Recommend
Official site Prostaline

Prostatitis in men

Prostatitis is an inflammatory process affecting the tissue of the prostate gland.This is one of the most common diseases in the urologist's practice.The disease is diagnosed mainly in men aged 25-30 years, but with older age the risk of developing pathology increases significantly.

The form distinguishes between acute and chronic prostatitis.In the latter case, the inflammation is characterized by a long course with periodic relapses.This condition is much more common compared to acute.

Causes of prostatitis

Many diseases of the prostate gland, for example, benign hyperplasia or oncopathology, are problems of the older age group.However, prostatitis does not fall into this category.Its symptoms usually appear in men between the ages of 30 and 50.Most often, the cause is an infectious lesion due to the penetration of pathogenic flora from the urogenital canal or the glands of the genitourinary system.This is explained by the proximity of the urethra and the anus.

Among the most common causes of bacterial (infectious) prostatitis, gram-negative microorganisms should be noted: Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli, Serration, Enterobacter and Proteus.Often, the inflammatory process develops against the background of STI infection: chlamydia, gonococci, trichomonads, herpes virus, etc.As a rule, such forms of the disease are diagnosed in men under the age of 35.Cases of treatment of pathology against the background of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection are extremely rare.

There are also non-bacterial types of prostatitis.Among their main reasons:

  • increased pressure in the prostate gland;
  • autoimmune diseases (destruction of prostate cells by antibodies);
  • pelvic muscle pain syndrome;
  • psychoemotional disorders;
  • lack of motor activity;
  • excessive physical stress.

Primary signs of prostatitis

a man with signs of prostatitis

The disease is accompanied by a complex of disorders that affect the functioning of the entire urinary system.Among the main symptoms:

  • uncontrolled urination;
  • discomfort, pain when emptying the bladder;
  • impotence disorder in men of reproductive age;
  • pain in the perineum when sitting for a long time;
  • frequent and strong urge to urinate;
  • difficulty emptying the bladder;
  • decreased libido and erection problems;
  • reproductive dysfunction (infertility);
  • a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder after going to the toilet;
  • inability to achieve a high-quality and lasting erection even with strong arousal.

Signs of acute prostatitis

The symptoms of the disease in an acute form and the general clinical picture differ depending on the stage of the pathological process:

  • Catarrhal.The patient complains of frequent urges, pain during urination, pain in the perineum and sacrum.
  • Follicular.The pain syndrome becomes intense, may radiate to the anus and intensify during defecation.Urine is released in a thin stream.In some cases there is a delay.There is an increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees for a long period of time (subfebrile) or moderate hyperthermia.
  • Parenchymatous.The person begins to experience general intoxication of the body with chills and temperature up to 38-40 ° C. The pain in the perineum becomes sharp and throbbing.The act of defecation is difficult and normal emptying of the bladder is impossible, leading to acute retention of urine (dysuria).

Symptoms of chronic prostatitis

The chronic form of inflammation of the prostate can be a consequence of the lack or untimely treatment of the acute stage.In many men, however, it develops immediately and is characterized by "blurred" symptoms.Among the main signs are:

  • low-grade fever (sometimes);
  • slight pain in the perineum;
  • discomfort when urinating;
  • scanty discharge from the urogenital canal during defecation.

In general, the clinical picture changes over time, has different intensity in different patients and can remain hidden when self-medication is attempted.Symptoms of chronic disease may include a burning sensation in the urethra, pressure in the perineum, dysuria, impaired sexual function, and increased general fatigue.Against the background of problems with potency, mental depression, irritability and anxiety arise.The fear of impotence leads to the development of complexes, but most men tend to postpone visiting a urologist due to a sense of shame.

Primary chronic prostatitis develops over a long time.The stagnation of blood in the capillaries (prostatosis) provokes the initial stage of non-bacterial inflammation, which leads to the onset of the disease.

