Prostatitis is a common urological disease that can occur in all men over the age of 30, and the probability of its occurrence only increases every year. This disease causes serious problems for men: acute prostatitis leads to depression, decreased libido, and generally disrupts the urogenital system; a chronic condition causes diseases of the urological sphere, infertility, impotence.
general information
Prostatitis is an inflammatory disorder of the prostate, an organ that only affects men. Vas performs three
its most important functions:
- secretory - produces a special enzyme that regulates the viscosity of sperm and ensures the viability of male germ cells for successful fertilization of the egg;
- motor - regulates the muscle tissue of the urethral sphincter, as a result of which the proper outflow of urine occurs and the secretion of the prostate is released during ejaculation;
- barrier - prevents the penetration of infectious agents into the upper urinary tract from the urethra, provides an antibacterial barrier as part of the male immune system.
In prostatitis, the prostate becomes enlarged and begins to compress the urethra, which interferes with the normal flow of urine. The organ itself cannot fully perform its functions due to inflammation.
The reasons
The source of men's health problems - prostatitis - can develop due to the following reasons:
- Presence of congestion in the pool area. Most often, such blood stasis occurs due to a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle and excess weight.
- Infectious infection of the prostate. It can be descending (through the urine) or ascending (through the urethra), entering the prostate along with blood or lymph nodes.
The development of prostatitis usually occurs due to the presence of certain risk factors:
- lack of physical activity;
- maintaining a sedentary lifestyle;
- irregular sex life;
- hypothermia, especially involving the pelvis;
- the presence of injuries in the pelvic area;
- weakened immunity;
- malnutrition with a lot of sweet, fatty and fried foods;
- the presence of bad habits;
- infection with sexually transmitted infections.
Types
According to the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases), 4 types of prostatitis are distinguished:
- Acute prostatitis.
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis.
- Chronic prostatitis is non-bacterial, inflammatory and non-inflammatory.
- Chronic prostatitis, asymptomatic.
In the acute form of the disease, the symptoms appear strongly and clearly, and the inflammatory process develops rapidly. Common causes are infection of the prostate with infectious agents entering from the urethra or blood.
Chronic bacterial form - acute prostatitis that did not heal in time. The development of the pathological condition is facilitated by the same factors that affect acute inflammation - infections of the urogenital system and blood stasis in the pelvic organs.
Non-bacterial chronic prostatitis (also known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome) occurs most often in older men. It can develop both against the background of impaired functioning of the prostate and as a result of the body's autoimmune reaction.
Chronic asymptomatic prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland during which patients do not experience any discomfort.
Clinic
The clinical picture of acute prostatitis has very vivid manifestations that cannot be ignored and are very difficult to live with:
- an increase in body temperature above 38 ° C;
- chills with sweating and weakness;
- severe pain in the lower abdomen, perineum, genitals;
- urinary disorder - difficulty, pain, acute urinary retention.
With the problem of chronic prostatitis, there are similar, but less pronounced symptoms, which are often ignored:
- dull aching pain in the perineum and lower abdomen, radiating to the sacrum and genitals;
- difficult urination, painful and rapid, with compelling (sharp and irresistible) urges, most often at night;
- erectile dysfunction;
- decrease in the quality and duration of sexual intercourse;
- a decrease in the severity of orgasm.
The asymptomatic course of prostatitis occurs without the patient's complaints. The problem is discovered accidentally during prostate and/or urine tests.
Diagnostic methods
If prostatitis is suspected, the doctor prepares a diagnosis, the first step of which is to clarify the complaints and study the medical history. Information is collected on all symptoms and their development. The following activities are followed:
- Palpation of the prostate through the rectum to identify the size, density and pain of the organ. During probing, the secretion of the gland is also collected for further bacteriological analysis. The purpose of the test is to rule out several diagnoses: adenoma or prostate cancer, rectal cancer.
- Ultrasound and TRUS to supplement and clarify the data obtained during palpation.
