Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland, also called the prostate. This disease can occur for the following reasons:
- Infections
- Bacteria
- Virus.
- Mushrooms
- Long-term use of antibiotics, which leads to a decrease in immunity.
In many cases, the infection enters the body through sexual contact. As a result, stagnation occurs in the pelvic organs, and blood circulation weakens.
There are also non-infectious reasons why chronic prostatitis can develop:
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Incorrect structure of the prostate gland.
- Damage to the perineum.
- Congenital pathologies.
- Swelling of the prostate gland
- Low levels of testosterone.
- Hard physical work.
- Hypothermia.
- Stress and nervous tension.
The appearance of this pathology is also possible as a result of the development or insufficiently effective treatment of such diseases:
- Sinusitis.
- Kidney stones.
- Angina pectoris.
- Inflammation of the urethral canal.
Also, prostatitis can occur due to inconsistent sexual activity and regular disruption of the act, which contributes to the development of stagnant processes.
Some facts to keep in mind:
- To maintain a healthy prostate, you must have sex at least twice a week.
- It is not necessary to delay urination (this not only contributes to the development of stagnation, but also adversely affects potency).
- Regular use of tobacco and alcohol damages the prostate gland, so don't abuse it.
How to know if the prostate is inflamed?
The manifestations of prostatitis can vary significantly depending on the degree of development of the disease. There are 3 stages:
- Discomfort appears in the lower abdomen. You often want to empty your bladder (with a burning sensation).
- Problems begin in the genital area (erection worsens, pain is felt at the time of ejaculation, ejaculation occurs prematurely).
- In the last stage, the body temperature rises, pain occurs when urinating, the patient trembles.
Important: if we are talking about chronic prostatitis, then in this case the development of pathology, as a rule, is not accompanied by the corresponding symptoms (or the manifestations of the disease are weakly expressed). The danger in this way is that an exacerbation can start at any time.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis with folk remedies.
There are many traditional methods that are used to treat prostatitis. Right away, we say that each of the methods we describe below should be used only after prior consultation with a doctor. Remember that self-medication can not only be ineffective, it can also make the problem worse.
Also, you need to understand that folk remedies do not allow you to completely get rid of chronic prostatitis. It is logical to use them for the prevention of a disease or as an auxiliary means, together with drugs and physiological procedures prescribed by a doctor.
Garlic
Garlic is considered to be quite effective for the prevention and treatment of chronic prostatitis. Prescription:
- Take a few cloves of garlic.
- Throw them in a container (for example, a thermos) and pour a quarter of a liter of boiling water.
- Drink before bed on an empty stomach.
There is also another recipe:
- Take three teeth.
- Pour in 200 ml of cold milk.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for a minute.
- Insist half an hour.
- Consume 35 drops four times a day after meals.
Onion peel decoction
Prescription:
- Peel the onions and rinse.
- Pour into a saucepan and pour half a liter of hot water.
- Boil for 5 minutes and leave for 60 minutes.
- Consume a teaspoon three times a day.
Combined intake of golden mustache balm and asparagus juice
To prepare a balm, you need:
- Mix 150 ml of golden mustache alcoholic extract with 500 grams of linseed oil.
- Place in a closed container.
- Shake for 5-7 minutes.
You should drink this balm for 10 days three times a day for a teaspoon, after that, for another 5 days, use asparagus juice the same number of times, 2-3 tablespoons. l. Repeat the cycle twice.
Heating the prostate gland with birch tar
You need to take 3 tablespoons. l of tar and pour it with 3 liters of boiling water. Then sit on this mixture for 7-10 minutes. The technique is effective in the early stages of prostatitis. It cannot be used in the presence of hemorrhoids or sexually transmitted diseases.
Aspen bark tincture
Immediately, we say that the collection of the bark should be done at the beginning of spring, when the leaves of the trees have not yet bloomed. This is very important, since during this period it is more saturated with juice, which gives it a healing effect. Collect young bark that is no more than 5mm thick.
Prescription:
- Grind 100 g of dry bark.
- Fill with vodka until it completely covers the crust.
- Insist for 14 days, then strain.
- Consume 15 to 20 ml orally three times a day for a month.
Ivan's tea tincture
Prescription:
- Grind ivan tea leaves and pour hot water in proportions of 1 tablespoon. l. per glass.
- Insist for 40 minutes.
- Clean the herb from the infusion and use a tablespoon a day.
Another recipe involves the use of not only leaves, but also flowers. They should be poured with a glass of boiling water. The infusion is prepared overnight. You should take it twice a day for half a glass.
Aloe wine tincture with honey.
