Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate gland. It can develop in men of any age, have a chronic or acute course. There are problems with diagnosis, so often patients 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, then the treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man will only have to follow the doctor's recommendations and periodically undergo a control examination. In this case, there will be no complications after inflammation of the prostate - reproductive abilities are fully preserved, even if the prostatitis occurred with acute symptoms.
Prostatitis does not develop "from scratch", the cause of the beginning of the inflammatory process is Escherichia coli, mycoplasmas, streptococci, staphylococci, Trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Their peculiarity consists in the very rapid reproduction and rapid destruction of the tissues of the prostate. The main causes of the disease are:
- any inflammatory diseases of the excretory system - cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
- chronic stool disorders - in particular constipation, in which men have to press hard and prostatitis develops as a reaction of the organ to the pressure;
- infections from distant foci - 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 - may be related to the characteristics of labor activity;
- lack of regular sexual activity, hypodynamia - prostatitis provokes stagnation of secretion in the tissues of the prostate gland, more often this is the cause of prostatitis in a 40-year-old man;
- weakened immunity against the background of serious hormonal disorders;
- sexually transmitted infections - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- frequent retention of urine - the enlarged bladder exerts strong pressure on the prostate gland;
- pelvic trauma.
Most often, prostatitis develops after the infection enters the prostate tissue through the urethra, much less often it occurs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Prostatitis has one very important provoking factor - a general weakening of the immune system, if this happened as a reaction of the body to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional "outbursts".
Men should have a regular sex life and their lifestyle should be active. Otherwise, secretion stagnation occurs in the tissues of the prostate gland, which is an ideal environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms - prostatitis develops quickly. Inevitably, prostate cells experience oxygen starvation, which only increases the chances that prostatitis will go outside the organ - the inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, features of the course
Depending on the cause of occurrence, there are several 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 occurs more often in young and elderly men;
- stagnant prostatitis - caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual activity in men and injuries to the small pelvis, often accompanied by infection, and then prostatitis becomes a mixed type;
- calculous prostatitis - develops as a result of an untreated chronic form of the course of the disease, more often such prostatitis occurs in elderly men.
According to 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 a hospital, as prostatitis proceeds with severe symptoms. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "sluggish" clinical picture, periodic remissions, complete absence of specific symptoms and rapid transformation into serious problems - degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant ones, cessation of secretion production and reduction of sperm. secretion.
Symptoms and diagnosis of inflammation of the prostate gland
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 with urination (thin and weak stream, "drop" discharge of urine), sharp pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- calculous prostatitis - weak erection or complete absence, blood in the urine, such symptoms of prostatitis are more common in men aged 50 and over;
- congestive prostatitis - discomfort in the perineum and testicles, partial or complete lack of erection, irregular urination.
Prostatitis of the chronic form of the course is characterized by a "blurred" clinical picture, all symptoms are unexpressed and may be disturbed periodically. 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 you should visit a doctor, confirm the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" and undergo treatment. It is worth knowing the following nuances:
- the symptoms of prostatitis in men over 50 years of age are a weakening of the erection and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but the pain syndrome may be completely absent;
- symptoms of prostatitis in men in their 30s are always acute, and the first sign is a violation of urination: the enlarged prostate presses on the bladder, and men simply cannot go to the toilet;
- the symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 60 may be absent - at this age, prostatitis is often chronic, but the complete absence of an 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, only the patient's complaints are not enough to make a diagnosis, the following are prescribed:
- rectal examination;
- laboratory examination of prostate secretion;
- analysis for detection / refutation of sexually transmitted infections;
- ultrasound examination of the prostate;
- computed tomography of organs.
As additional tests, ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and the scrotum may be prescribed. It may be necessary to involve narrow specialists to rule out or confirm co-morbidities.
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 of all alleviate the general condition of the patient. In men, there is often severe pain, 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:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and diuretics - prostatitis is manifested by a violation of the urination process;
- antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - prostatitis is accompanied by severe pain in the groin;
- supporting the functionality of the prostate and alpha-blockers.
Is the lack of erection on the background of prostatitis treated? Yes, with such complaints, the doctor prescribes specific drugs that improve blood supply to the penis and clean the vessels of the prostate gland of toxins and toxins. If the symptoms of prostatitis are detected in men at the age of 40, then 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 venereal diseases (sexually transmitted infections) have become the cause of prostatitis in men in their 30s, then additional treatment and an identified infection will be required to restore sexual activity.
The best treatment is complex, and therefore, in order to stop prostatitis as quickly as possible, you should follow some recommendations of the doctor:
- consume at least 2 liters of fluid per day - prostatitis is characterized by stagnation of secretions and it will be necessary to quickly remove it from the tissues in order to reduce the load on the organ and reduce its swelling;
- observe bed rest - the treatment cannot be combined with physical activity, as they will irritate the organ, the prostatitis will only progress, which will make the treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude from the diet spicy, sour, fatty foods, alcohol - these are also irritants that will only worsen prostatitis.
As soon as the signs of the disease become less pronounced, it will be necessary to restore sexual activity. Prostatitis will be cured much faster if regular drainage of the prostate gland is ensured and even a slight stagnation of secretion in its tissues is not allowed.
If drug treatment does not give positive results, prostatitis proceeds in a chronic form with frequent relapses, then this is a reason to perform surgical intervention. The operation can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes the prostate tissue that is 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 tissues.
Operations are not performed at a young age, as this can lead to complete infertility - prostatitis is treated with therapeutic methods, in addition to drugs, physical therapy procedures can be prescribed. How much prostatitis will be treated depends on the stage and form of the disease, the degree of neglect. Usually the treatment 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 absolutely will not help to stop prostatitis, but they can bring the time of the beginning of the development of complications closer.