Signs of prostatitis in men: symptoms, description and treatment.

26 October 2023

Prostate inflammation is today the leader in the group of male diseases that are predominantly sexually transmitted. Its complications threaten with infertility, decreased libido and impotence.

The symptoms of prostatitis are not only pain, urinary disorders and inflammation of the spermatic cord. The most dangerous consequence of advanced inflammation can be cancerous degeneration of the prostate. While a pathological process diagnosed in time is easily stopped.

Signs of the disease

If a man discovers at least two of the following symptoms of prostatitis, he should immediately contact a qualified specialist:

Urination disorder with the appearance of a weak and intermittent stream of urine, unusually short, causing splashing, difficulty and pain before urinating. The frequent need to empty the bladder occurs mainly at night.
The pain, which is localized in the lower abdomen, radiates to the scrotum, perineum and rectum.
Sexual dysfunction.
Problems with ejaculation, changes in sperm (consistency, quantity).

acute prostatitis

The disease begins with a sharp increase in temperature (up to 40 degrees), painful headache and fever. The symptoms that appear are accompanied by pain in the groin, perineum, back, discharge from the urethra, frequent urination and constant urge to urinate.

Bladder emptying occurs with delay and a burning sensation. The urine itself becomes cloudy and may contain blood. Irritability and fatigue occur.

The result of acute prostatitis can be complete resolution of the process (if treatment is started in a timely manner). Since changes occur in many pelvic organs, they cannot be left to chance, otherwise corresponding complications will arise:

Vesiculitis is an inflammation of the seminal vesicles, causing the appearance of pus in the sperm, which not only reduces the quality of the ejaculate, but also leads to the loss of reproductive function.
Coliculitis - inflammatory changes in the seminal tubercle provoke the development of severe pain during sexual intercourse, disruption of orgasm and impotence of a psychological nature.
The formation of an abscess in the body of the prostate, its rupture and purulent damage to the rectum lead to an exacerbation of symptoms, severe intoxication of the body and even death.
Stagnation of the prostate tissues causes changes in its structure, alteration of innervation, blood supply, both to the gland itself and to nearby organs, with alteration of their functions. The erection becomes insufficient for full sexual intercourse, premature ejaculation and prolonged sexual intercourse without orgasm are observed.
Scarring changes in the gland and spermatic cord cause infertility, decreased sperm quality and motility. Narrowing of the urethra interferes with the normal urination process; Bladder obstruction can cause acute urinary retention, requiring emergency surgical care.

chronic prostatitis

The main feature of the disease is the vagueness of clinical symptoms with a long and persistent course of the process. More often, the chronic form occurs independently, as a primary pathology against the background of stagnation of blood in the vessels (prostatosis), abacterial prostatitis.

The main symptoms of chronic prostatitis are:

fever;
pain occurs in the scrotum, perineum, anus and back;
urinary disturbance;
mucous or mucopurulent discharge from the rectum, urethra, even in the absence of urination or defecation;
erectile dysfunction, painful ejaculation, interrupted sexual relations, prolonged sexual relations without a feeling of satisfaction.

Inaction and improper treatment of chronic prostatitis can cause complications:

Infertility is the result of chronic inflammation of the spermatic cord, vesicles, testicles and their appendages.
Cystitis, pyelonephritis (other diseases of the genitourinary system) are a consequence of hematogenous and mechanical spread of microbes.
Septicemia.
Persistent decrease in immunity.
Untreated prostatitis can cause cancer in 35 to 40% of cases.

Diagnosis

The clinical picture of the disease is typical, so the diagnosis is not difficult. It is performed by a urologist based on the medical history, patient examination, minimum laboratory tests using the most modern medical devices:

Rectal examination of the gland, taking secretions for examination (culture with determination of sensitivity to antibiotics).
UAC, UAM, urine bacterial culture.
STD swab test, UGI exam.
Daily monitoring of urination rhythm, measurement of urination rate (uroflowmetry).
For differential diagnosis, ultrasound or TRUS is performed.
If it is necessary to exclude oncology, a biopsy is taken, urography is performed and PSA, prostate-specific antigen, is determined.
To diagnose infertility, a spermogram is prescribed - an analysis of ejaculate to determine a man's fertility.

Based on the results of the patient's examination, an individual scheme for the complex treatment of prostatitis is drawn up. When prescribing medications, the form of pathology and the presence of concomitant diseases are taken into account. The decision about where to perform the therapy (inpatient or outpatient) is made by the doctor. The course of treatment is carried out with careful laboratory control of the results.

