Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate gland. It can develop in men of any age, carry a chronic or acute course. There are problems in the diagnosis, so patients often seek medical help when prostatitis is in 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 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 had acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop "from scratch", the cause of the onset of the inflammatory process is Escherichia coli, mycoplasma, streptococci, staphylococci, Trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Their peculiarity lies in the very rapid reproduction and rapid destruction of prostate tissues. The main causes of the disease are:
- any inflammatory diseases of the urinary system - cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
- chronic stool disorders - in particular, constipation, in which men need to push hard and prostatitis develops as an organ response to pressure;
- distant foci infections - severe forms of tonsillitis, pneumonia, flu, 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 characteristics of labor activity;
- lack of regular sexual activity, hypodynamy - prostatitis causes stagnation of secretion in the tissues of the prostate gland, more often it 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 strong pressure on the prostate gland;
- trauma in the pelvic area.
Most often, prostatitis develops after the infection has entered the prostate tissue through the urethra, much less often it occurs through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Prostatitis has a very important trigger: a general weakening of the immune system, if it occurred as a response of the body to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional "tantrums".
Men should have a regular sex life and their lifestyle should be made active. Otherwise, stagnation of secretion occurs in the tissues of the prostate gland, which is an ideal environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms - prostatitis develops rapidly. Inevitably, prostate cells experience oxygen starvation, which only increases the chances of prostatitis going beyond the organ - the inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, features of the course
Depending on the root cause, there are different types of prostatitis:
- bacterial prostatitis - begins against the background of penetration into the tissues of the prostate infection, the diagnosis of this type of prostatitis most often occurs in young and old men;
- congestive prostatitis - caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual activity in men and lesions of the small pelvis, often accompanied by infection and then prostatitis becomes mixed type;
- calculous prostatitis - develops due to an untreated chronic form of the course of the disease, more often such prostatitis occurs in elderly 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, as prostatitis is manifested by 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 cells, the 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 tissues of the prostate gland:
- bacterial prostatitis - high body temperature, presence of blood or pus in the urine, problems with urination (thin and weak flow, production of "dripping" urine), sharp pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- stones prostatitis - a weak erection or its complete absence, blood in the urine, such symptoms of prostatitis are more often present in men aged 50 and over;
- congestive prostatitis - discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or complete lack of erection, improper urination.
Prostatitis of the chronic form of the course is characterized by a "blurry" 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 general body temperature rises and sexual desire decreases, this means that it is necessary to consult a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" and undergo a treatment. It is worth knowing the following nuances:
- symptoms of prostatitis in men by the age of 50 are a weakening of the erection and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but the pain syndrome can be completely absent;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men by 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 by 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, they are 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. Narrow specialists may need to be involved to rule out or confirm concomitant diseases.
Treatment - general principles, duration of the course
Symptoms of prostatitis in a man and the treatment of him are directly related, because when prescribing therapy, the doctor must first of all alleviate the general condition of the patient. In men, severe pain is often present, which means that treatment should begin with pain relievers. How to treat prostatitis is determined by a urologist or andrologist, and most often the following drugs will be prescribed:
- anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal 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 the function of the prostate and alpha blockers.
Is the lack of erection treated against the background of prostatitis? Yes, with such complaints, the doctor prescribes specific drugs that improve the blood supply to the penis and cleanse the vessels of the prostate gland of toxins and toxins. If the symptoms of prostatitis are detected in 40-year-old men, no additional drugs will be needed to restore the erection: as soon as the inflammatory process stops, all sexual abilities will be restored. But if STDs (sexually transmitted infections) have become the cause of prostatitis in men in their 30s, additional treatment and the identified infection will be needed to restore sexual activity.
The best treatment is complex and therefore, to stop prostatitis as quickly as possible, you need to follow some doctor's advice:
- 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 to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
- adhere to bed rest - treatment can not be combined with physical activity, because they will irritate the organ, prostatitis will only progress, which will make the treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude from the diet spicy, acidic, fatty, alcohol foods - these are also irritating, in which prostatitis will worsen.
As soon as the signs of the disease become less pronounced, it will be necessary to restore sexual activity. Prostatitis will heal much faster if regular drainage of the prostate gland is ensured and not even a slight stagnation of secretion in its tissues is allowed.
If drug treatment does not give positive results, then prostatitis occurs in a chronic form with frequent relapses, so this is a reason for surgery. The operation can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes prostate tissue affected by prostatitis;
- prostatectomy - prostatitis poses a real danger to the life of a man, so both 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, in addition to drugs, physiotherapy procedures can be prescribed. How much prostatitis will be treated depends on the stage and form of the disease, the degree of neglect. Treatment usually 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 will absolutely not help to stop prostatitis, but they can bring the time of the onset of the development of complications closer.