Prostatitis: causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease

Inflammation of the prostate tissue, unfortunately, is not unusual for modern men.Most often, prostatitis occurs in patients over 40 years of age, but it is possible for this disease to develop at an earlier age.With a careful attitude to one's health and timely contact with a urologist, a person can completely cope with the problem and avoid many complications.In order to detect the disease in time, you need to know what symptoms are characteristic of prostatitis.The diagnosis of this disease is well established in modern medicine and does not pose a problem.Every urologist knows how to treat prostatitis, what methods to use in each specific case.The greatest success comes from complex treatment involving different methods.

Causes and provoking factors for prostatitis

What is prostatitis?This is an inflammation of the prostate tissue that can develop due to infection or congestion.The impetus for the appearance of prostatitis and the provoking factor can be certain diseases or lifestyle features.Age-related changes after 40 years without adequate preventive measures quite quickly lead to stagnation in the pelvic organs and the development of prostate inflammation.It is noted that most often the disease prostatitis is diagnosed in men belonging to certain groups.

Risk groups are older men who lead a sedentary lifestyle and abuse alcohol.There is also an increased risk of developing prostatitis in those who have suffered urological infections, have intestinal problems, in particular suffer from constipation.If a person belongs to one of these groups, he should undergo diagnostic examinations more often, since prostatitis is diagnosed twice as often in members of the risk group.

Symptoms of prostatitis

Although the manifestations of prostatitis can be similar to other diseases of the genitourinary system, there are still signals from the body that should alert a man and cause him to go to the doctor.It is best to do this as soon as the slightest disturbance in men's health occurs, then the treatment will be easier and more effective.To understand how to treat prostatitis in men, you need to have an idea about the manifestations of the disease.

The main signs of prostatitis

• Urinary disorders
• Problems in the sexual sphere,
• Pelvic pain.

Why do these symptoms occur?This is due to changes occurring in the tissues of the prostate gland.Due to inflammation, it increases and begins to exert pressure on the urethra, narrowing its lumen.Such processes lead to problems with urination and deterioration of urine flow.With the development of inflammation, sexual disorders also increase, which also gradually worsen.

When should you sound the alarm?The sooner the better, that is, at the first signs of prostatitis:

• difficulty urinating,
• there is pain in the pelvic area.

Then there are other signs:

• discomfort during bowel movements,
• the appearance of streaks of blood in the urine,
• urethral discharge
• deterioration of erection,
• weakening of orgasm.

Forms of prostatitis and their characteristics

Prostatitis can be infectious and stagnant, as well as acute and chronic.The infectious form can be acute and chronic, and the congestive form, as a rule, is only chronic.Acute symptoms are always expressed, cause anxiety in men and often become a reason for consulting a doctor.As for the chronic disease, it develops gradually, the symptoms of prostatitis increase slowly.For this reason, men in most cases come to a urologist when the disease is already in an advanced stage and unpleasant complications may have appeared.

Infectious prostatitis is most often caused by bacteria, but viruses and fungi can also cause the prostate to become inflamed.Where does the infection come from?In most cases from the patient's own urinary tract.Cystitis or urethritis often leads to the spread of infection in the prostate gland.Almost any source of infection in the body with a deterioration of immunity and the presence of provoking factors can cause inflammation of the prostate.

Symptoms of acute prostatitis

• Difficulty and pain when urinating,
• Frequent urge to urinate,
• Pain in the groin
• Weakening of the erection
• rise in temperature,
• General weakness
• Discharge from the urethra.

The general condition of the body suffers significantly, so acute infectious prostatitis is difficult to miss.If the cause is a bacterial infection, then there is a viscous yellowish discharge from the urethra.They appear both during urination and during the act of defecation, that is, when straining.

The disease begins acutely with obvious symptoms and goes through the following stages:

1. catarrhal,
2. follicular,
3. parenchymal,
4. abscessation.

The catarrhal stage is an inflammation in which individual lobules of the prostate are affected and the first urination disorders are observed.Due to inflammation of the tissues, their swelling develops, which leads to stagnation of secretions in the follicles of the gland and progression of the inflammation.

After that, the prostatitis disease passes into the next, follicular stage and is accompanied by focal suppuration of the prostatic lobules.The main symptoms are pain in the perineum, groin, significant problems with urination, body temperature up to 38°C.