Treatment of acute prostatitis

Acute prostatitis requires bed rest, a special salt-free diet, and sexual rest.

Course treatment methods:

The most effective treatment for prostatitis is etiotropic therapy. If the basis of prostatitis is an infection, the priority is treatment with antimicrobial agents, which relieve the manifestations of inflammation.
Pain syndrome is relieved by analgesics, antispasmodics, rectal suppositories and microenemas with warm solutions of analgesics. NSAIDs can be used.
Immunostimulants, immunomodulators, enzymes, vitamin complexes and a combination of microelements have proven effective.
Physiotherapeutic methods are possible only in the subacute stage of the disease. They improve microcirculation and increase immunity: UHF, microwaves, electrophoresis, laser, magnetotherapy.
Massage is another effective method of influencing the prostate. Opens the ducts, normalizes blood circulation in the scrotum and pelvis.
Acute renal filtrate retention can be corrected by catheterization and trocar cystostomy.
The purulent process involves surgical intervention.
Psychologist consultations.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis.

With a long-term effect (at least one month) on the prostate, there is no 100% guarantee of cure. Priority is given to herbal medicines, immunocorrection and changing household habits:

Herbal preparations are widely used in urological practice. They can accumulate at the site of the most active pathological process, protect cells from oxidation, eliminate free radicals and prevent the proliferation of glandular tissue.
Antibiotic therapy is selected individually, depending on the sensitivity of microbes to drugs.
Immunity-enhancing drugs not only help fight prostatitis, but also correct the negative effects of antibiotics that disrupt the functioning of the immune system.
The pain syndrome is relieved by the administration of alpha-blockers and muscle relaxants.
Prostate massage allows you to mechanically remove "extra" secretion from the gland through the urethra, improve blood circulation and minimize congestion.
Physiotherapy: laser, magnet, ultrasound, iontophoresis, warm sitz baths or microenemas with herbs.
In severe cases, intravenous fluids with diuretics are indicated. This stimulates abundant urine production, prevents symptoms of intoxication, the development of ascending cystitis and pyelonephritis.
For constipation, herbal laxatives are used.
The urologist and psychologist, together with the patient, develop an individual long-term program of daily routine, necessary rest, diet, dosed physical activity and sexual activity.
If the chronic process is resistant to therapy and the outflow of urine is blocked, surgical intervention is prescribed: removal of all affected tissue (transurethral resection of the prostate) or complete removal of the gland with surrounding tissues (prostatectomy). Practiced in exceptional cases, it is plagued by impotence and urinary incontinence. Young people do not undergo surgery because it can cause infertility.

Symptoms and treatment of chronic prostatitis.

Many men suffer from chronic prostatitis, but attribute the symptoms to other diseases or waste time with ineffective treatments. In our article you will get complete information about this male problem: causes, exact symptoms and diagnostic methods, various treatment methods.

Despite all the successes of modern medicine, the diagnosis of a disease such as chronic prostatitis poses certain difficulties. This also negatively affects the effectiveness of your treatment.

Causes of chronic prostatitis.

The causes of chronic prostatitis are very different. Of the variety of negative factors affecting a man's health, it is difficult to distinguish exactly those that provoked the development of the disease. Often this is a complex of situations and circumstances that accompany a man's life.

The main causes of chronic abacterial prostatitis are the following:

dysrhythmia (irregularity) of sexual relations;
physical inactivity, typical of overweight people;
long-term stressful conditions;
the predominance of high-fat foods in the diet;
negative impact on the body in dangerous industries.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is the result of bacterial prostatitis that is not completely cured. Or the man ignored his ailments and did not seek help from a urologist. Therefore, no treatment was performed.

Chronic prostatitis of abacterial type develops due to exposure to infectious agents against a background of decreased immunity. As a rule, such patients are diagnosed with diseases of the endocrine system.

The factors that provoke the development of chronic bacterial prostatitis are:

surgical operations on the prostate (if antibacterial therapy was not performed before the operation);
refusal to use contraceptives;
lack of habit of keeping the body clean.

Symptoms of chronic prostatitis.

Today there are many myths about chronic prostatitis. For this reason, any temporary alteration in sexual function is attributed to this disease. You can often hear the opinion that decreased libido and erectile dysfunction are due to prostatitis and, if you are an older man, chronic prostatitis.

