Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate gland. It can develop in men of any age, taking a chronic or acute course. There are problems in diagnosis, so often patients 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 getting prostate cancer and complete infertility.
If prostatitis is diagnosed on time, then the treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man only needs to follow the doctor's recommendations and periodically undergo follow-up examinations. In this case, there will be no complications after inflammation of the prostate - reproductive abilities are fully preserved, even if prostatitis continues with acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop "from scratch", the cause of the initiation 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 this disease are:
- any inflammatory diseases of the urinary system - cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
- chronic stool disorders - in particular, constipation, where men have to push hard and prostatitis develops as an organ response to stress;
- infection from a distant focus - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, influenza, when prostatitis is directly related to the penetration of infectious agents into the tissue of the gland;
- frequent hypothermia or, on the contrary, overheating - may be associated with the characteristics of labor activity;
- lack of frequent sexual activity, hypodynamia - prostatitis causes stagnation of secretions in the tissue of the prostate gland, more often it is the cause of prostatitis in men over 40 years old;
- weak immunity against the background of serious hormonal disorders;
- sexually transmitted infections - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- frequent urinary retention - an enlarged bladder exerts strong pressure on the prostate gland;
- trauma to the pelvic area.
Most often, prostatitis develops after the infection enters the prostate tissue through the urethra, less often it occurs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Prostatitis has one very important provoking factor - a general weakness of the immune system, if it occurs as a body response to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional "explosions".
Men should have a regular sex life, and their lifestyle should be made active. Otherwise, stagnation of secretion occurs in the tissue of the prostate gland, 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 likelihood that prostatitis will go beyond the organ - inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, features of the course
Depending on the original cause, there are several types of prostatitis:
- bacterial prostatitis - starting with 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 an inactive lifestyle, lack of frequent sexual activity in men and minor 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 disease, more often such prostatitis occurs in old men.
According to the form of the course, prostatitis is divided into acute and chronic. Diagnosis of the acute form of this disease is rare, treatment should be carried out only in the hospital, because prostatitis occurs with severe symptoms. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "damp" clinical picture, periodic remission, complete absence of specific symptoms and rapid change to serious problems - degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant ones, cessation of secretion production, and a decrease in sperm. secretion.
Symptoms and diagnosis of inflammation of the prostate gland
Symptoms directly depend on the type of prostatitis that begins to develop in the tissue of the prostate gland:
- bacterial prostatitis - high body temperature, the presence of blood or pus in the urine, problems with urination (thin and weak stream, "dribble" urine output), acute pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- calculus prostatitis - weak erection or its complete absence, blood in the urine, such symptoms of prostatitis are more common in men over 50 years old;
- congestive prostatitis - discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or complete lack of erection, improper urination.
Prostatitis chronic form of the course is characterized by a "vague" clinical picture, all symptoms are not expressed and may disturb periodically. But if men experience pain in the groin and testicles within 2-3 months, the overall body temperature rises, and sexual desire decreases, this means that you need to see a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" and undergo treatment. Need to know the following nuances:
- symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 50 are erectile weakness and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but the pain syndrome may not be completely present;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 30 are always acute and the first sign is a violation of urination: the enlarged prostate compresses the bladder and men cannot go to the toilet;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 60 may not be present - at this age, prostatitis is often chronic, but a complete lack of erection may be disturbing.
Doctors 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 are prescribed:
- rectal examination;
- laboratory study of prostate secretion;
- analysis for the detection / rejection of sexually transmitted infections;
- ultrasound examination of the prostate;
- organ computed tomography.
As an additional examination, an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs and scrotum can be prescribed. It may be necessary to involve narrow specialists to exclude or confirm concomitant diseases.
Treatment - general principles, duration of the course
The symptoms of prostatitis in a man and its treatment are directly related, because when prescribing therapy, the doctor must first alleviate the general condition of the patient. In men, severe pain often occurs, which means that treatment should begin with painkillers. How to treat prostatitis is determined by a urologist or andrologist, and the following drugs are most often prescribed:
- anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal diuretics - prostatitis is indicated by a violation of the urinary process;
- antispasmodic and muscle relaxant - prostatitis accompanied by severe pain in the groin;
- supports prostate function and alpha blockers.
Is erectile dysfunction treated against the background of prostatitis? Yes, with such complaints, the doctor prescribes special drugs that increase the blood supply to the penis and clean the ducts of the prostate gland from toxins and toxins. If prostatitis symptoms are detected in a 40-year-old man, then additional drugs to restore erection are not needed - as soon as the inflammatory process stops, all sexual abilities will be restored. But if a venereal disease (sexual infection) is the cause of prostatitis in a 30-year-old man, then additional treatment and identified infection will be required to restore sexual activity.
The best treatment is complex and therefore, 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 secretion stagnation and it is necessary to quickly remove it from the tissue to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
- adhere to bed rest - treatment should not be combined with physical activity, because they will irritate the organs, prostatitis will only develop, which will make the treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude from the diet spicy, sour, fatty foods, alcohol - this is also irritating, in which prostatitis will only worsen.
As soon as the signs of the disease become less obvious, it is necessary to restore sexual activity. Prostatitis will heal faster if regular drainage of the prostate gland is ensured and even a small amount of secretion in its tissue 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 to perform surgical intervention. Operations can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes prostate tissue affected by prostatitis;
- prostatectomy - prostatitis poses a real danger to a man's life, so he is completely removed both the prostate and seminal vesicles with adjacent tissue.
Operations are not carried out at a young age, as this can cause complete sterility - prostatitis is treated with therapeutic methods, physiotherapy procedures can be prescribed in addition to drugs. How much prostatitis will be treated depends on the stage and form of the disease, the degree of neglect. Usually the treatment lasts for 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 will not help at all to stop prostatitis, but they can bring the moment of the beginning of the development of complications closer.