations for the treatment of prostatitis boil down to the need for digital transrectal massage of the gland. During the tactile effect on the tissues, areas are massaged, which helps to improve blood supply and relieve pain.
The main task of massage remains the removal of glandular stones containing inflammatory exudate.
Contraindications to prostate massage:
- Cystitis during exacerbation.
- Hemorrhoids.
- Acute prostatitis.
Reviews of the treatment show that the first prostate massage procedures are quite painful, but bring great relief. The massage is performed exclusively by a specialist. Prescribed during the recovery period after drug treatment.
Prevention of relapses of chronic prostatitis
Modern approaches to the treatment of chronic prostatitis are not so much about combating inflammation of the prostate gland, but about using effective preventive measures to prevent relapses of the disease.
Prevention of the return of prostatitis includes:
- Transrectal digital massage is performed annually.
- Diet and lifestyle adjustments. General recommendation, preparation of a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet or treatment table No. 5.
- Carry out complex anti-relapse therapy. Treatment includes medications and procedures aimed at eliminating congestion in the pelvic organs and strengthening the immune system. Recommended sports: yoga, exercise therapy.
The anti-relapse treatment protocol includes regular examination by a doctor, mandatory clinical blood and urine tests and PSA tests at least every 6 months.
A healthy lifestyle, regular sex, giving up alcohol and tobacco - all this prevents the return of prostatitis, has a beneficial effect on men's health and allows you to lead a rich and fulfilling life.