If the disease is not stopped at this stage, then the process spreads to a large number of prostate lobules and to its parenchymal tissue.This is the parenchymal stage.It is accompanied by fever, fever, the temperature rises to 39°C.The patient suffers from severe pain in the groin and perineum, urination is frequent and painful.At this stage, a dangerous complication such as acute urinary retention may develop, requiring emergency care.

With further development of the disease, prostatitis can become dangerous.When small abscesses merge, an abscess forms in the prostate gland.It may open, then pus will drain into the bladder, urethra, and rectum.This is accompanied by severe pain, dysfunction of the pelvic organs, suppuration of their tissues and the threat of sepsis.

Features of chronic prostatitis

If acute prostatitis does not receive timely normal treatment, then there is a high risk that it will become chronic.Then the disease proceeds slowly, without reminding of itself for some time, but periods of exacerbation will periodically appear.It is possible that the symptoms of prostatitis appear constantly, but not with such force, as in the acute form of the disease.

The second and most common cause of chronic prostatitis is congestion in the prostate gland and pelvic organs.Both venous stagnation, which disrupts blood flow and nutrition of organ tissue, and stagnation of prostate secretions, which reduces its functionality, are dangerous.

Symptoms of the chronic form

• Pain that can be felt in the abdomen, epididymis, perineum, rectum,
• Painful erection
• Frequent trips to the toilet
• painful urination,
• Decreased sexual desire
• Difficult ejaculation
• With bacterial causes of the disease, there is a discharge from the urethra.

The disease prostatitis is called insidious.A visit to a urologist in an advanced stage is not always evidence of a man's inattention to his health.Inflammation of the prostate can go on for years without clinical manifestations or noticeable symptoms, and at some point, when it is exposed to a provoking factor, all manifestations develop very quickly.

Pain in prostatitis

The prostate gland itself does not hurt, but nerve endings come out of it, which react to the inflammatory process.The location of the prostate and nerve pathways is such that pain impulses diverge in the pelvic organs, so pain can be felt in different places.

Localization of pain in prostatitis

• Lower abdomen
• sacrum,
• scrotum,
• crotch.

The nature of painful sensations depends on the intensity, spread of the process, as well as on the characteristics of the man's body.In some cases, even a slight inflammation can cause quite severe pain to the patient, in others, the man almost does not feel it even with an intense inflammatory process.In any case, if no measures are taken to treat the inflammation, it will progress and the pain will gradually increase.The pain syndrome can be so strong that a person cannot live in his usual rhythm.In such cases, urgent measures are necessary.Various factors can contribute to an increase in pain:

• physical activity,
• excessive sexual activity,
• abstinence.

The nature of pain in prostatitis is similar to pain in urethritis, cystitis or osteochondrosis, so to make a diagnosis, you need to undergo an examination.Hormones play an important role in the body's response.The high level of testosterone acts as a type of pain relief, so men of active age may not feel the symptoms of the disease.

Problems urinating

Impaired urination always accompanies prostatitis.This symptom is present both in acute and chronic form, both in infectious and stagnant inflammation of the prostate gland.

How are urination disorders manifested in prostatitis?

• The stream of urine becomes weaker
• To initiate the act of urination, you must strain,
• There is a frequent urge to urinate, which may be painful,
• Possible pain and burning during urination,
• After visiting the toilet, pain in the perineum is possible,
• Stagnation of urine with severe narrowing of the lumen of the urethra.

Causes of urination problems due to inflammation of the prostate gland

• The relative location of the prostate and urethra,
• Tissue changes
• Disturbance of nerve conduction in the pelvic area,
• Impairment of bladder function.

One of the causes of problems with urination lies in the anatomical structure of the male genitourinary system.The prostate covers the urethra, so even a mild inflammatory process leads to a narrowing of the urethra, as the prostate gland swells and increases in volume.Manifestations of such disorders can be of varying intensity, from a barely noticeable weakening of the stream of urine to pain requiring straining to urinate.

If the disease continues for a long time, scars-sclerotic changes in the tissues occur.They disrupt the normal outflow of urine, which leads to disorders.

Scar-sclerotic processes can provoke not only the formation of mechanical obstacles to the outflow of urine or deterioration of the peristalsis of the urinary tract, but also disruption of innervation.Nerve impulses transmitted from the bladder cannot completely pass through the damaged tissue.That is why "confusion" occurs: either there is a false desire to urinate, or, on the contrary, the man does not feel that his bladder is full.It is possible to stop the act of urinating even before the bladder is empty.

