Prostatitis

26 October 2023

Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate gland. It can develop in men of any age and be chronic or acute in nature. There are problems in diagnosis, so patients usually seek help from a doctor 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 in time, the treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man will only have to follow the doctor's recommendations and periodically undergo follow-up examinations. In this case, there will be no complications after suffering from inflammation of the prostate: reproductive capacity is completely preserved, even if prostatitis occurs with acute symptoms.

Prostatitis does not develop out of nowhere, the cause of the inflammatory process is E. coli, mycoplasma, streptococcus, staphylococcus, trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Its peculiarity is very rapid reproduction and rapid destruction of prostate tissue. The main causes of the disease are:

any inflammatory disease of the urinary system: cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
chronic stool disorders, in particular constipation, in which men need to strain a lot and prostatitis develops as a response of the organs to pressure;
infections of distant foci - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, influenza, when prostatitis is directly related to the penetration of infectious agents into the glandular tissue;
Frequent hypothermia or, conversely, overheating, may be associated with the characteristics of work activity;
lack of regular sexual activity, physical inactivity - prostatitis causes stagnation of secretions in the tissues of the prostate gland and is often the cause of prostatitis in a 40-year-old man;
weakened immunity due to serious hormonal imbalances;
sexually transmitted infections: gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
frequent urinary retention - an enlarged bladder puts strong pressure on the prostate;
Injuries in the pelvic area.

Most often, prostatitis develops after the infection penetrates the prostate tissue through the urethra, much less through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Prostatitis has a very important provoking factor: a general weakening of the immune system, if this occurs as a response of the body to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion and 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 gland, which is an ideal environment for the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms: prostatitis develops rapidly. Inevitably, prostate cells experience lack of oxygen, which only increases the chances of prostatitis spreading beyond the organ; The inflammation will also affect nearby organs.

Types of prostatitis in men, features of the course.

Depending on the cause of origin, there are several types of prostatitis:

bacterial prostatitis - begins against the background of the penetration of infection into the prostate tissue; The diagnosis of this type of prostatitis often occurs in young and elderly men;
congestive prostatitis: caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual life in men and pelvic injuries, often accompanied by infection and then prostatitis becomes mixed type;
Calculous prostatitis: develops as a consequence of an untreated chronic form of the disease; Such prostatitis is more frequently found in older men.

Depending on the form of onset, prostatitis is divided into acute and chronic. Diagnosis of the acute form of the disease is rare; Treatment should only be done in a hospital setting, as prostatitis presents 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 and a decrease of the secretion. of sperm.

Symptoms and diagnosis of inflammation of the prostate.

Symptoms directly depend on what type of prostatitis begins to develop in the tissues of the prostate gland:

bacterial prostatitis: high body temperature, presence of blood or pus in the urine, problems urinating (thin, weak stream, "drippy" urine production, acute pain in the perineum, poor general health;
calculous prostatitis: weak erection or its complete absence, blood in the urine; These symptoms of prostatitis occur more frequently in men 50 years of age or older;
Congestive prostatitis: discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or total absence of erection, inadequate urination.

Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "fuzzy" clinical picture, all symptoms do not manifest themselves and can periodically be disturbing. But if men experience pain in the groin and testicles within 2-3 months, the general body temperature increases and libido decreases, then this means that it is necessary to consult a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" and undergo to treatment. It is worth knowing the following nuances:

Symptoms of prostatitis in men 50 years old are weakened erections and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but pain may be completely absent;
The symptoms of prostatitis in men in their 30s always manifest themselves acutely and the first sign is a disturbance in urination: the enlarged prostate puts pressure on the bladder and men simply cannot go to the toilet;
Symptoms of prostatitis in 60-year-old men may be absent; At this age, prostatitis is usually chronic, but the complete absence of an erection can be disturbing.

A doctor can prescribe effective treatment only after diagnosing the disease; Prostatitis often presents symptoms of other diseases of the genitourinary system. Therefore, patient complaints alone are not enough to make a diagnosis, the following are prescribed:

Rectal exam;
laboratory examination of prostate secretion;
analysis to identify/refute sexually transmitted infections;
ultrasound examination of the prostate;
CT scan of the organ.

As additional examinations, ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and scrotum may be prescribed. It may be necessary to involve specialized specialists to exclude or confirm concomitant diseases.

Treatment: general principles, course duration.

The symptoms of prostatitis in a man and the treatment of it are directly related, because when prescribing therapy, the doctor must, first of all, alleviate the general condition of the patient. Men often have severe pain, which means that treatment should begin with pain relievers. How to treat prostatitis is determined by a urologist or andrologist, and in most cases the following medications will be prescribed:

non-steroidal 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;
supporting prostate functionality and alpha blockers.

Is lack of erection treated due to prostatitis? Yes, for such complaints, the doctor prescribes specific medications that improve blood supply to the genital organ and cleanse the vessels of the prostate from waste and toxins. If symptoms of prostatitis are detected in men 40 years old, no additional medications will be needed to restore the erection; As soon as the inflammatory process stops, all sexual capabilities will be restored. But if the cause of prostatitis in men aged 30 is sexually transmitted diseases (sexually transmitted infections), to restore sexual activity it will be necessary to undergo additional treatment for the identified infection.

The best treatment is comprehensive, so to stop prostatitis as soon as possible it is necessary to follow some doctor's recommendations:

drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day - prostatitis is characterized by stagnation of secretions and will need to be quickly removed from the tissues to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
adhere to bed rest - treatment cannot be combined with physical activity, as it will irritate the organ, prostatitis will only progress, making treatment long and ineffective;
exclude spicy, sour, fatty foods and alcohol from the diet; These are also irritants that will only make prostatitis worse.

As soon as the signs of the disease become less pronounced, sexual activity will need to be restored. Prostatitis will heal much faster if regular drainage of the prostate gland is ensured and even slight stagnation of secretions in its tissues is not allowed.

If drug treatment does not give positive results, prostatitis occurs chronically with frequent relapses, then this is a reason to undergo surgical intervention. The operation can be of two types:

transurethral resection: the surgeon removes prostate tissue affected by prostatitis;
Prostatectomy: prostatitis represents a real danger 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, and in addition to medications, physiotherapeutic procedures can be prescribed. The duration of prostatitis treatment depends on the stage and form of the disease and the degree of neglect. Treatment usually lasts 2 weeks, but this figure is very normal.

It is possible to completely cure prostatitis, it is only important to consult a doctor in time. Treatment must be prescribed individually, traditional methods will not help stop prostatitis at all, but can accelerate the onset of complications.