Prostatitis is the most common urological pathology, characterized by an inflammatory process in the prostate.According to statistics, it occurs in nearly 40% of men;The main risk group is patients 30–45 years old.Almost every third visit to the urologist is related to this disease.
Important!
Information from this article cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-medication.For an accurate diagnosis and treatment prescription, you should always consult your doctor.
The appearance of pathology is often facilitated by reduced immunity, hypothermia, the appearance of bad habits and a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sex life and sexually transmitted diseases.Treatment of prostatitis can be quite lengthy, especially at later stages of development.The sooner a man seeks medical help, the better his chances of a successful recovery.Without prompt treatment, the risk of serious consequences increases, including infertility and problems with sexual function and urination.
In the article we will talk about the mechanism of development of the disease, symptoms and causes as well as modern treatment methods.
What is the prostate?
The prostate (or prostatic gland) is a separate male organ responsible for producing secretions to maintain sperm activity.This organ is located below the bladder and surrounds the urethra.It is small in size - about the size of a walnut, but extremely important for men's health.
The prostate gland supports the production of sperm cells, ensures their movement and ejaculation, participates in the formation of sexual desire and the onset of orgasm, affects the functioning of the testicles and the synthesis of androgens (male sex hormones).
Any pathological process in the prostate affects the composition of prostatic secretions.As a result, sperm quality is reduced and fertilization ability is also reduced.In addition, the risk of urinary tract infection is also increased, because the prostate normally prevents bacteria from entering the urethra.
Unfortunately, prostate diseases that require treatment are quite common.Most often 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.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of prostatitis can vary depending on the type of disease diagnosed in men.Regardless of the form, a comprehensive treatment approach is chosen to eliminate the existing symptoms.
There are 3 groups of typical symptoms of prostatitis:
- Pain syndrome.Pain from prostatitis can vary in intensity and location.Sometimes the pain syndrome spreads to the lower abdomen, scrotum, perineum, anus and lower back.The more the inflammation develops, the more pain the patient experiences.The pain may become more intense during or after sex or urination.
- dyspnea syndrome.As the size of the prostate increases, pressure on the ureter increases, leading to a gradual decrease in the lumen of the tube.The patient has problems urinating and still feels like the bladder is full after going to the toilet.
- Sexual deviation.In some cases, a man may experience frequent and painful spontaneous erections or a complete lack of sexual arousal.Often with prostatitis, the feeling of orgasm fades and sexual intercourse itself becomes short-lived or the erection may completely disappear during sexual intercourse.
One of the first signs of the development of prostatitis in men is frequent urination and discomfort in the groin area.There is a burning sensation in the urethra, which increases when going to the toilet.General fatigue, decreased potency, rapid or painful ejaculation.However, the disease is not always characterized by the appearance of corresponding symptoms.There are forms of prostatitis that have no symptoms in the early stages.This means that diagnosing pathology in such cases will be difficult.
reason
Most often, the disease occurs against the background of reduced immunity, in the presence of sexually transmitted diseases or accompanying pathologies.A common cause of prostatitis is a bacterial infection, which causes inflammation of the prostate tissue.
There are many risk factors for the development of pathology, let's highlight the main ones:
- Hypothermia.Hypothermia leads to severe stress in the body, which can weaken immunity.As a result, pathogenic microflora begins to actively multiply, leading to an inflammatory process.
- Inactive lifestyle.Sedentary work and lack of physical activity negatively affect blood circulation in the pelvic organs.This leads to stagnation and inflammation.
- Excess body weight.As a rule, overweight patients lead a sedentary lifestyle, which leads to poor organ circulation.Congestion and inflammation develop in the tissues of the prostate.For this reason, weight normalization is considered one of the main ways to prevent prostate diseases.
- Presence of chronic pathology.A source of chronic infection in the body increases the risk of prostatitis.
- Chronic constipation.Holding stool in the intestines leads to pressure on the prostate, causing circulatory problems.In addition, constipation often contributes to the proliferation of pathogens.