All of the above changes lead to stagnation of urine, deterioration of its outflow, change in the sensitivity of this organ and weakening or, on the contrary, strengthening of its muscle tone.A fairly common disease in prostatitis is the so-called overactive bladder.What happens in such an organ?A high pressure is created inside it, even when it is only slightly filled.Because of this, an impulse enters the brain, which turns into a desire to urinate.With an overactive bladder, these urges can be so strong that they lead to urinary incontinence.Of course, such situations do not happen too often;they are caused by the gradual development of the disease and the lack of appropriate treatment.As a rule, incontinence occurs in old, advanced forms of chronic prostatitis.

Sexual disorders

The problems that arise in men in the sexual sphere are perceived by them more acutely than other manifestations of prostatitis.In the acute form of the disease, they pass rather quickly, as soon as the patient recovers.With chronic inflammation of the prostate, sexual dysfunctions often become permanent and can be difficult to deal with.

Manifestations of sexual disorders

• Light discharge from the urethra,
• Blood in semen
• Decreased libido
• Decreased sperm quality, which can lead to infertility,
• Painful erection or ejaculation
• Decreased intensity of orgasm or its absence,
• Premature ejaculation
• Violation of potency up to a complete lack of erection.

why does this happen How are prostatitis and male sexual function related?The main causes of problems in the sexual sphere in prostatitis are disorders of nerve conduction and hormonal balance, which occur due to inflammation and damage to organ tissue.

Nerve conduction disorder

Prostate receptors that send appropriate impulses are responsible for erection and ejaculation.Advanced male prostatitis leads to damage to the tissue of the gland, scars are formed on its surface, which prevent the receptors from conducting impulses as before.Because of this, the erection may decrease, problems with ejaculation may arise, and the man no longer feels the pleasure of intercourse so clearly.If there is significant swelling of the prostate due to blood spilling into the pelvic organs during intercourse, there may be too much pressure on the nerve plexuses.This leads to pain during erection or ejaculation.

Hormonal imbalance

The prostate gland in men is an organ that regulates hormonal balance and is responsible for the production of testosterone.In addition, it converts this hormone into a more active form - dihydrotestosterone.As you know, the normal concentration of testosterone ensures the level of libido and the possibility of intercourse, that is, an erection.If inflammation of the prostate gland occurs, its functions are also disrupted and accordingly the production of male sex hormones is reduced, which is expressed in a reduction of the man's sexual capabilities.

The severity of the disorder largely depends not on the degree of tissue damage, but on the male's sexual constitution, and the possibility of recovery depends on his attitude and cooperation with the attending physician.

How is a diagnosis made?

How to properly treat prostatitis, as well as the results of treatment, depend on the correct diagnosis.It is impossible to make a diagnosis of prostatitis without instrumental research.The fact is that its symptoms and manifestations are similar to those of other diseases of the prostate gland and urinary tract.In some cases, it is necessary to carry out a differential diagnosis even in diseases of the spine.

Diagnostic measures

• History taking during consultation with a urologist,
• Digital rectal examination,
• Laboratory studies,
• Transrectal ultrasound of the prostate,
• Urodynamic studies,
• determination of PSA,
• urethroscopy,
• cystoscopy,
• Prostate biopsy.

The list of studies is quite large, but it is not always necessary to carry out a complete set.

How is the patient examined?

Usually, men who come to a urologist are most interested in how to quickly cure prostatitis.It depends on the reasons and wishes of the patient himself.At the first meeting with a specialist, a detailed history is collected, after which a digital rectal examination is required.This will allow to determine the pain in the area of the prostate, its size and swelling.Then TRUS (transrectal ultrasound) and laboratory tests are prescribed.Only after a set of procedures, a specialist can understand how to cure prostatitis in a specific case.

What does TRUS provide?

• Reveals the exact dimensions of the prostate gland and its individual sections,
• It makes it possible to examine and evaluate in detail the condition of soft tissues and seminal vesicles.

What tests should be taken

• General tests of urine and blood,
• Bacteriological culture of urine,
• A smear from the urethra
• Prostatic secretion.

If necessary, other types of research are prescribed.Determination of urodynamics is necessary in severe urination disorders to assess bladder function.If prostate adenoma or tumor development is suspected, a blood test for the tumor marker PSA (prostate specific antigen) and a biopsy of glandular tissue for histological examination are performed.