This is not true, since sexual dysfunction has many other causes and the main symptom of chronic prostatitis is pain. All other signs can be considered concomitant and indirect.

Chronic prostatitis is often confused with pelvic pain syndrome, since the symptoms of these diseases are very similar. This is due to the formation of myosfacial trigger zones near the prostate, which appear as a result of injuries and surgical interventions. Pain in these areas can be confused with a symptom of prostate inflammation.

When diagnosing the disease, complaints of pain and discomfort in the perineum and pelvis come to the fore, lasting at least 3 months. The pain is located near the prostate and radiates to the sacrum, rectum and scrotum. With prolonged exposure to negative factors (carrying heavy objects, excessive physical activity, standing for a long time), the pain intensifies.

A characteristic sign of the disease is premature ejaculation. Patients experience decreased sexual desire and erectile dysfunction. These symptoms are also characteristic of other genitourinary diseases. Therefore, it cannot be said that they are characteristics of a chronic prostate disease.

An important symptom is the disappearance of orgasm. If the patient begins to notice that the severity of the sensations during ejaculation has disappeared, this is a reason for a more attentive attitude towards her health and a signal about the need to visit a urologist.

The structure of the inflamed prostate becomes denser, the pressure on the urinary tube increases, and the quality of urination deteriorates. Patients with chronic prostatitis notice a frequent need to urinate at night. The process of excretion of urine is accompanied by a sensation of burning, stinging and pain. Urinary incontinence often occurs.

Signs of chronic prostatitis can be expressed in whole or in part. Much depends on the patient's health and the presence or absence of other diseases. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by an undulating course, with waxing and waning symptoms. With this disease, the inflammatory process is not acute.

Laboratory research methods.

If chronic prostatitis is suspected, first of all its nature is discovered: bacterial or non-bacterial. In the first case, it is necessary to identify the pathogen or pathogens and find out which drugs they are sensitive to. For this, laboratory tests of urine and prostate secretions are performed.

If, after a period of 10 days after DRE, the PSA test shows that the level of prostate-specific antigen exceeds 4. 0 ng/ml, this is a reason to refer the patient for a biopsy to exclude an oncological process .

The following research methods are recommended:

scraping of the urethra;
general and biochemical urine analysis;
LHC culture of prostate secretion.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis requires an integrated approach. Medication alone is not enough. Physiotherapeutic procedures and therapeutic exercises are necessary. In general, chronic prostatitis is difficult to treat and requires a radical revision of lifestyle, changes in habits and, in some cases, a change of job. Urologists insist that only a set of measures will help to completely eliminate this disease or ensure long-term remission.

Regardless of whether the disease is bacterial or abacterial in nature, prostate congestion played an important role in its formation. The viscous secretion deposited in the ducts of the gland is a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms. Therefore, the main attention should be directed to eliminating stagnation.

The problem can be solved by changing lifestyle and including physiotherapy classes in the daily schedule.

Complexes of exercises suitable for different life situations have been developed:

for those men who are forced to sit most of the time (drivers, office workers, managers);
for people with excess body weight;
For those who don't have time to exercise.

After thinking about how to treat chronic prostatitis, you should decide to seriously reconsider your attitude towards your health.

Drug treatment

For chronic prostatitis, treatment is mainly carried out on an outpatient basis. If the pathological process persists and remission cannot be achieved with this method, hospitalization is recommended. In a hospital, under the supervision of medical staff, there are many more opportunities to comply with the regimen and monitor changes in the patient's condition.

Chronic prostatitis in men develops against the background of endocrine disorders. In this sense, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and alpha 1 blockers are recommended. They help to normalize hormonal levels and eliminate the symptoms of the pathology.

An integrated approach includes taking medications such as:

Treatment methods for chronic bacterial prostatitis.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is treated with antibiotics. The most effective drug for a particular patient is determined by a preliminary laboratory study of prostate secretions.

There is no universal medicine to suppress and destroy pathogenic microflora. What helps one patient may not help another. For this reason, there are many negative reviews about drugs advertised for the treatment of chronic prostatitis.

The recommended medications for antibacterial therapy are fluoroquinolones. Most bacteria are sensitive to them.

Treatment with herbal remedies.

Many people doubt that chronic prostatitis can be cured with the help of herbal remedies. The answer to this question was obtained after many years of use of these healing agents in urological practice.