Aloe and honey are products widely used in traditional medicine. To prepare a medicine for prostatitis, you will need:
- 0. 5 kg of aloe leaves (plants must be at least 3 years old).
- The same amount of honey.
- Half a liter of red wine (preferably dry).
You need to mix all these ingredients and insist for 5 days in a dark and dry place. For the prevention of prostatitis, you need to take 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day. l. throughout the month. Next, you need to take a 7-day break and repeat the course.
Lotions and soda baths
Soda helps to cope with infections that occur during prostatitis. Both the bath and the lotion are prepared following the same recipe. It is necessary to dilute the soda with boiling water in proportions of 1 tbsp. l. per liter. Before starting the procedure, it is necessary to let the solution cool down a little.
Propolis tincture
Prepared according to this recipe:
- Crushed propolis should be poured with pure alcohol in proportions of 1 to 2.
- Put the medicine in a dark, not hot place.
- Infuse for 14 days, shaking occasionally.
- Strain last.
This remedy should be consumed on an empty stomach three times a day, mixed with warm milk. Proportions: 15 drops of tincture per 100 grams of milk.
Tincture in the root and leaves of ginseng.
10 units of ginseng will require 1 unit of alcohol diluted with water in proportions of 1 to 1. Insist for several days. Consume once a day. This recipe is not recommended if you suffer from insomnia or hypertension.
Alcoholic infusion in the roots of aralia.
Aralia has many beneficial properties that, among other things, have a positive effect on the state of the prostate gland. But the problem is that this plant grows mainly in eastern countries (Mongolia, China, Korea). In our latitudes, it is quite difficult to get the roots of the aralia.
If you succeeded, here is the recipe for making the tincture:
- Pour 20 g of roots with 70% alcohol in the amount of 100 ml (vodka will work too).
- Insist for several days.
- Drink 10 drops 3 times a day.
The drug is effective not only for prostatitis. It also provides an opportunity to deal with sexual dysfunction. However, in the presence of cardiovascular diseases, this infusion cannot be used.
Infusion of dill in port wine
Mix 100 g of pharmaceutical dill with 1 liter of port. The medicine must be prepared within 3 weeks. Consume half a glass before meals. The tincture reduces inflammation of the prostate.
A mixture of walnuts and honey.
Walnuts have long been used to restore male strength. To prepare a drug for prostatitis, you need to:
- Chop 5 walnuts.
- Add half a glass of honey.
- Stir well.
Consume at the beginning of the day for 1 tablespoon. l.
Chamomile tea and bath
To make chamomile tea, you need to pour 200 ml of boiled water in 1 tbsp. l. dry plant and insist for several hours. Consume three times a day on an empty stomach. The drug allows you to cope with the infection and relieve inflammation.
A chamomile-infused bath is prepared as follows:
- 5 tbsp. L. Pour the dried chamomile with hot water.
- We boil for several minutes and cook for about 2 hours.
- Add to the bathroom when bathing.
Chestnut husk tea
Remove the peel from the chestnut. Fill with hot water, boil for a couple of minutes and use indoors. The taste of the drink is not very pleasant, so you can add a little honey.
Pine Needle Bath
You need to boil the branches of a coniferous tree (ideally pine) and pour it into the bath. The water temperature should not exceed 38 ° C. Raw materials can be collected independently or purchased at the pharmacy.
Pumpkin seeds
The last popular remedy for prostatitis on our list is pumpkin seeds. They should be consumed daily in 30 pieces. It helps both to prevent the development of pathologies and to reduce the pain of symptoms.
Can inflammation of the prostate go away on its own?
Don't even expect prostatitis to go away on its own. This is not possible even in the case of the first stage. If the proper measures are not taken, the disease will only progress and become chronic as a result.
See your urologist right away if you have symptoms. He will prescribe the necessary medications. Also, the treatment of prostatitis, as a rule, involves physical education and proper nutrition. In some cases, immunomodulators and antidepressants are prescribed.
What is the danger of prostatitis and how does it manifest itself?
Determine the presence of inflammatory processes in the prostate is quite simple. Prostatitis does not pose a serious danger to human life. However, without qualified medical attention, the pathology can cause serious inconvenience, limiting life.
If the prostate is inflamed, this causes discomfort in the perineum and lower back. The disease is often accompanied by pain. It can be painful and sharp. In particular, the pain is relevant for men who do not have permanent sex.
If there are infections, mucus or pus may appear in the discharge. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, this will eventually lead to a deterioration in sperm quality.
Can chronic prostatitis be completely cured?
Statistics on the treatment of prostatitis indicate that relapses occur quite often. In many cases, the return of the disease is due to the fact that patients do not have enough stamina to completely get rid of the pathology.
