Prostatitis is a formidable disease of the male genital area, often affecting young men under the age of forty. Although its symptoms (decreased sexual desire, difficulty urinating, pain in the groin area) are very painful, men are not in a hurry to seek medical help.
And the reason for this is the insufficient amount of information about this disease, there are too many myths and prejudices about it.
However, the manifestations of prostatitis only worsen over time, therefore, at the first signs of prostatitis, it is necessary to urgently contact a qualified urologist.
Causes of prostatitis
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland. Doctors classify the acute stage of the disease and chronic. If the first is not treated, the inflammation quickly becomes chronic and is fraught with many complications, such as impaired sexual function and even the development of a malignant prostate tumor.
What are the reasons for its appearance?
These are only some of them:
- Sexually transmitted diseases. Often men are carriers of a particular infection without even knowing it, since the disease is completely asymptomatic. However, this image is very misleading. As soon as the immune system fails, for example under the influence of a stressful situation, this gives impetus to the development of prostatitis. The most common causative agents of the disease are the herpes virus, the fungus of the genus Candida, Escherichia coli, etc.
- Untreated bladder infections. In this case, the infection easily spreads to the nearby prostate gland.
- Stagnation of blood in the pelvic area. This can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, irregular sex life. In this case, there is the so-called non-bacterial prostatitis.
- Regular hypothermia, stress, the presence of infectious foci, including carious teeth, in the body.
- Prostatitis can develop as a complication after serious infectious diseases - influenza, tonsillitis and others.
The main symptoms of prostatitis
The most common signs of this disease, regardless of the cause that caused it, include:
- decreased potency;
- pain and difficulty when urinating;
- pain of varying severity in the groin and genital area.
Symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis
As mentioned above, the first stage of bacterial prostatitis is acute, lasting no more than 3-5 days, after which it slowly becomes chronic.
It is very important not to miss the first symptoms of the disease:
- Pain in the groin and scrotum;
- Sharp pain when urinating;
- Drawing pain after intercourse in the glans penis;
- Impaired erection, reduced duration of sexual intercourse.
A few days after the first symptoms appear, the pain subsides, men are under the misleading impression that the threat has passed. However, this only means that the prostatitis is slowly but surely becoming chronic.
Such a course of the disease is characterized by:
- Alternating periods of remission and exacerbation of prostatitis;
- Difficulty urinating, frequent urges, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder join the above signs of the disease.
During the period of exacerbation of chronic bacterial prostatitis, patients suffer from the same symptoms as in the acute form.
Even seemingly harmless factors can provoke it:
- hypothermia;
- Cold;
- An erection that did not have an accomplishment;
- Avitaminosis;
- Stress and overwork;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- constipation;
- Irregular sex life;
- Tobacco and alcohol abuse.
Symptoms of nonbacterial prostatitis
This disease is also called congestive prostatitis. This is the most dangerous and common type of pathology. Its development is directly related to the way of life of modern man.
Medical researchers compare chronic congestive prostatitis in terms of severity and prevalence with such dangerous diseases as tuberculosis or cancer, because its neglected form is a direct path to prostate cancer.
This form of the disease can be discussed when the inflammation of the prostate was not caused by any microorganisms, but by other factors: a long absence of sexual intercourse, a sedentary lifestyle, regular stressful situations.
Such a conclusion can be drawn from the results of a bacteriological study, which shows the absence of pathogenic microorganisms.
Symptoms of this form of the disease are somewhat different from bacterial ones:
- Patients complain of periodic or constant dull pain in the pelvis, lower abdomen, groin, and genitalia;
- sexual dysfunction and urination problems;
- Depressed mental status of patients.
Symptoms of asymptomatic chronic prostatitis
This is a latent form of the disease. As the name implies, it is asymptomatic, that is, there is an inflammatory process in the prostate, but this does not affect the patient's condition.
Some medical researchers tend to consider this form of pathology only normal age-related changes in the prostate gland, which occur due to poor blood supply to the organ.