Today the following treatment complexes are recommended:

All these drugs have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the male genitourinary system. Effective treatment of chronic prostatitis is possible as long as urinary function is normalized. The components included in herbal medicines perform this task. They help reduce the frequency of impulses and eliminate slow flow syndrome.

For patients with chronic prostatitis, herbal mixtures containing pumpkin extract or pumpkin seeds are recommended. The latter have a unique chemical composition and act in three directions at once:

normalize metabolism;
strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
Activate blood circulation in the pelvic organs.

Taking herbal medicines cannot be considered the main method of treatment. These health-enhancing agents are considered to be concomitant with drug therapy.

Non-pharmacological treatment

Non-drug therapy methods allow you to act directly on the prostate, increase the concentration of drugs in its tissues and help eliminate congestion.

Today, non-drug treatment focuses on laser therapy. The possibilities of this technique are wide. Under the influence of a laser, the following processes occur in the prostate gland:

activation of redox reactions;
improves blood microcirculation;
new capillaries are formed;
pathogenic microflora is suppressed;
The cell division process is activated, which promotes tissue regeneration.

During the research period on the effects of laser therapy in patients with prostatitis, a side effect was observed, but positive for the treatment. Those who completed the course increased potency, eliminated erectile dysfunction and regained vitality. To achieve this result, it is necessary to use a beam with a specific wavelength. In general, low-level laser radiation is used to treat chronic prostatitis.

This technique can have several positive effects:

Patients can, on their own initiative, undergo laser treatment, if not prescribed by the treating doctor.

Surgical treatment of chronic prostatitis.

Chronic prostatitis does not pose a threat to the patient's life, but can significantly reduce its quality. The most serious complication of this disease is the formation of stones in the gland tissues. To free it from prostatoliths, transurethral resection is used.

The surgical intervention is performed under TRUS control.

If complications such as prostate sclerosis occur, transuretal electrosurgery is performed. If sclerosis of the bladder neck is observed in combination with this pathology, a partial resection of the prostate is performed.

When the seminal and excretory ducts are blocked, endoscopic operations are indicated to eliminate the obstruction of the patency of secretions. To do this, an incision is made in the seminal vesicles and excretory ducts. In case of abscess, complete removal of the gland is possible.

Exercises for the treatment of chronic prostatitis.

There are a number of exercises that are effective in stimulating the prostate, which helps relieve congestion. This complex was developed for patients with hip joint problems. Practice has shown that these exercises are also useful for people diagnosed with prostatitis. Classes can be held at a convenient time, completing the complex will take no more than 15 minutes.

Exercise #1

Lying on a gymnastics mat, he stretches both arms upward.
Bend your knees and pull them towards you, simultaneously extending them in different directions.
Raise your pelvis as much as you can. Repeat 10 to 12 times.

Exercise #2

Standing on the mat, do deep squats.

Repeat 10 to 12 times.

Exercise No. 3

Lie face down.
Raise one leg and then the other. Repeat 10 to 12 times.

Exercise #4

They lie on their side.

When performing this set of exercises, all movements should be smooth. This is the main condition for obtaining a high therapeutic effect.

Treatment prognosis

Few men can completely cure chronic prostatitis. Prostate inflammation often enters a long-term remission stage. But when the conditions arise for the activation of the pathology, a relapse occurs. An exacerbation begins with the appearance of pain in the prostate. They are often accompanied by urinary disorders. At the first symptoms of a relapse, you should seek help from a specialist.

Patients are recommended to regularly visit a urologist, at least once every six months. With the same frequency, they conduct examinations of the state of the prostate and conduct a PSA test. By systematically monitoring the condition of the gland, processes that provoke a relapse of the disease can be identified in a timely manner. But even with long-term remission there is no guarantee that it will not be altered.

The patient must follow the recommendations to prevent exacerbations of the disease. It is recommended to balance the diet by excluding fatty and spicy foods. The use of herbal remedies and traditional medicine should be coordinated with the treating doctor. With this approach, the risk of exacerbation of chronic prostatitis can be minimized.

Is it possible to cure prostatitis yourself?

If there are severe symptoms, it is better to be treated by a specialist. The time factor plays an important role in treatment, since the longer the inflammation lasts, the greater the likelihood of irreversible changes occurring in the organ.

But it is better to do prevention yourself, no doctor will do it for you.

Avoid hypothermia, stagnation when sitting for a long time, sexually transmitted infections and irregular sexual life - all this is the path to effective prevention of prostatitis.