One of the most common specific male diseases is undoubtedly prostatitis.The probability of being a victim at a younger age is significantly less than at an older age.Therefore, for this disease, the common truth that health must be protected from an early age is absolutely true.
What is prostatitis
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate accompanied by swelling.Increasingly larger, the prostate compresses the urethra, around which the gland is located.This interferes with the complete exit of urine from the body, causing characteristic pain and difficulty emptying the bladder.
In addition, with prostatitis, the biochemical properties of prostatic juice, one of the most important components of sperm, change.Prostatic juice is the secretion of the prostate gland, which is responsible not only for sperm fertility, but also for the antimicrobial protection of this important male organ.Male sexuality directly depends on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the secretion.
Causes of prostatitis in men
The prevalence of this disease is due to the fact that there are many reasons that can provoke it.Causes of prostatitis:
- Viral and bacterial infections.The cause of prostatitis can be not only sexually transmitted diseases, but also chronic inflammatory processes in the body (tonsillitis, bronchitis, tuberculosis, sometimes even caries);
- Fungal diseases;
- Stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs.This unfavorable phenomenon can occur in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle (office workers and drivers), have irregular sexual relations (long periods of abstinence or, conversely, promiscuous sex life), frequent constipation and high weight;
- Frequent hypothermia;
- Stressful situations;
- Injuries in the pelvic region;
- Poor circulation in the prostate;
- Weakening of the body's immune defenses.
Types of prostatitis
The popular classification of prostatitis is based on the reasons for its occurrence:
- Infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal);
- Non-infectious (stagnant);
- Hormonal-dystrophic (disruptions in the hormonal system of the body);
- Allergic (allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases);
- Vegetovascular (alteration of blood circulation in the prostate).
Other classifications are less relevant to the general public and are designed more to make it easier for doctors to make a diagnosis.So, depending on the nature of the disease, acute and chronic prostatitis are distinguished, depending on the degree of involvement of glandular tissue in the inflammatory process - catarrhal, parenchymal and follicular, etc.
Separately in medicine, the following types of prostatitis are distinguished:
- Chronic asymptomatic prostatitis which, as the name suggests, occurs without showing any signs.The only symptom of the disease is the periodic detection of bacteria and leukocytes in the urine;
- Chronic granulomatous prostatitis.Quite rare disease in which the prostate tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue with the formation of numerous granulomas (small nodules).
How do the symptoms of prostatitis manifest?
The first symptoms of prostatitis depend on the nature of the disease.The first symptoms of acute prostatitis are severe malaise, headache and fever.
Specific signs of acute prostatitis:
- Frequent, painful urination that brings no relief.In severe cases, acute urinary retention may develop;
- Painful stools;
- Burning in the perineal region.
Indirect signs of acute prostatitis include painful nocturnal erection, decreased or absent sexual desire, and accelerated ejaculation.Additionally, intense pain during sex can make it difficult for a man to achieve orgasm.If you notice these signs, seek medical attention immediately!At the initial stage, prostatitis is easily treatable.
Chronic prostatitis is sluggish and has a rather benign clinical picture, so many people do not pay enough attention to their health.Chronic prostatitis actively manifests itself only in the acute stage.On average, it appears 1 to 2 times a year with symptoms characteristic of the acute form of the disease.
Methods for diagnosing the disease
A urologist must diagnose prostatitis in a patient.First, he conducts an in-depth interview with the patient.The doctor may ask the following questions:
- How long has the patient suffered from this condition?
- How often does it flare?
- What symptoms does the patient notice?
- What is the nature of the subject’s sexual activity (regular/irregular)?
- What risk factors does the patient have for this disease (history of STIs, surgeries in the pelvic region, other chronic inflammatory processes)?
After collecting the medical history, the doctor begins to examine the patient, which includes a rectal examination and palpation of the scrotum.If palpation does not reveal any changes in the prostate, the doctor must exclude other diseases of the genitourinary system.
As a rule, at this stage an experienced specialist can make the correct diagnosis.But sometimes the doctor prescribes additional tests.As a rule, this is necessary in controversial cases or to select the most effective treatment regimen.