This disease is often detected in a patient by accident, for example, during an abdominal operation associated with a completely different diagnosis.
To avoid prostatitis, it is necessary to know its causes.
So, the main measures to prevent inflammation of the prostate gland:
- Although the main measures for the prevention of prostatitis, as already mentioned many times, include regular sexual activity, it is still worth avoiding casual sexual contacts or it is imperative to use barrier contraception. This measure is mandatory, since around 30% of cases of inflammation of the prostate are associated with sexually transmitted diseases.sexual alternative- Urologists also welcome masturbation, since no less than full sexual intercourse improves blood supply to the prostate gland.
- Physical activity, active lifestyle. Physical education and sports are useful as a general strengthening measure, but it is worth focusing on exercises that improve blood circulation in the pelvic area. These include running, skating, skiing, etc.
- Periodic preventive examinations by a urologist or andrologist, at least once a year.
- Timely treatment of foci of infection in the body, for example, sanitation of the oral cavity.
The diagnosis of prostatitis is complex and multifaceted.
Diagnosis of prostatitis is primarily associated with the identification of the cause of the disease, it includes the following steps:
- Of great importance in clarifying the picture of the disease is a survey of the patient, who must describe in detail his complaints: the localization of certain sensations, their duration, with what events the manifestations are associated, after which they began. Also, at the appointment, the doctor carefully examines the patient's medical history for previously transferred diseases, tests and examinations. The urologist clarifies the patient's information about sexual life, the presence of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Examination of a smear and scraping from the urethra. An increased number of leukocytes in a smear and the presence of pathological microflora in a scraping will indicate the presence of an infection.
- General urinalysis. It helps to identify the presence of infection, its presence is indicated by an increased number of leukocytes (more than 5).
- Ejaculate analysis. It is performed to confirm the diagnosis of nonbacterial prostatitis.
- Prostate ultrasound. It allows you to see the picture of the disease in the most complete way. It is performed to clarify the diagnosis in both acute and chronic inflammation of the prostate, suspected cancer.
Pain and decreased potency - as the first signs of prostatitis
Most of the time, doctors have to deal with an already advanced form of the disease, since most men tend to ignore the first alarm bells: pain in the groin and low libido, or the disease itself is asymptomatic for a certain period of time.
These are the features of the male anatomy: in the prostate area, blood circulation is difficult, it is a "nutrient medium" for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms, a sedentary lifestyle significantly exacerbates this problem. Thus, the reason for the massive spread of prostatitis among truck drivers and office workers becomes obvious.
In one form or another, up to 50% of the entire male population in the world has ever experienced certain symptoms of prostatitis. That is why it is so important to know the first signs of the disease and seek medical help in a timely manner. After all, the treatment of an advanced form of the disease is an expensive and time-consuming task.
Treatment that returns the patient to a full life
Of course, it is much easier to get rid of prostatitis in the early stages than a neglected disease. However, it is the chronic form that doctors have to deal with most often, and it usually requires long-term and complex treatment.
But in any case, you must first identify the root cause of the pathology - blood stagnation and (or) inflammation in the prostate.
So, the complex treatment of prostatitis includes:
- Inflammatory processes are treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Also, drugs are prescribed both in the form of tablets and in the form of rectal suppositories. In the complex, infusions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, calendula), which are administered in the form of microclysters, help well.
- However, the treatment of prostatitis should not be limited to taking drugs, it should be aimed at restoring blood circulation in the prostate area, and this involves a set of physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises. Such measures contribute to better absorption of antibacterial drugs, as they improve the blood supply to the prostate gland. Doctors often prescribe for prostatitis: electrophoresis, laser therapy, magnetotherapy;
- Prostate massage. This procedure is useful and effective, but it should not be done at home, without consulting a doctor, since it has many contraindications, including the acute phase of the disease.
Summarizing, we can say that the problem of treatment and prevention of prostatitis largely depends on the desire and activity of men themselves. Elementary morning exercises, regular preventive examinations by a urologist, a balanced diet - this is the key to male strength and longevity!