Prostatitis is the most common urological pathology, 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 the correct diagnosis and treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
The appearance of pathology is often facilitated by a decrease in immunity, hypothermia, the presence of bad habits and a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual activity, sexual infections. Prostatitis treatment can be quite long, especially in the later stages of development. The sooner a man seeks medical help, the better the chances of 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 mechanisms of the development of the disease, symptoms and causes, as well as modern methods of treatment.
What is the prostate?
The prostate (or prostate gland) is an odd male organ that is responsible for producing secretions to maintain sperm activity. The organ is located below the bladder and surrounds the urethra. It is small in size, about the size of a walnut, but it is extremely important for men's health.
The prostate gland supports the production of sperm, ensures their movement and ejaculation, participates in the formation of sexual desire and the occurrence of orgasm, affects the activity of the testicles and the synthesis of androgens (male sex hormones).
Any pathological process in the prostate affects the composition of the prostatic secretion. As a result, the quality of the sperm deteriorates and its fertilizing ability decreases. Also, it increases the risk of urinary tract infections, since the prostate gland normally prevents bacteria from entering the urethra.
Unfortunately, diseases that require treatment of the prostate are quite common. Usually we are talking about various tumor and hormonal processes. Prostatitis is considered one of the most common pathologies of the organ, since it has a different pathogenesis.
disease symptoms
Symptoms of prostate inflammation can vary depending on the form of the disease diagnosed in a man. Regardless of the form, a comprehensive treatment is selected to eliminate the existing symptoms.
There are 3 groups of symptoms characteristic of prostatitis:
- pain syndrome. Pain in prostatitis can be different both in intensity and in 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 become more intense during or after sexual activity or urination.
- dysuric syndrome. Due to the increased size of the prostate, pressure on the ureters increases, which leads to a gradual decrease in lumen. The patient has trouble urinating, while after going to the toilet there is a feeling of a full bladder.
- sexual deviations. In some cases, a man may experience frequent spontaneous painful erections or a complete lack of sexual arousal. Often with prostatitis, orgasmic sensations fade, and sexual intercourse itself becomes short, or the erection may completely disappear during sexual 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 is intensified during a trip to the toilet. There is general fatigue, decreased potency, accelerated or painful ejaculation. However, the disease is not always characterized by the appearance of appropriate symptoms. There are forms of prostatitis that are asymptomatic in the early stages. This means that the diagnosis of pathology in such cases will be difficult.
Causes
Often the disease occurs against the background of decreased immunity, in the presence of sexual infections or concomitant pathologies. A common cause of prostatitis is a bacterial infection, against which inflammation of the tissues of the prostate gland begins.
There are many risk factors for the development of pathology, we will highlight the main ones:
- hypothermia. Hypothermia leads to severe stress on the body, which can lead to a weakening of the immune system. As a result of this, the pathogenic microflora begins to multiply actively, which leads to an inflammatory process.
- inactive lifestyle. Sedentary work and lack of physical activity negatively affect the blood circulation of the pelvic organs. This leads to congestion and inflammation.
- Over weight. As a rule, overweight patients lead an inactive lifestyle, which leads to poor blood circulation in the internal organs. Stagnant processes and inflammation develop in the tissues of the prostate gland. For this reason, weight normalization is considered one of the main ways to prevent prostate diseases.
- The presence of chronic diseases.. A focus of chronic infection in the body increases the risk of inflammation of the prostate.
- chronic constipation. The retention of feces in the intestine causes pressure on the prostate, which causes circulatory disorders. Also, constipation often contributes to the reproduction of pathogens.
- organ injury. In case of traumatic injury to the prostate or pelvic organs, blood flow worsens and local immunity decreases. This increases the risk of developing prostatitis.
- Characteristics of sexual activity.. Excessively active sexual life or prolonged abstinence can also provoke the onset of the disease.
Also, any condition that depresses the immune system can contribute to the development of the disease. We are talking about constant stress, lack of sleep, overwork.
types of disease
Often the symptoms of the pathology depend on its type and nature of the course. There are several types of prostatitis, each of which has its own characteristics:
- Bacterial. 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, urination disorders, deterioration of general well-being, and fever. In severe cases, the presence of blood or pus in the urine is noted. However, these symptoms are more typical of the acute stage and relapses of the disease. In chronic prostatitis, symptoms may be "faded" or absent.
- abacterial. In this case, the disease is inflammatory and non-inflammatory in nature 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, abnormalities in the development of the organ, chronic cystitis.
- stagnant. This condition develops against the background of chronic prostatitis and is associated with impaired microcirculation and blood circulation in the pelvic organs. Also, the pathology can manifest itself with a prolonged absence of sexual intercourse, since this causes stagnation of secretions in the prostate gland. Very often, patients with this form of the disease experience erectile dysfunction, problems with urination, and discomfort in the groin area.
- calculating. The development of this form of prostatitis contributes to the appearance of stones (stones) in the tissues of the prostate gland. As a rule, the disease occurs in patients older than 55-60 years. The causes of the pathology are improper treatment of chronic prostatitis or urolithiasis. The characteristic symptoms of such prostatitis in men include difficulty urinating, weakening of the erection and the appearance of blood in the urine.
