Prostatitis is a specific disease, typical especially for men of reproductive age. It is characterized by acute or chronic inflammation of the prostate gland - the second "heart" of men.
It is not always easy to recognize the signs of prostatitis in men, 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 noticeable.
If a man has the first signs of prostatitis, he should immediately see a doctor. Even a slight lethargy, which indicates the development of diseases of the genitourinary system, can cause serious complications.
The ability to recognize the first symptoms of the inflammatory process allows you to diagnose the pathology in time and start its treatment. Therefore, every man should familiarize himself with them to avoid serious problems that lead to prostatitis.
The prostate and its role in a man's life
Even if the prostate is small, if its function is impaired, a man may experience many problems. The prostate is an organ about the size of a walnut, located between the penis and the bladder. The prostate produces a secretion that mixes with sperm to form complete seminal fluid.
Unlike other prostate conditions, such as prostate hypertrophy or cancer, which often affect older men, prostatitis can develop at any age, but incidence peaks between 30 and 50 years of age.
Types of prostatitis
According to the severity of the symptoms, the time of occurrence and the duration of the disease, two pathological variants are distinguished:
- Chronic prostatitis. Symptoms may be subtle and come and go over several months. This is the most common type of prostatitis and the cause of the inflammation is usually non-infectious.
- Acute prostatitis. In this form, the symptoms of prostatitis in men are severe and develop suddenly. This variant of the disease most often causes a microbial infection, the condition can be serious and require immediate treatment, up to hospitalization.
Chronic prostatitis problem
The causes of prostatitis have been studied for a long time, but the understanding of the essence of the process has been revised significantly in recent years. Chronic prostatitis, sometimes referred to alternatively as 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 determine chronic prostatitis immediately, and the subsequent treatment is no less difficult to choose, because it depends on various factors of the causes and symptoms of prostatitis in men.
Unlike the approach used in the past, diagnosis and subsequent treatment is based on the separation of chronic bacterial prostatitis and other forms of the disease, considered 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.
For chronic pelvic pain syndrome, various symptoms related to the urinary organs, genitals, rectum and perineum are typical, and often men can be treated for a long time for other pathologies, until in the end it turns out that the problem is in prostate inflammation.
Symptoms of prostatitis in men
If acute inflammation of the prostate occurs, it is quite easy to recognize it, the manifestations are quite bright and noticeable. The first signs of prostatitis in men include:
- severe pain that radiates around the penis, testicles, anus, lower abdomen or lower back. Emptying the bladder can be painful;
- urinary problems, pain when the bladder is full, frequent need to urinate (especially at night), interrupted urination, 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 discharge from the urethra, odorless.
If these or other signs of prostatitis in men are detected, you should immediately contact a therapist or urologist.
Chronic inflammation: symptoms of prostatitis in men
You can talk about a chronic process if the following symptoms of prostatitis in men have been detected at least three months ago:
- pain around the penis, inside the testicles, anus, lower abdomen or lower back due to pulling, pressing or pain.
- pain when urinating, frequent or urgent need to urinate, especially at night, or intermittent urination.
- an enlarged or tender prostate on rectal examination, although it may be normal in some cases.
- 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 may worsen gradually, symptoms of prostatitis appear more often.
How is the exam conducted?
At the first signs of prostatitis in men, you need to contact a urologist who will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. The doctor will ask in detail about all symptoms and events, health problems that preceded them. Then, examination of the genitals, abdomen and rectum will be done. The doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate. During the study, discomfort may occur if the prostate gland is enlarged or inflamed. In addition, blood and urine tests are ordered to look for signs of infection.
How is prostatitis treated?
The tactics of treating prostatitis will depend on the form of the disease - acute or chronic prostatitis.
For acute inflammation, when symptoms are sudden and severe, pain relievers and a 2- to 4-week course of antibiotics are usually given. If acute urinary retention occurs, hospitalization and immediate measures are required - catheterization of the bladder with diversion of urine against the background of intensive care.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis, when symptoms come and go for several months, usually aims to eliminate all discomfort. Your doctor may recommend the following procedures:
- painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve pain and discomfort in the pelvis.
- an alpha-blocker drug that relieves problems with urination. 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 signs that there was previously an acute process that did not heal.
The goal of treatment for chronic prostatitis is to reduce symptoms to a level where they do not interfere with daily activities.