- Organ injury.In case of injury to the prostate or pelvic organs, blood flow is impaired and local immunity decreases.This increases the risk of developing prostatitis.
- Characteristics of sexual activity.Too active a sex life or prolonged abstinence can also cause the disease.
Additionally, any condition that suppresses the immune system can contribute to the development of the disease.We are talking about constant stress, lack of sleep, overwork.
Types of diseases
Usually, the symptoms of the pathology depend on the type and nature of its course.There are several types of prostatitis, each with its own characteristics:
- bacteria.The most common type of disease occurs due to bacterial infection and reduced immunity.There are acute and chronic forms of the disease.As a rule, a man is worried about pain and discomfort in the perineum, problems with urination, general deterioration of health and increased body temperature.In severe cases, the presence of blood or pus in the urine is noted.However, such symptoms are more typical in the acute and recurrent stages of the disease.With chronic prostatitis, symptoms may be “faint” or not appear at all.
- bacteria.In this case, the disease has inflammatory and non-inflammatory properties, so it is often called chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS).With this form of prostatitis, destructive changes in the muscle tissue of the gland are observed.The causative agents are autoimmune diseases, abnormal development of organs and chronic cystitis.
- stagnation.This condition develops against the background of chronic prostatitis and is associated with impaired microcirculation and blood circulation in the pelvic organs.In addition, the pathology can manifest itself when not having sex for a long time, as this causes stagnation of secretions in the prostate.Often, patients with this form of the disease suffer from erectile dysfunction, difficulty urinating, and discomfort in the groin area.
- Calculate.The development of this form of prostatitis is facilitated by the appearance of stones (stones) in the tissues of the prostate.As a rule, the disease occurs in patients over 55–60 years old.The cause of the disease is improper treatment of chronic prostatitis or urinary stones.Typical symptoms of prostatitis in men include difficulty urinating, weak erections and blood in the urine.
- pus.A dangerous consequence of improper treatment of acute prostatitis can be a purulent form of the disease.In this case, acute pain syndrome develops, affecting the entire perineum and groin area.The man feels a sharp increase in temperature, severe problems with urination and the presence of purulent substances in the urine.Purulent prostatitis is considered the most dangerous because 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 - you should make an appointment to see a doctor if characteristic symptoms appear.During the initial consultation, the specialist will collect the patient's medical history, ask about existing complaints, and conduct a rectal examination of the prostate.Then a number of additional examinations are prescribed, necessary to diagnose the existing type of prostatitis and prescribe competent treatment.
The inspection includes:
- Ultrasound (TRUS) of the pelvic organs.
- Clinical blood test.
- General urine analysis.
- Microscopic analysis of prostatic secretions.
- A smear from the urethra and bacterial culture of the secretions to detect the presence of sexually transmitted diseases.
If necessary, the patient can be referred for additional tests: spermography, CT scan (or MRI) of the pelvic organs.
Important!
Information from this article cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-medication.For an accurate diagnosis and treatment prescription, you should always consult your doctor.
Treatment methods
Lack of proper treatment for prostatitis can lead to serious health problems.Patients are often diagnosed with complications such as cystitis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, infertility and erectile dysfunction.That's why choosing the right treatment is extremely important.
As a rule, treatment of prostatitis involves a comprehensive approach, including medication and supportive care.In difficult cases, the patient must undergo surgery.
As part of drug treatment, antibiotics are prescribed to stop the inflammatory process.If the disease is of a bacterial infectious nature, then additional antibacterial treatment will be carried out.
In addition, as part of pharmacotherapy, drugs are used to eliminate existing symptoms.These could be:
- Analgesic.
- Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants.
- Diuretics.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- The drug normalizes prostate function.
- Erection restoration medicine.
It is imperative to follow some recommendations:
- Drink enough water during the day (1.5–2 liters).
- Follow a diet, exclude spicy, fatty and salty foods from the diet.
- Eliminate alcohol.
