One of the most common specific male diseases is undoubtedly prostatitis.The probability of encountering it at a younger age is significantly less than at an older age.Therefore, the generally accepted truth that health must be protected from an early age is absolutely true for this disease.
What is prostatitis
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, accompanied by swelling.Increasing in size, the prostate compresses the urethra, around which the gland is located.This prevents the complete exit of urine from the body, which causes characteristic pain and difficulty emptying the bladder.
In addition, prostatitis changes the biochemical properties of prostatic juice, one of the most important components of semen.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 spread 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 stagnation in the pelvic organs.This adverse phenomenon can occur in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle (office workers and drivers), have irregular sex (long periods of abstinence or, conversely, promiscuous sex life), frequent constipation and high weight;
- Frequent hypothermia;
- Stressful situations;
- Pelvic injuries;
- Poor circulation in the prostate gland;
- Weakening of the body's immune defenses.
Types of prostatitis
The popular classification of prostatitis is based on the causes of its occurrence:
- Infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal);
- Non-infectious (stale);
- Hormonal-dystrophic (disorders in the body's hormonal system);
- Allergic (allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases);
- Vegeto-vascular (impaired blood circulation in the prostate).
Other classifications are less relevant to the general public and are more intended to make it easier for doctors to make a diagnosis.Thus, according to the nature of the disease, acute and chronic prostatitis are distinguished, according to the degree of involvement of the glandular tissue in the inflammatory process - catarrhal, parenchymal and follicular, etc.
Separately, in medicine, the following types of prostatitis are distinguished:
- Asymptomatic chronic prostatitis, which, as the name suggests, occurs without any signs.The only symptom of the disease is the periodic detection of bacteria and leukocytes in the urine;
- Chronic granulomatous prostatitis.A fairly rare disease in which the prostate tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue with the formation of many granulomas (small nodules).
What are the symptoms of prostatitis?
The initial symptoms of prostatitis depend on the nature of the disease.The first symptoms of acute prostatitis are severe malaise, headache and high fever.
Specific signs of acute prostatitis:
- Frequent and painful urination that does not bring relief.In severe cases, acute urinary retention may develop;
- Painful bowel movements;
- Burning in the perineal area.
Indirect signs of acute prostatitis include painful nocturnal erections, decreased or absent sexual desire, and accelerated ejaculation.In addition, severe pain during intercourse can make it difficult for a man to reach orgasm.If you notice these signs, consult a doctor immediately!In the initial stage, prostatitis is easily treatable.
Chronic prostatitis progresses slowly and has a rather mild clinical picture, as a result of which many people do not pay the necessary attention to their health.Chronic prostatitis manifests actively only in the acute stage.On average, it appears 1-2 times a year with symptoms characteristic of the acute form of the disease.
Methods of diagnosis of the disease
A urologist should diagnose prostatitis in a patient.First of all, he conducts an in-depth conversation with the patient.The doctor may ask the following questions:
- How long has the patient suffered from this disease?
- How often does it flare up?
- 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 STIs, pelvic surgeries, other chronic inflammatory processes)?
After taking the medical history, the doctor begins an examination of the patient, which includes a digital rectal examination and palpation of the scrotum.If palpation does not reveal changes in the prostate, the doctor must exclude other diseases of the genitourinary system.
As a rule, already 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 choose the most effective treatment regimen.
Laboratory diagnostic methods
- General analysis of urine and blood;
- Urethral tampon;
- spermogram;
- PCR analysis (detects hidden infections);
- Examination of prostate juice (for chronic prostatitis).In men over the age of 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 gland.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 narrowing of the urethra;
- Uroflowmetry.Allows you to determine the rate of urine flow.With the help of this examination, the doctor can evaluate the permeability of the urinary canal and the contractility of the bladder.
There are several additional diagnostic methods that are prescribed by a doctor in special cases (cystoscopy, computed tomography of the pelvic organs, biopsy, transurethral examination).
Methods of treatment of prostatitis
As 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 should be hospitalized, as this condition is dangerous due to complications, including the development of sepsis.
The main point in the treatment of acute prostatitis isantibiotic therapy.The acute condition requires rapid therapeutic measures, so drugs are prescribed before receiving tests to identify the cause of the disease.According to WHO recommendations, the patient is routinely prescribed fluoroquinolones.If the analysis reveals a causative agent of acute prostatitis that is not sensitive to this antibiotic, the treatment is revised.
In addition to antibiotics, the patient is prescribed strict bed rest and a ban on prostate massage, as it can provoke the development of sepsis.Analgesics and NSAIDs (relieving 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 necessary only in case of complete inability to empty the bladder and in the presence of abscesses.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis
In the treatment of chronic prostatitis, the use of antibiotics is still controversial.Some doctors believe that they must be prescribed, others - only if bacterial flora is found in the prostate secretion.
Prostate massage is also a questionable procedure.This procedure involves only the lower part of the prostate gland.Massage, of course, will not harm, but its benefits cannot exceed 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 problems with erection;
- 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 lead to severe 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 gland;
- Sclerosis of the prostate is the replacement of the functional scar tissue of the gland, which leads to a violation of its functioning;
- Prostate adenoma is a benign tumor of the prostate gland that can only be removed surgically;
- Prostate cancer.It is a consequence of an untreated adenoma.
Considering how easy prostatitis is to treat in the initial stages and how serious its consequences are, men should put aside their false modesty and consult a doctor before it's 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 bathroom, ideally before intercourse;
- Establish a regular sex life;
- Avoid stressful situations;
- Don't get too cold.It is better to equip the car seat with heating;
- Avoid cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, which raise blood pressure.
A healthy lifestyle has never harmed anyone, and also plays an important role in the prevention of prostatitis.
Timely diagnosis and proper treatment of prostatitis is a guarantee of successful recovery.Stay healthy!