Of course, treating prostatitis requires a lot of patience and considerable financial costs. So, for example, if there is an infection and the doctor prescribes antibiotics, in no case should they be stopped in the middle, even if the disease has ceased to make itself felt. If you do not complete the course of drug treatment, the pathogens will recover after some time, and additionally, you will become immune to the drugs you were taking.
Therefore, although relapses often occur in chronic prostatitis, the patient's condition depends mainly on himself. If you strictly follow the doctor's recommendations, the signs of inflammation will not be felt for a long time and may even disappear forever.
Prostatitis tests
In all cases, if prostatitis is suspected, the following procedures are prescribed:
- Blood test - Identifies inflammation by examining the level of white blood cells and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
- Urinalysis - performed multiple times. It allows you to determine the increased level of bacteria and white blood cells.
- Study of the secretion of the prostate: allows the early detection of prostatitis, prostate cancer and infertility.
- Urine culture - allows you to determine the sensitivity of the bacteria that caused prostatitis, and therefore choose the appropriate antibiotics.
In the case of chronic prostatitis, a 4-cup urine sample is taken. This test helps you understand exactly where the infection is. The analysis is carried out as follows:
- The patient fills the first tube with urine.
- After that, urination continues in the second.
- The doctor massages the prostate. The secret that stands out is considered the 3rd test.
- The remains of urine that come out after the massage are the fourth sample.
More laboratory tests are carried out:
- If bacteria are found in the third or fourth portion, this means that the prostatitis is bacterial.
- If more than 10 leukocytes are also found in the same samples, then there is inflammation of the prostate gland.
- If there are more than 10 white blood cells, but the bacterial flora is normal, this may indicate the presence of chlamydia and other infections.
In the latter case, a scraping of the urethra and mucous membrane is performed, which allows detecting sexually transmitted microorganisms.
In some cases, with a digital rectal examination, there is a suspicion of adenoma and prostate cancer. This situation is reason for diagnosis, in which a blood test is performed to measure the level of PSA (prostate-specific agent).
Note: PSA sampling is done no earlier than 10 days after digital rectal examination.
What tests are done to diagnose prostatitis?
For the treatment of prostatitis, antibiotics, antibacterial (non-steroidal) drugs, as well as drugs that increase immunity and improve blood supply can be used. However, it is impossible to prescribe the most effective drug therapy without preliminary diagnoses, which makes it possible to understand the form of the disease.
Traditionally, an ultrasound examination (ultrasound) is performed if acute prostatitis is suspected. With this method, the doctor can:
- Determine the volume and density of the prostate.
- Find out if the venous plexus of the prostate is enlarged.
- Look for signs of an abscess.
In some cases, endoscopy is prescribed, but in acute prostatitis, this method is contraindicated.
If prostatitis is accompanied by a neurogenic urination disorder, the following procedures may also be prescribed:
- The introduction of catheter tubes to determine and record the urethral pressure profile.
- Myography, which allows you to assess the work of the pelvic floor muscles.
- CT and MRI, if there are prerequisites for prostate cancer or non-inflammatory prostatitis.
Within the framework of conservative treatment, laser therapy, herbal medicine, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, mud baths and many other procedures can be prescribed. If this approach is not effective, then surgery is required.
Types of ultrasound examination for various forms of prostatitis
According to statistics, in about 80% of chronic prostatitis cases, disease-causing particles cannot be detected by laboratory tests. However, palpation also does not allow us to have a correct diagnosis in all cases, since obvious structural changes do not always occur in the prostate gland.
Even when it comes to chronic infectious prostatitis, bacteriological analysis sometimes turns out to be of little information. Diagnostic error, as a rule, is due to the fact that microbes accumulate in the tissues, but do not enter the secretion, which is taken in the laboratory.
In this sense, ultrasound is almost always prescribed in conjunction with tests. This procedure allows not only to identify changes in the prostate gland, but also to dynamically monitor the improvements that occur during treatment.
In modern diagnostics, two types of ultrasound are used:
- Transrectal.
- Transabdominal.
Each of these techniques has unique advantages and disadvantages.
Transrectal method
In this case, an ultrasound machine is inserted into the rectum of the patient. The method provides excellent visualization and allows you to collect the most complete information about the state of the prostate gland.
Contraindications:
- Hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
- Postoperative rehabilitation period.
- Benign and malignant tumors.
Transabdominal method
The prostate is examined through the anterior abdominal wall. The method allows you to determine the size and boundaries of the gland, as well as the symmetry of its lobes. The disadvantage of this ultrasound is that not all hospitals use equipment whose quality allows obtaining reliable information on the state of the tissues.