With an infectious etiology, the cause of the disease is a chronic inflammatory process due to infection with trichomonas, ureaplasma, chlamydia or gonococcus.The primary infection masks the signs of prostatitis and its treatment does not eliminate the inflammation of the prostate.Often the addition of a co-occurring problem goes unnoticed by the man.

Let's take a closer look at the three main symptoms of chronic prostatitis:

  • Disruption of urination (dysuria).Inflammation increases the volume of the prostate gland, resulting in pressure on the ureter.As its lumen decreases, there is a frequent urge to urinate and a feeling of an incompletely empty bladder.Dysuric disorders in many men appear in the early stages of prostatitis.The compensatory mechanism during this period manifests itself in hypertrophy of the muscles of the bladder and ureters, which reduces the symptoms of dysuria, but with the development of inflammation they increase again.
  • Pain syndrome.There are no pain receptors in prostate tissue.Pain occurs when the inflammatory process spreads to other pelvic organs and their nerve pathways.The sensations range from mild and painful to very intense, interfering with a night's rest.Increased discomfort occurs with ejaculation, sexual abstinence or excessive sexual activity.The pain radiates to the perineum, sacrum, scrotum and sometimes the lumbar region.
  • Violation of potency.Lack of treatment in the early stages of prostatitis can lead to dyspotency, when a man experiences frequent night erections, deterioration of the quality of orgasm and accelerated ejaculation.In different patients, these signs manifest themselves with different intensity.Premature ejaculation occurs due to a decrease in the threshold of excitability of the orgasmic center.In this case, the patient experiences pain, which leads to the development of pain expectation syndrome and gradual refusal of sexual activity.In the absence of comprehensive treatment aimed at the mental factor of the disorder, sexual disorders become worse.Ignoring the need to seek medical help for prostatitis often ends in impotence.

The degree of sexual dysfunction varies depending on individual factors.Some men are so afraid of erectile dysfunction that their problems are due to suggestion rather than objective physiological factors.In particular, psychogenic dyspotency is observed precisely with increased anxiety and obsessive complexes.The very thought of possible disorders of men's health is difficult for such patients.This strongly affects their character and communication with others.Irritability, hypochondria, irritability and depression appear.

Complications of prostatitis

The lack of adequate treatment of inflammation of the prostate leads to concomitant diseases.The fact is that the prostate gland is closely related to other organs of the male genitourinary system.It is located around the neck of the bladder and the urethra.Therefore, when the prostate enlarges, the urethra is compressed and the normal outflow of urine is disturbed.Taking into account the peculiarities of physiology, if acute or chronic prostatitis is not treated in time, a number of serious pathologies and complications arise.

Related Issues:

  • formation of cysts, stones in the prostate;
  • decrease in the amount of male hormones produced;
  • decreased sexual desire (libido);
  • erectile dysfunction (erectile dysfunction);
  • infertility (in 40% of patients with chronic prostatitis);
  • prostate adenoma (benign tumor);
  • prostate cancer.

Some consequences of inflammation of the prostate, which do not receive timely and comprehensive treatment, pose a threat not only to the health, but also to the life of the patient (in particular, oncological pathologies can develop).Therefore, at the first symptoms of prostatitis, you should consult a urologist.You should also remember about regular preventive examinations after 40 years, when the risk of pathological processes in the prostate gland increases significantly.

Diagnosis of prostatitis

Many urological problems have similar symptoms, so the specialist works with each clinical case individually and uses all available diagnostic tools.A consultation with a urologist always begins with a study of symptoms, medical history and a general examination.The doctor then prescribes a series of tests, based on the results of which a diagnosis is made and adequate treatment is chosen.As a rule, the examination package includes:

  • rectal digital examination of the prostate to determine the size, structure of the prostate gland and the level of compression of the urethra;
  • Ultrasound of the excretory system (prostate, bladder, kidneys);
  • laboratory tests of urine, prostatic secretion, ejaculate;
  • examination for urogenital infections;
  • urodynamic study.