- Purulent. A dangerous consequence of improper treatment of acute prostatitis can be a purulent form of the disease. In this case, an acute pain syndrome develops, affecting the entire perineum and groin area. A man has a sharp increase in temperature, severe problems with urination, and the presence of purulent inclusions in the urine. Purulent prostatitis is considered the most dangerous, since if left untreated it can cause an abscess and lead to death.
Diagnosis of prostatitis
Diagnosis of the disease is carried out by a urologist; it is worth making an appointment with him when the 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, a series of additional examinations are prescribed, which are necessary to diagnose the existing type of prostatitis and prescribe competent treatment.
The survey includes:
- Ultrasound (TRUS) of the pelvic organs.
- Clinical blood test.
- General urinalysis.
- Microscopic analysis of prostatic secretion.
- A swab from the urethra and a bacterial seeding of the secret for the presence of sexually transmitted infections.
If necessary, the patient can be referred for additional studies: spermogram, computed tomography (or magnetic resonance imaging) of the pelvic organs.
Important!
The information in this article should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. For the correct diagnosis and treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
treatment methods
Failure to properly treat prostatitis can lead to serious health problems. Patients are often diagnosed with complications such as cystitis, vesiculitis, pyelonephritis, infertility, and erectile dysfunction. That is why the correct choice of therapy is extremely important.
As a general rule, the treatment of prostate inflammation involves an integrated approach, which includes medications and supportive care. In difficult cases, the patient undergoes surgery.
As part of drug therapy, antibiotics are prescribed to stop the inflammatory process. If the disease has an infectious-bacterial nature, then additional antibacterial treatment is carried out.
Also, as part of drug therapy, drugs are used to eliminate existing symptoms. Can be:
- Analgesics.
- Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants.
- diuretics
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Medications to normalize the function of the prostate.
- Preparations for restoring the erection.
It is mandatory to follow a series of 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, the intake of infusions and decoctions is allowed only in agreement with the urologist. Remember that home remedies are not a panacea for the disease and only help with the symptoms, but do not eliminate the cause.
An important component of treatment is prostate massage. It is performed in the absence of contraindications. The essence of this procedure is to remove the accumulated inflammatory secret from the body. Due to this, it is possible to improve the blood circulation of the tissues, eliminate congestion, stimulate local immunity, and restore the patency of the secretory ducts.
Another popular way is to use physical therapy. In the 21st century, it is difficult to imagine a 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, improve the effect of drugs and eliminate congestion. As part of the therapy, ultrasonic, laser, thermal or electromagnetic effects are used.
With a long course of the inflammatory process and a decrease in immunity, the patient is prescribed immunotherapy. It includes taking immunomodulators and multivitamin complexes aimed at improving the protective functions of the body and general well-being.
Sometimes a conservative treatment regimen for prostatitis does not produce the desired results, resulting in the patient requiring surgery.
Of course, surgery requires a long recovery and often leads to a number of complications, including infertility. That is why it is not performed on young men of childbearing age.
Symptoms and treatment of acute prostatitis.
Acute prostatitis is characterized by rapid onset and development. It is worth noting that it occurs very rarely, in about 5% of cases.
The inflammatory process in the prostate gland develops progressively, therefore 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 membranes and the submucosal layer. As a result of this, congestion appears in the follicles of the gland.
- follicular. Focal suppuration of the affected lobes occurs.
- parenchymal. There is a multiple lesion of the organ, almost all tissues are involved in the inflammatory process. An abscess is formed, which can open with the release of purulent contents in the bladder, urethra or rectum.
Among the symptoms of acute prostatitis: severe pain, fever, chills, profuse sweating, weakness. This condition can be caused by various microorganisms. The most common cause is Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter.
Treatment of pathology should be started immediately after the first symptoms appear. As a rule, in such cases it is possible to avoid complications and health consequences. The patient receives a combination of antibiotics that is effective against the existing pathogen. In this case, the effect of therapy is observed after 2-3 days. In a man, almost all symptoms disappear, the urination process normalizes, signs of infection disappear.
In the absence of the necessary therapy, urinary tract obstruction and abscess may develop. Such conditions will require urgent hospitalization and often surgical intervention.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic prostatitis.
The chronic form of the disease is characterized by slow development. Symptoms are intermittent or absent, so many men are unaware of their presence for years and do not seek medical attention.
At the same time, at the very beginning of the development of the pathology, patients note an increased sexual desire and spontaneous erections. However, at the same time, such 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 pronounced, but the deterioration of well-being increases. Many complain of lack of morning erection, decreased libido, and increased groin sweating.
During an exacerbation of prostatitis in a man, there is pain in the genital area, difficulty urinating, and fever. However, other symptoms of pathology may be absent, which often complicates the diagnosis.
An accurate diagnosis requires a complete examination, which will include a medical history, a 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 the chronic form takes from 3-4 weeks to 6-12 months. Of paramount importance is the elimination of the causes of the inflammatory process in the prostate gland. Otherwise, it will not be 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, as long as the factors that favor the development of the disease remain, its recurrence is possible. Proper nutrition, good sleep and physical activity, regular sex life play a key role in prevention.
In addition, urologists advise to follow the following recommendations in order not to find inflammation of the prostate gland:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- When you work sedentary, take regular short breaks and do 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 regular sex life with a regular partner.
- From the age of 40, annual preventive check-ups by a urologist.
And, of course, it is worth remembering that if any signs of prostatitis appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. This is the only way to avoid dangerous health consequences.