One of the most common male diseases, without a doubt, is prostatitis.The chances of finding it at a younger age are much lower than at an older age.Therefore, for this disease, the general truth that health must be protected from a young age is true.
What is prostatitis?
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, accompanied by swelling.Increasing in size, the prostate compresses the urethra, where the gland is located.This interferes with the exit of urine from the body, which causes characteristic pain and difficulty emptying the bladder.
In addition, with prostatitis, the biochemical properties of prostate juice, one of the most important components of sperm, changes.Prostate juice is a secretion of the prostate gland, which is responsible not only for sperm fertility, but also for the antimicrobial protection of this important male organ.Male sexuality directly depends on the qualitative and quantitative composition of secretions.
Causes of prostatitis in men
The prevalence of this disease is due to the fact that there are many reasons that can trigger it.Causes of prostatitis:
- Viral and bacterial infections.The cause of prostatitis can not only be a sexually transmitted disease, but also a chronic inflammatory process in the body (tonsillitis, bronchitis, tuberculosis, sometimes also caries);
- Fungal diseases;
- Blood pooling in the pelvic organs.This unfavorable phenomenon can occur in people who lead an inactive lifestyle (office workers and drivers), have irregular sex (long periods of abstinence or, on the contrary, an immoral sex life), frequent constipation, and high body weight;
- Frequent hypothermia;
- Stressful situations;
- Injuries in the pelvic area;
- Poor circulation in the prostate gland;
- Weakness of the immune system.
Types of prostatitis
The popular classification of prostatitis is based on the causes of its occurrence:
- Infectious (viruses, bacteria, fungi);
- Not contagious (stagnant);
- Hormon-dystrophic (disorders in the body's hormonal system);
- Allergies (allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases);
- Vegetables (impaired blood circulation in the prostate).
Other classifications are less relevant to the general public and are more designed to make it easier for doctors to make a diagnosis.Therefore, according to the nature of the disease, acute and chronic prostatitis are distinguished, according to the degree of involvement of glandular tissue in the inflammatory process - catarrhal, parenchymal and follicular, etc.
Separately in the field of medicine, the following types of prostatitis are distinguished:
- Asymptomatic chronic prostatitis, which, as the name suggests, occurs without showing any signs.The only symptom of the disease is the periodic detection of bacteria and leukocytes in the urine;
- Chronic granulomatous prostatitis.A relatively rare disease in which prostate tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue with the formation of numerous granulomas (small nodules).
How are the symptoms of prostatitis manifested?
Early symptoms of prostatitis depend on the nature of the disease.The first symptoms of acute prostatitis are called malaise, headache and fever.
Specific signs of acute prostatitis:
- Frequent and painful urination that does not bring relief.In severe cases, acute urinary retention can develop;
- Painful bowel movements;
- Burning in the perineal area.
Indirect signs of acute prostatitis include painful nocturnal erections, decreased or absent sexual desire, and accelerated ejaculation.In addition, severe pain during sex can make it difficult for a man to reach orgasm.If you see these signs, consult a doctor immediately!In the early stages, prostatitis is easy to treat.
Chronic prostatitis is sluggish and has a relatively mild clinical picture, as a result of which many people do not pay attention to their health.Chronic prostatitis actively manifests itself only in the acute stage.On average, it seems 1-2 times a year with symptoms characteristic of the acute form of the disease.
Methods for diagnosing diseases
A urologist must diagnose prostatitis in a patient.First of all, he conducts a thorough interview with the patient.The doctor may ask the following questions:
- How long has the patient had this disease?
- How often does it light up?
- What symptoms did the patient report?
- What is the nature of sexual activity (regular/irregular) of the subject?
- What risk factors does the patient have for this disease (previous STI, surgical operation in the pelvic area, other chronic inflammatory processes)?
After collecting the medical history, the doctor begins to examine the patient, which includes a digital rectal examination and palpation of the scrotum.If palpation does not reveal changes in the prostate, the doctor must exclude other diseases of the genitourinary system.
As a rule, already at this stage an experienced specialist can make the correct diagnosis.But sometimes doctors prescribe additional tests.As a rule, this is necessary in controversial cases or to choose the most effective treatment regimen.