To ensure an accurate diagnosis of prostatitis in men and related diseases, you should refrain from urinating 2-3 hours before visiting a urologist.Otherwise, the test results may not be completely correct, because when emptying the bladder, the pathogenic microflora is washed away.In accordance with the characteristics of the clinical picture, the method of ultrasound is chosen: transrectal or abdominal (through the abdominal wall).After determining the cause and stage of the disease, a therapeutic strategy is developed.

Methods of treatment of prostatitis

The main therapy is antibiotics.The use of modern pharmacological developments gives high results, although it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of relapse.The doctor prescribes an antibacterial drug after culture of urine and/or prostate secretion for the type of pathogen.If acute prostatitis is diagnosed, oral antibiotic therapy takes about 4-6 weeks.In chronic or recurrent forms of the disease, treatment will take longer (depending on the clinical picture).In severe cases (usually acute bacterial prostatitis) hospitalization and an intravenous course of antibiotics are required.

If there is difficulty urinating, the urologist prescribes drugs that relieve the hypertonicity of the muscles of the bladder and prostate gland, which normalizes the flow of urine and prevents stagnation.Some patients are treated with drugs that reduce sex hormone levels.As a result, there is a decrease in the size of the prostate and a corresponding feeling of discomfort during urination, defecation and ejaculation.In case of severe swelling of the prostate gland, muscle relaxants help relieve overstrain of the bladder sphincter and adjacent muscles.Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs effectively fight pain.In addition, chronic prostatitis responds well to adjunctive physical therapy.Effective methods for such treatment are:

  • injection of drugs into the urethra;
  • prostate massage;
  • shock wave therapy (SWT);
  • magnetic laser therapy (MLT);
  • electrophoresis;
  • ozone therapy;
  • intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILBI);
  • ultraviolet irradiation of blood (UFOI).

Prostate massage is a commonly used urological technique.The doctor uses the method of digital stimulation of the prostate gland through the rectum to improve the outflow of secretions and restore the patency of the organ's channels.An additional effect is improved blood circulation and accelerated penetration of antibiotics into inflamed tissues.In addition to finger massage of the prostate, hardware methods are also possible.Shockwave therapy has shown good results in the treatment of prostatitis.The basis of this medical technology is the short-term impact of low-frequency sound waves on the inflamed area.The procedure helps:

  • activate local blood circulation and the growth of new vessels;
  • stimulate the body's own regenerative abilities;
  • destroy fibrous foci and calcifications that provoke pain and inflammatory processes.

After a course of shock wave therapy, the symptoms of prostatitis are alleviated and a good preventive effect is observed.Pronounced results can be achieved only with an integrated approach to the problem.In addition, the patient's responsible attitude to medical prescriptions is important.

For their part, the clinic's urologists ensure the preparation of an individual treatment regimen, taking into account the cause, form, stage of the disease, general well-being and the presence of concomitant pathologies.

Prevention of prostatitis

To minimize the risk of relapse, it is necessary to reduce the negative effects on the body.Among the provoking factors are:

  • Smoking.The anatomical features of the location of the prostate gland lead to constant oxygen starvation, and inhalation of tobacco smoke causes vasospasm, which further slows down local microcirculation processes.All experienced smokers have the problem of high blood pressure.
  • Deficit of motor activity."Sedentary" work and a sedentary lifestyle lead to congestion in the pelvic organs.
  • Alcohol abuse.Exceeding the daily norm of alcohol affects the overall health and makes the body more vulnerable to various infectious diseases.
  • Stress conditions.It is necessary to avoid situations that lead to anxiety, irritation and depressive disorders as much as possible.If necessary, you should contact a specialist.
  • Hypothermia.Exposure to low temperatures reduces immunity, making the body "open" to colds and inflammation.
  • Fatigue, excessive physical activity.You should not forget about the regime of work and rest, as well as lifting heavy weights.

Preventive measures will help prevent the development of acute prostatitis and relapses of chronic prostatitis.For questions about the diagnosis and treatment of inflammation of the prostate, you can always contact the urology department of our clinic.