Prostatitis is a specific disease, typical mainly for men of reproductive age.It is characterized by acute or chronic inflammation of the prostate gland, the second “heart” of a man.
The signs of prostatitis in men are not always easy to recognize, especially if the pathology has a chronic course, without a previous acute stage.If the process is acute, in this case the symptoms of prostatitis in men will be quite typical and pronounced.
If a man has the first signs of prostatitis, he should immediately consult a doctor.Even minor discomfort, indicating the development of a disease of the genitourinary system, can have serious complications.
The ability to recognize the first symptoms of the inflammatory process allows you to timely diagnose the pathology and begin its treatment.Therefore, every man should familiarize himself with them in order to avoid serious problems that prostatitis leads to.
The prostate and its role in a man’s life
Although the prostate is small, if its function is impaired, a man may experience many problems.The prostate gland is an organ about the size of a nut, located between the penis and the bladder.The prostate produces a secretion that mixes with sperm to form complete seminal fluid.
Unlike other prostate pathologies, such as prostatic hypertrophy or cancer, which often affect older men, prostatitis can develop at any age, but the peak incidence occurs between 30 and 50 years.
Types of prostatitis
Based on the severity of the symptoms, the time of their onset and the duration of the disease, two variants of the pathology are distinguished:
- Chronic prostatitis.Symptoms may be subtle and come and go over several months.This is the most common type of prostatitis; the causes of inflammation in it are usually not infectious.
- Acute prostatitis.With this form, the symptoms of prostatitis in men are severe and develop suddenly.This variant of the disease is most often provoked by a microbial infection; the condition can be serious and requires immediate treatment, including hospitalization.
Problems of chronic prostatitis
The causes of prostatitis have been studied for a long time, but the understanding of the essence of the process has been significantly revised in recent years.Chronic prostatitis, sometimes referred to by its alternative name, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, is characterized by a group of symptoms that can cause a significant deterioration in the quality of daily life for men.It is not always possible for a doctor to immediately identify chronic prostatitis, and subsequent treatment is no less difficult, since it depends on various causative factors and existing symptoms of prostatitis in men.
In contrast to approaches used in the past, diagnosis and subsequent treatment are based on the separation of chronic bacterial prostatitis from other forms of the disease, considered as a multifactorial disease.According to data published in Research and Reports in Urology in 2019, autoimmunity and systemic inflammation, nervous system dysfunction, and psychological causes play a role in the development of chronic inflammation.
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome is characterized by various symptoms associated with the urinary organs, genitals, rectum and perineum, and often men can undergo long-term treatment for other pathologies until it ultimately turns out that the problem is inflammation of the prostate.
Signs of prostatitis in men
If acute inflammation of the prostate occurs, it is relatively simple to recognize it; the manifestations are quite bright and pronounced.The first signs of prostatitis in men include:
- severe pain that spreads around the penis, testicles, anus, lower abdomen, or lower back.Emptying the bladder may be painful;
- problems with urination, pain when the bladder fills, the need to urinate frequently (especially at night), intermittent urination, an urgent need to urinate, and sometimes blood in the urine;
- against the background of severe swelling of the prostate and severe pain, acute urinary retention is possible;
- malaise, fever, nausea;
- light, thick, odorless discharge from the urethra.
If these or other signs of prostatitis in men are detected, you should immediately consult a physician or urologist.
Chronic inflammation: symptoms of prostatitis in men
We can talk about a chronic process if the following symptoms of prostatitis in men have been detected for at least the last three months:
- pain around the penis, in the testicles, anus, lower abdomen or lower back of a pulling, pressing or aching nature.
- pain when urinating, a frequent or urgent need to urinate, especially at night, or intermittent urination.
- an enlarged or tender prostate on rectal examination, although in some cases it may be normal.
- intimate problems such as erectile dysfunction, pain during ejaculation or pelvic pain after intercourse.
These symptoms can have a significant impact on a man's quality of life.Without treatment, the condition can gradually worsen, and the symptoms of prostatitis appear more and more often.
How is the examination carried out?
At the first signs of prostatitis in men, it is necessary to contact a urologist who will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis.The doctor will ask in detail about all the symptoms and events, health problems that preceded their appearance.A genital, abdominal, and rectal examination will then be performed.The doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate.During the examination, discomfort is possible if the prostate gland is enlarged or inflamed.Blood and urine tests are also ordered to look for signs of infection.
How is prostatitis treated?
Treatment tactics for prostatitis will depend on the form of the disease - acute or chronic prostatitis.
For acute inflammation, when symptoms are sudden and severe, painkillers and a 2-4 week course of antibiotics are usually prescribed.If acute urinary retention occurs, hospitalization and emergency measures are required - catheterization of the bladder with urine diversion along with intensive treatment.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis, when symptoms appear and disappear over several months, is usually aimed at eliminating all discomfort.Your doctor may suggest the following procedures:
- painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that eliminate pain and discomfort in the pelvis.
- alpha-blocker drugs that eliminate urinary problems.They help relax the muscles of the prostate gland and the base of the bladder.
- Sometimes antibiotics may be prescribed if the microbial nature of the infection is confirmed or there are indications that there was previously an acute process that was not treated.
The goal of treatment for chronic prostatitis is to reduce symptoms to the point where they do not interfere with daily activities.