Prostatitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the prostate gland. It can develop in men of any age, it can take a chronic or acute course. There are problems with diagnosis, so often patients turn to a doctor when prostatitis is in an advanced form and traditional treatment does not help. The danger is the high probability of developing prostate cancer and complete infertility.
If prostatitis is diagnosed in time, the treatment lasts only 2 weeks, after which the man should only follow the doctor's recommendations and undergo periodic re-examination. In this case, there will be no complications after inflammation of the prostate - even if prostatitis continues with acute symptoms, reproductive abilities are fully preserved.
Prostatitis does not develop "from scratch", the cause of the inflammatory process is Escherichia coli, mycoplasmas, streptococci, staphylococci, Trichomonas and other pyogenic microorganisms. Their peculiarity is that prostate tissues multiply very quickly and are rapidly destroyed. The main causes of the disease are:
- any inflammatory diseases of the urinary system - cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis;
- chronic fecal disorders - especially constipation and prostatitis, which men need to push with force, develop in response to organ pressure;
- infections from remote foci - when prostatitis is directly related to the penetration of infectious agents into the tissues of the gland, tonsillitis, pneumonia, severe forms of influenza;
- often hypothermia or, on the contrary, overheating - may be associated with the characteristics of labor activity;
- lack of regular sexual activity, hypodynamia - 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 serious hormonal disorders;
- sexually transmitted infections - gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia;
- frequent urination - an enlarged bladder exerts strong pressure on the prostate gland;
- trauma to the pelvic region.
Most often, prostatitis develops after the infection enters the prostate tissue through the urethra, less often through the blood or lymphatic system. Prostatitis has many important provoking factors - general weakening of the immune system, if it occurs as a reaction of the body to stress, constant fatigue, nervous exhaustion, emotional "explosions".
Men's sex life should be regular, lifestyle should be activated. 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 spreading outside the organ - inflammation will also affect nearby organs.
Types of prostatitis in men, features of its course
Depending on the origin, there are several types of prostatitis:
- bacterial prostatitis - begins against the background of the penetration of the tissues of the prostate infection, the diagnosis of this type of prostatitis occurs more often in young and old men;
- congestive prostatitis - caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular sexual activity in men and small pelvic injuries often accompanied by infection, and then prostatitis turns into 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 older 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 a hospital, because prostatitis occurs with severe symptoms. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a "slow" clinical picture, periodic remissions, complete absence of specific symptoms and rapid transformation into serious problems - degeneration of healthy prostate cells into malignant cells, cessation of secretion production and decrease in sperm count. secretion.
Symptoms and diagnosis of inflammation of the prostate gland
Symptoms directly depend on which 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 flow, "drip" urine output), sharp pain in the perineum, poor general health;
- calculous prostatitis - weak erection or its complete absence, blood in the urine, such symptoms of prostatitis are more common in men aged 50 and older;
- 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 "blurred" clinical picture, all symptoms are not expressed and can be uncomfortable from time to time. 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 a doctor should be consulted, the diagnosis of "chronic prostatitis" should be confirmed and treated. It is worth knowing the following nuances:
- Symptoms of prostatitis in men at the age of 50 are a weakening of the erection and a feeling of heaviness in the groin, but the pain syndrome may be completely absent;
- The 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 squeezes the bladder, and men simply cannot go to the toilet;
- Men at the age of 60 may not have symptoms of prostatitis - at this age prostatitis is often chronic, but the complete absence of an erection can be a concern.
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 are not enough to make a diagnosis, the following are prescribed:
- rectal examination;
- laboratory research of prostate secretion;
- analysis for the detection / rejection of sexually transmitted infections;
- ultrasound examination of the prostate;
- organ computed tomography.
Ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and testicles can be prescribed as additional examinations. It may be necessary to involve narrow specialists to rule out or confirm comorbidities.
Treatment - general principles, duration of the course
Symptoms of prostatitis in men and its treatment are directly related, because when prescribing therapy, the doctor must first alleviate the general condition of the patient. Severe pain is common in men, 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 urinary process;
- antispasmodics and muscle relaxants - prostatitis is accompanied by severe pain in the groin;
- supports the functionality of the prostate and alpha-blockers.
Is the absence of an erection treated against the background of prostatitis? Yes, with such complaints, the doctor prescribes special drugs that improve blood supply to the penis and cleanse the veins of the prostate gland of toxins and toxins. If symptoms of prostatitis are detected in 40-year-old men, additional drugs will not be needed to restore erection - all sexual abilities will be restored as soon as the inflammatory process stops. However, if venereal diseases (sexually transmitted infections) are the cause of prostatitis in men in their 30s, additional treatment and an established infection are necessary to restore sexual activity.
The best treatment is complicated, and therefore you should follow some doctor's recommendations to stop prostatitis as soon as possible:
- consume at least 2 liters of fluid per day - prostatitis is characterized by stagnation of secretions, and it must be quickly removed from the tissues to reduce the burden on the body and reduce swelling;
- observe bed rest - treatment cannot be combined with physical activity, because they will irritate the body, prostatitis will only progress, which will make the treatment long and ineffective;
- exclude spicy, sour, fatty foods, alcohol from the diet - these are irritants that will worsen prostatitis.
As soon as the symptoms of the disease become less noticeable, sexual activity should be resumed. Prostatitis will heal faster if regular drainage of the prostate gland is provided and if there is no stagnation of secretion in its tissues.
If drug treatment does not give a positive result, prostatitis often occurs in a chronic form with relapses, then this is a reason for surgical intervention. The operation can be of two types:
- transurethral resection - the surgeon removes the prostate tissue affected by prostatitis;
- prostatectomy - prostatitis poses a real threat to a person's life, so it is completely removed, both the prostate and the adjacent tissues and the seminal vesicles.
Operations are not performed at a young age, because this can lead to complete infertility - prostatitis is treated with medical methods, along with drugs, physiotherapy procedures can be prescribed. How long to treat prostatitis depends on the stage and form of the disease, degree of neglect. Usually the treatment lasts 2 weeks, but this number is very average.
It is possible to treat prostatitis completely, it is only important to consult a doctor in time. Treatment should be determined individually, alternative methods will not completely help stop prostatitis, but they can bring the onset of complications closer.