One of the most common specific men's diseases is undoubtedly prostatitis.The likelihood of contracting it at a younger age is significantly lower than at an older age.Therefore, when it comes to this disease, the general truth is that health must be protected from an early age.
What is Prostatitis?
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland that is accompanied by swelling.As the prostate increases in size, it compresses the urethra around which the gland is located.This impairs the complete excretion of urine from the body, resulting in characteristic pain and difficulty emptying the bladder.
In addition, with prostatitis, the biochemical properties of prostate 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;
- Blood congestion in the pelvic organs.This unfavorable phenomenon can occur in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle (office workers and drivers), have irregular sexual intercourse (long periods of abstinence or, conversely, a promiscuous sex life), frequent constipation and high weight;
- Frequent hypothermia;
- stressful situations;
- Injuries to the pelvic area;
- Poor blood flow to the prostate;
- Weakening of the body's immune defenses.
Types of prostatitis
The common classification of prostatitis is based on the causes of its occurrence:
- Infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal);
- Non-infectious (stagnant);
- Hormonal dystrophic (disruptions in the body's hormonal system);
- Allergic (allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases);
- Vegetovascular (impaired blood flow to the prostate).
Other classifications are less relevant to the general public and are intended to make diagnosis easier for doctors.So, depending on the type of 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, the following types of prostatitis are distinguished in medicine:
- Asymptomatic chronic prostatitis, which, as the name suggests, has no symptoms.The only symptom of the disease is the periodic detection of bacteria and leukocytes in the urine;
- Chronic granulomatous prostatitis.A rather rare disease in which prostate tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue and many granulomas (small nodules) form.
How do the symptoms of prostatitis manifest themselves?
The first symptoms of prostatitis depend on the type of disease.The first symptoms of acute prostatitis are severe malaise, headache and fever.
Specific signs of acute prostatitis:
- Frequent and painful urination that does not bring relief.In severe cases, acute urinary retention may occur;
- Painful bowel movements;
- Burning in the perineal area.
Indirect signs of acute prostatitis include painful nocturnal erections, reduced or absent sexual desire, and accelerated ejaculation.In addition, severe pain during intercourse can make it difficult for a man to achieve orgasm.If you notice these signs, see a doctor immediately!In the early stages, prostatitis is easily treatable.
Chronic prostatitis progresses slowly and has a rather mild clinical picture, which is why many people do not pay due attention to their health.Chronic prostatitis actively manifests itself only in the acute stage.On average, it occurs 1-2 times a year with the symptoms characteristic of the acute form of the disease.
Methods for diagnosing the disease
A urologist must diagnose a patient with prostatitis.First he has a detailed conversation with the patient.The doctor may ask the following questions:
- How long has the patient been suffering from this disease?
- How often does a flare-up occur?
- 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 (previous sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic surgery, other chronic inflammatory processes)?
After collecting the medical history, the doctor begins the patient's examination, which includes a digital rectal examination and palpation of the scrotum.If palpation does not reveal any changes in the prostate, the doctor must rule out other diseases of the urogenital system.
As a rule, an experienced specialist can make the correct diagnosis at this stage.But sometimes the doctor prescribes additional tests.This is usually 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);
- Examination of prostate juice (in chronic prostatitis).For men over 50 years of age, a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) 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 determine the presence of abscesses and stones in the affected organ, as well as the degree of narrowing of the urethra;
- Uroflowmetry.Allows you to determine the speed of urine flow.This examination allows the doctor to assess the permeability of the urinary canal and the contractility of the bladder.
There are several other auxiliary diagnostic methods that are prescribed by the doctor in special cases (cystoscopy, CT examination of the pelvic organs, biopsy, transurethral examination).
Methods for treating prostatitis
Like any other disease, prostatitis can only be effectively treated 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 needs to be hospitalized, as such a condition is dangerous due to its complications, including the development of sepsis.
The main point in the treatment of acute prostatitis isAntibiotic therapy.An acute condition requires immediate therapeutic measures.Therefore, medications are prescribed before conducting tests to identify the causative agent of the disease.According to WHO recommendations, fluoroquinolones are routinely prescribed to the patient.If the analysis reveals a pathogen of acute prostatitis that does not respond 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 help relieve the symptoms of prostatitis.
Surgical intervention is only necessary if the bladder cannot be emptied at all and abscesses are present.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis
The use of antibiotics in the treatment of chronic prostatitis is still controversial.Some doctors are of the opinion that they should be prescribed without fail, others only if bacterial flora is detected in the prostate secretion.
Prostate massage is also a dubious procedure.This procedure only affects the lower part of the prostate.Of course, massage does not do any harm, but its benefits cannot outweigh 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;
- taking 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 noting that natural remedies should only be used in combination with the treatment prescribed by the doctor.Otherwise, the disease can progress and have dire consequences.
Consequences of prostatitis
The complications of this disease are very serious.Here are the most important ones:
- Loss of sexual desire and erection.Against the background of these deviations, men often develop impotence, which usually has a psychological cause;
- Infertility;
- Formation of cysts and stones in the prostate;
- Prostatic sclerosis is the replacement of functional tissue of the scar gland, leading to dysfunction;
- Prostate adenoma is a benign tumor of the prostate that can only be removed surgically;
- Prostate cancer.It is a result of an untreated adenoma.
Considering how easy prostatitis is to treat in the early stages and how serious its consequences are, men should abandon their false modesty and see a doctor before it is too late.
Prevention of prostatitis
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 bathhouse, ideally before sexual intercourse;
- Establish a regular sex life;
- Avoid stressful situations;
- Don't get too cold.It is better to equip the seat in the car with a heater;
- Avoid cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, which increase blood pressure.
A healthy lifestyle has never harmed anyone and also plays a huge role in preventing prostatitis.
Timely diagnosis and correct treatment of prostatitis is a guarantee of successful recovery.Be healthy!