Sometimes herbal preparations with a bactericidal effect are used to reduce inflammation.However, infusions and decoctions are allowed only with the consultation of a urologist.Remember that folk remedies are not a panacea and only help reduce symptoms, 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 accumulated inflammatory secretions from the organ.Thanks to this, it is possible to improve blood circulation in tissues, eliminate blockages, stimulate local immunity and restore the stability of excretory ducts.
Another popular way is to use physical therapy.In the 21st century, it is difficult to imagine a high-quality modern treatment of chronic prostatitis without the use of complex physiotherapy.With its help, it is possible to restore blood circulation in the pelvic organs, enhance the effect of drugs and eliminate congestion.This therapy uses ultrasound, laser, heat or electromagnetic effects.
With a prolonged inflammatory process and reduced immunity, the patient is prescribed immunotherapy.It includes taking immunomodulators and multivitamin complexes aimed at improving the body's protective functions and overall health.
Sometimes conservative treatment regimens for prostatitis do not bring the necessary results, so patients need surgical intervention.
Of course, surgery requires a long recovery period and often causes 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 happens quite rarely - in about 5% of cases.
The inflammatory process in the prostate develops gradually, therefore several stages of the acute form can be distinguished:
- Catarrhal.The inflammatory process affects each lobe of the organ and affects the structure of the mucous membrane and submucosa.As a result, blockage occurs in the follicles of the gland.
- egg follicles.Focal suppuration of the affected lobes occurs.
- parenchyma.There are many injuries to organs;Almost all tissues are involved in the inflammatory process.An abscess forms, which can rupture and release pus into the bladder, urethra, or rectum.
Symptoms of acute prostatitis include: severe pain, increased body temperature, chills, excessive sweating and weakness.This condition can be caused by various microorganisms.The most common causes are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter.
Treatment of pathology must begin immediately after the first symptoms appear.As a rule, in such cases complications and health consequences can be avoided.The patient is prescribed a combination of antibiotics that are effective against existing pathogenic microorganisms.In this case, the therapeutic effect is observed after 2-3 days.In men, most symptoms disappear, urination returns to normal, and signs of infection disappear.
In the absence of necessary treatment, urinary tract obstruction and abscesses may develop.Such conditions will require emergency hospitalization and often require surgical intervention.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic prostatitis
The chronic form of the disease is characterized by slow development.Symptoms are inconsistent or absent, so many men ignore their presence for years and do not seek medical help.
At the same time, at the beginning of the development of pathology, patients note an increase in sexual desire and spontaneous erections.However, at the same time, signs of chronic prostatitis appear such as decreased sexual intercourse time and painful ejaculation.As the disease progresses, symptoms become less pronounced but health increasingly declines.Many people complain of not being able to get an erection in the morning, decreased sexual desire and increased sweating in the groin area.
During severe prostatitis, men experience pain in the genital area, difficulty urinating, and fever.However, other pathological symptoms may be absent, which often complicates diagnosis.
For an accurate diagnosis, a complete examination is required, including medical history, rectal prostate exam, and several laboratory tests.In some cases, additional instrumental methods are used.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis in its chronic form takes from 3–4 weeks to 6–12 months.Of primary importance is the elimination of the causes of the inflammatory process in the prostate.Otherwise, it will not be possible to rule out the recurrent nature of the pathology.
preventive measures
To prevent prostatitis in men, it is recommended to adjust lifestyle and give up bad habits.This is due to the fact that if the factors that influence the development of the disease persist, the disease can relapse.An important role in prevention is proper nutrition, adequate sleep and physical activity as well as a regular sex life.
In addition, urologists recommend following the following recommendations to avoid prostatitis:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- When doing sedentary work, take frequent short breaks and light warm-ups.
- Include physical activity and walking in your routine.
- Normalize your diet and get rid of constipation (it is better to consult a specialist about the current problem).
- Have a regular sex life with a regular partner.
- After 40 years, have an annual preventative exam with 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 eliminate dangerous health consequences.