Laboratory diagnostic methods
- General analysis of urine and blood;
- Urethral swab;
- Spermogram;
- PCR analysis (detects hidden infections);
- Study of prostate juice (for chronic prostatitis).For men over 50, a PSA (prostate specific antigen) level test is required if prostate cancer is suspected.
Instrumental diagnostic methods
- Ultrasound of the prostate.This is the most accessible and informative way to examine the prostate.It can be performed externally through the abdominal wall or transrectally.The last method is extremely unpleasant, but the most informative.Ultrasound can detect the presence of abscesses and stones in the affected organ, as well as the degree of stricture of the urethra;
- Uroflowmetry.Allows you to determine the speed of urine flow.Thanks to this study, the doctor can assess the patency of the urinary canal and the contractility of the bladder.
There are several other auxiliary diagnostic methods that are prescribed by a doctor in special cases (cystoscopy, computed tomography of the pelvic organs, biopsy, transurethral examination).
Methods for treating prostatitis
As is the case with any other disease, prostatitis is effectively treated only in its acute form.Chronic prostatitis is extremely difficult to treat and often only significant remission can be achieved.
Treatment of acute prostatitis
A patient with acute prostatitis must be hospitalized, since such a condition is dangerous due to its complications, including the development of sepsis.
The main point of treatment of acute prostatitis isantibiotic therapy.Acute illness requires timely therapeutic measures, therefore medications are prescribed before tests are carried out to identify the causative agent of the disease.According to WHO recommendations, fluoroquinolones are systematically prescribed to the patient.If the analysis reveals a causative agent of acute prostatitis not sensitive to this antibiotic, treatment is reconsidered.
In addition to antibiotics, the patient is prescribed strict bed rest and a ban on prostate massage, as this can provoke the development of sepsis.Analgesics and NSAIDs (eliminate pain), rheological solutions (in case of severe intoxication of the body) and drugs that normalize blood microcirculation will help relieve the symptoms of prostatitis.
Surgical intervention is only necessary if there is a complete inability to empty the bladder and if there is an abscess.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis
In the treatment of chronic prostatitis, the use of antibiotics remains controversial.Some doctors believe that they should be prescribed without fail, others - only if bacterial flora is detected in the prostate secretion.
Prostate massage is also a questionable procedure.This procedure only affects the lower part of the prostate.Massage, of course, will not cause any harm, but its benefits cannot compensate for the psychological and physical discomfort that the patient experiences during rectal manipulation.Therefore, today the optimal treatment regimen for chronic prostatitis is as follows:
- Taking NSAIDs, immunomodulators and drugs that improve blood circulation;
- Take sedatives and antidepressants if you have erection problems;
- Exercise therapy and physiotherapy (electrophoresis, UHF, magnetic laser therapy, etc.).These therapeutic methods play a leading role in the treatment of chronic prostatitis.
Traditional medicine to combat prostatitis offers infusions of hazel and aspen bark, pumpkin seeds and parsley juice.It is worth mentioning that natural remedies should only be used in conjunction with the treatment prescribed by the doctor.Otherwise, the disease could progress, leading to disastrous consequences.
Consequences of prostatitis
The complications of this disease are quite serious.Here are the main ones:
- Loss of sexual desire and erection.Against the background of these deviations, men often develop impotence, which most often has a psychological cause;
- Infertility;
- Formation of cysts and stones in the prostate;
- Prostate sclerosis is the replacement of functional tissue of the scar gland, which leads to disruption of its functioning;
- Prostate adenoma is a benign tumor of the prostate that can only be removed surgically;
- Prostate cancer.It is the consequence of an untreated adenoma.
Given how easily prostatitis is treated early and how serious its consequences are, men should put aside false modesty and seek medical attention before it is too late.
Prostatitis prevention
Simple recommendations will help prevent prostatitis:
- Lead an active lifestyle.Morning exercises are the best option, squats are especially useful;
- Take a contrast shower, visit a public bath, ideally before sex;
- Establish a regular sex life;
- Avoid stressful situations;
- Don't be too cold.It is better to equip the car seat with heating;
- Avoid cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, which increase blood pressure.
A healthy lifestyle has never harmed anyone and also plays a major role in preventing prostatitis.
Timely diagnosis and proper treatment of prostatitis are the guarantee of a successful recovery.Be healthy!