Treatment of prostatitis

Modern medicine offers many options for dealing with prostatitis.The most effective treatment of prostatitis in men is based on an integrated approach that includes several methods.The specific methods of treatment of prostatitis depend on the stage, the time of the disease, the degree of its spread and the severity of the symptoms, as well as on the individual characteristics of the body in each individual case.As a rule, all treatment is performed on an outpatient basis by a urologist.In rare cases, if there are dangerous complications, the patient is hospitalized.

Methods of treatment

• medicines,
• massage,
• therapeutic gymnastics,
• surgery,
• Minimally invasive methods to destroy inflamed tissues and expand the urethra.

Drug treatment

The first question that arises after the examination is how to treat prostatitis in men.First of all, they turn to drug therapy.It is prescribed depending on the causes of prostatitis and existing symptoms.

Medicines to treat prostatitis:

• Antibacterial agents (for bacterial prostatitis),
• Antiviral drugs (for viral form),
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,
• alpha blockers,
• pain relievers,
• decongestants,
• Antipyretic.

Many drugs for the treatment of inflammation of the prostate are prescribed in the form of suppositories.This form allows you to get a faster effect.In no case should you prescribe drugs yourself, because every drug has contraindications and side effects that only a specialist can fully take into account.

massage

This method of treating prostatitis is used as an additional method when using drug therapy.It provides faster treatment of prostatitis and much better results.Internal and external massage methods are used.

The main and most effective way to massage the prostate is digital rectal stimulation.The specialist performing the massage inserts a finger into the patient's rectum, feels the prostate gland and performs massage movements.

Benefits of massage:

• Improved blood supply,
• Stimulating the gland,
• Removal of stagnant secretions.

Thanks to prostate massage, the effect of drugs is enhanced and recovery occurs much faster.

External massage does not involve penetration into the body;massaging movements are performed through the skin of the perineum.This procedure is a good prevention of prostatitis in men, but its effectiveness is not sufficient to treat the disease.

Therapeutic gymnastics

How can prostatitis be treated with exercise therapy?When performing exercises, an inflow of arterial blood to the prostate gland and an improvement in the outflow of venous blood are observed, i.e.stagnation in the organ is eliminated.Of course, this happens gradually with regular exercise.The complex, aimed at maintaining men's health, is a set of simple exercises performed in a lying, sitting or standing position.One of the simplest and most effective exercises is the periodic tension and relaxation of the muscles in the anus.It can be performed anytime, almost anywhere, even at work, because it is completely invisible to others.This exercise is an excellent prevention of prostatitis in men;allows you to maintain good muscle tone of the perineum and active blood circulation.

Minimally invasive methods for correcting prostate problems

Modern medicine offers minimally invasive methods for the treatment of prostatitis in men, which have been developed quite recently.They are used in cases where a set of measures for conservative therapy does not solve the problem.Such methods are indicated in cases where it is necessary to ensure the outflow of urine and reduce inflammation.

Recommended techniques:

• Transurethral microwave therapy helps reduce the size of the prostate by applying high heat.
• Ultrasound treatment of the prostate gland helps to relieve inflammation.
• Laser methods allow tissue coagulation, which leads to their renewal and strengthening of local immunity.
• Cryodestruction is a method of removing areas of inflamed tissue using low temperatures.
• Balloon urethral dilatation is a mechanical enlargement of the urethra using a special inflatable balloon that is placed by catheterization.
• Urethral stenting can be used either alone or in combination with balloon dilatation.The urethra is expanded using a stent.

Surgical treatment

The radical method of treating prostatitis is surgery.Today it is used quite rarely, only in difficult cases when other methods do not give results.The essence of the operation is resection of the prostate gland, which leads to a decrease in pressure on the urethra, improvement of urodynamics and relief of symptoms of inflammation.

The operation can be performed openly or transurethically, i.e.through the urethra.

Men suffering from this disease are interested in whether it is possible to cure prostatitis and forget about it forever.As long as there is no extensive gross scarring of the glandular tissue, complete healing is possible.The most important thing to achieve success in the treatment of prostatitis is a timely visit to a urologist.As soon as problems with urination appear, you should go to a medical facility, undergo an examination and, if necessary, receive treatment prescribed by a doctor.To avoid the question of how to recover from prostatitis, it is worth dealing with its prevention: lead an active lifestyle, eat right, do not abuse alcohol and be careful about everything that concerns the preservation of men's health.