Laboratory diagnostic methods
- General analysis of urine and blood;
- Urethral swab;
- Spermogram;
- PCR analysis (detecting hidden infections);
- Study of prostate juice (for chronic prostatitis).For men over the age of 50, a PSA (prostate specific antigen) level test is required if prostate cancer is suspected.
Instrumental diagnostic methods
- Ultrasound of the prostate.This is the most accessible and informative way to check the prostate gland.It can be done externally through the abdominal wall or transrectally.The last method is very unpleasant, but the most informative.Ultrasound can detect the presence of abscesses and stones in the affected organ, as well as the degree of urethral narrowing;
- Uroflowmetry.Allows you to determine the speed of urine flow.By using this study, the doctor can evaluate the permeability of the urinary tract and the contraction of the bladder.
There are several additional diagnostic methods prescribed by the doctor in special cases (cystoscopy, CT scan of the pelvic organs, biopsy, transurethral examination).
Methods of treating prostatitis
As with other diseases, prostatitis is only effectively treated in acute form.Chronic prostatitis is very difficult to treat, and often only significant remission can be achieved.
Treatment of acute prostatitis
Patients with acute prostatitis must be hospitalized, because such conditions are dangerous due to complications, including the development of sepsis.
The main point in the treatment of acute prostatitis isAntibiotic therapy.Acute conditions require rapid therapeutic measures, so drugs are prescribed before the test is obtained to identify the causative agent of the disease.According to WHO recommendations, patients are routinely prescribed fluoroquinolones.If the analysis reveals the causative agent of acute prostatitis that is not sensitive to this antibiotic, the treatment is reconsidered.
In addition to antibiotics, the patient is prescribed strict bed rest and prohibition of prostate massage, as it can trigger the development of sepsis.Analgesics and NSAIDs (relieves pain), rheological solutions (in case of severe intoxication) and drugs that normalize blood microcirculation will help relieve the symptoms of prostatitis.
Surgical intervention is only necessary if there is a complete inability to empty the bladder and in the presence of an abscess.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis
In the treatment of chronic prostatitis, the use of antibiotics is still controversial.Some doctors believe that they should be prescribed without fail, others - only if bacterial flora is detected in prostate secretions.
Prostate massage is also a dubious procedure.This procedure only involves the lower part of the prostate gland.Massage, of course, will not do any harm, but the benefits cannot exceed the psychological and physical discomfort felt by the patient during rectal manipulation.Therefore, today the optimal treatment regimen for chronic prostatitis is as follows:
- Taking NSAIDs, immunomodulators and drugs that improve blood circulation;
- Take sedatives and antidepressants if you have problems with erection;
- Exercise therapy and physiotherapy (electrophoresis, UHF, magnetic laser therapy, etc.).This therapeutic method plays a major role in the treatment of chronic prostatitis.
Traditional medicine to combat prostatitis offers infusions of hazel and aspen bark, pumpkin seeds and parsley juice.It should be noted that natural medicines should only be used in combination with the treatment prescribed by a doctor.Otherwise, the disease may develop, which leads to bad consequences.
As a result of prostatitis
Complications of this disease are quite serious.Here are the main ones:
- Loss of sexual desire and erection.Against the background of this deviation, men often experience impotence, which most often has a psychological cause;
- Infertility;
- Formation of cysts and stones in the prostate gland;
- Sclerosis of the prostate is a replacement of the functional tissue of the scar gland, which causes a disruption of its function;
- Prostate adenoma is a benign tumor of the prostate gland that can only be removed surgically;
- Prostate cancer.It is the result of an untreated adenoma.
Considering how easy prostatitis is to treat in the early stages and how serious the consequences are, men should put aside false modesty and consult a doctor before it's too late.
Prevention of prostatitis
Simple recommendations will help prevent prostatitis:
- Lead an active lifestyle.Morning exercises are the best option, squats are very useful;
- Take a contrast shower, visit a bathhouse, ideally before sex;
- Establish a regular sex life;
- Avoid stressful situations;
- Don't be too cold.It is better to equip the seats in the car with heating;
- Avoid cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, which increase blood pressure.
A healthy lifestyle never hurts anyone, and it also plays a major role in the prevention of prostatitis.
Timely diagnosis and accurate treatment of prostatitis is the guarantee of successful recovery.Healthy!