What are the possible consequences in the absence of treatment for prostatitis?
If prostatitis is not treated, it can lead to such complications:
- Abscess of the prostate gland, which requires immediate hospitalization and surgical intervention.
- Formation of cysts and stones in the prostate, which cause severe pain and require long-term treatment.
- Vesiculitis (inflammation of the seminal vesicles), which is treated only in a hospital.
- Sclerosis of the prostate, which causes urinary problems.
- Sterility.
What is the purpose of prostate massage?
Prostate massage is a procedure that is performed in all cases of chronic prostatitis, except for calculous prostatitis. It is also named in such situations:
- In the absence of orgasm.
- In case of impotence.
- For diagnostic purposes (allows you to detect inflammatory processes).
Many men have certain prejudices towards prostate massage, unconsciously identifying it with homosexuality. In fact, this procedure allows you to prevent the development of prostatitis, remove infected secretions, prevent the development of stagnant processes, improve blood circulation and increase male strength, increasing the quality of sexual intercourse.
However, there are situations in which prostate massage cannot be performed:
- Severe inflammation of the prostate gland.
- Tumor (both benign and malignant).
- Infections of the genitourinary system.
- Hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
- Calculated form of prostatitis.
- Tuberculosis of the prostate.
- Violation of urination.
- Exacerbation of chronic prostatitis.
Does chronic prostatitis interfere with normal sex and conception?
Chronic prostatitis generally does not have sexual problems. But it also happens in another way. It is quite understandable that inflammation of the prostate gland causes discomfort (not only physical, but also psychological). Painful sensations can make it difficult for a man to become intimate with his partner. At the same time, psychological factors can lead to erection problems.
Separately, it should be said about the infectious form of chronic prostatitis. In this situation, during sexual intercourse, there is a risk of transmitting bacteria or fungi to the partner.
Tip: If you decide to conceive a child, make sure you get tested and that there is no infection. And if it is found, follow a treatment.
Why is it important to have a regular sex life with prostatitis?
For the normal functioning of the body, it is important to ensure that all its needs are met. The condition of the prostate gland has a significant impact not only on sexual activity, but also on the ability to conceive. This is because the secretion that occurs in the prostate is the part of the sperm that is responsible for the vitality and activity of the sperm.
When inflammation of the prostate occurs, metabolic processes in the cells of the gland are accelerated, as a result of which toxins are released, which accumulate in the secretion. As a result, at the time of orgasm, these harmful substances leave the body along with the sperm, contributing to the normalization of the prostate and accelerated recovery.
There is another important point: with prostatitis, inflammatory processes occur, due to which the blood flow worsens. With sexual arousal, the blood supply to the penis increases significantly, and at the time of ejaculation, the pelvic muscles contract. All this has a positive effect on the state of the gland and helps to cope with prostatitis.
What are the chances of infertility in chronic prostatitis?
In the initial stages, prostatitis is not an obstacle to conceiving a child. In some cases, there are erection problems caused by physiological and psychological factors. But with proper treatment and understanding on the part of the couple, the problem can be solved.
It is another matter if you ignore the presence of prostatitis for a long time. The development of pathology can lead to a decrease in the quality of spermatozoa: the spermatozoa will become insufficiently active and will not be able to reach the point where conception occurs. Also, this problem cannot always be detected by test results.
If you have prostatitis and cannot have a baby, see your doctor. In addition to a course of treatment aimed at eliminating inflammatory and infectious processes in the prostate gland, as a rule, diet and vitamins are prescribed. Although they do not increase the chance of conception, they strengthen the immune system, which helps prevent the formation of new infections.
What to do if you cannot conceive a child for a long time?
Doctors say that in a normal situation, conception should occur within a year after regular, unprotected sex. Otherwise, you should see a doctor for a full examination.
It is recommended that a man undergo the following procedures:
- Spermogram: allows you to determine the number of active sperm, as well as to evaluate the chemical and physical composition of the semen.
- Genital ultrasound: aims to study the structures responsible for the formation and excretion of sperm, as well as to identify problems with the blood supply.
A wider range of procedures is provided for women:
- Evaluation of basal temperature during 3 menstrual cycles, followed by programming.
- Genital ultrasound.
- Hysterosalpinography: an image of the uterus and fallopian tubes to assess their anatomical structure and patency.
- Hysterosonography is an ultrasound examination of the uterine cavity.
- A blood test to determine hormonal parameters in the endocrine system.
In some cases, problems with conception arise due to incompatibility of the spouses. To determine the presence of this problem, a postcoital test is prescribed and a genetic test is performed.