- Bacteriological analysis of prostate secretions to detect infection and determine the type of pathogens. Data is needed to select and prescribe antibiotics.
- Blood test to determine the level of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) - allows to rule out adenoma and gland cancer.
- Biopsy - examining a sample of prostate tissue under a microscope to confirm or rule out adenoma and cancer.
Treatment
Modern urology considers three types of treatment for acute prostatitis and exacerbation of the chronic form of the disease:
- medicine;
- surgical;
- physiotherapy.
Drug exposure includes taking antibiotics from the penicillin, fluoroquinolone, macrolide, tetracycline, cephalosporin, or aminoglycoside groups. The specific medicine is prescribed by the doctor, depending on which infectious agent caused the inflammation. In addition, patients are prescribed:
- anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce fever;
- pain relievers;
- antispasmodics to normalize the outflow of urine;
- alpha-blockers to relieve symptoms and restore healthy urination.
In the absence of the effect of medicines or in the case of advanced acute prostatitis, the doctor may prescribe a surgical intervention, during which either the entire prostate gland or a part of it is removed. The operation is necessary for patients who have simultaneous problems: stones in the prostate or benign and malignant tumors.
Physiotherapy is a supplement to drug treatment and can only be performed after the acute inflammatory process has been eliminated. Patients are shown:
- massage;
- exercise therapy (physiotherapy);
- magnetotherapy;
- ultrasound treatment;
- electrical stimulation;
- microwave and laser exposure;
- reflexology.
The appointment of a specific type of procedure is carried out by the attending physician.
In case of chronic prostatitis, during remission, the patient should do the following:
- undergo regular examination and, if necessary, antibiotic treatment;
- eat right, avoid exhaustion and the appearance of excess weight;
- protects the body from hypothermia;
- participate in exercise therapy, and the exercises should strengthen the muscles of the lower abdomen and pelvic floor;
- have a regular sex life;
- get rid of bad habits.
Prostate massage is also a useful procedure, thanks to which the blood circulation and secretion outflow in the organ improves, and this helps to prevent the recurrence of the acute stage of the disease.
Complications
Complications of prostatitis manifest both in the prostate gland and in the organs surrounding it, which is due to the anatomical location. In an acute form, infectious agents can reach the bladder and kidneys, inflammation - to the fatty tissue of the gland, the venous plexus and the rectum.
The chronic disease is dangerous because it affects not only the tissues and organs surrounding the prostate, but also the nervous, urological and reproductive areas.
Possible complications of acute prostatitis:
- abscess;
- phlebitis of the venous plexuses in the pelvis;
- inflammation of adipose tissue;
- orchitis;
- epididymitis;
- vesiculitis;
- pyelonephritis.
Chronic prostatitis causes the following complications:
- chronic pain syndrome;
- sexual dysfunction;
- infertility;
- violation of the urination process;
- general deterioration of the quality of life.
impotence and infertility
The two most common problems associated with prostatitis are impotence and infertility. The development of certain conditions occurs against the background of chronic damage to the prostate gland.
Impotence (erectile dysfunction) manifests itself in 40% of cases of neglected and untreated prostatitis. The development of complications occurs over a long period of time, sometimes for years. Reasons:
- damage to the prostate with poor passage of nerve impulses and failure of hormone production;
- deterioration of control over the pelvic muscles responsible for the formation of an erection;
- psychological uncertainty;
- pain syndrome that causes fear of possible failure in bed.
It is impossible to talk about the unconditional relationship between prostatitis and infertility. This disease has an indirect effect on a man's reproductive capacity, and only in the case of an advanced chronic course. Causes of fertility problems due to prostate damage:
- decrease in the quality of semen;
- decrease in sperm count and motility;
- the presence of germ cell damage and defects;
- scarring of the vas deferens;
- failure of the secretory function;
- testicular dysfunction.
In acute prostatitis, spermatozoa are damaged, their quality and motility deteriorate, defects develop, and fewer male germ cells are formed.
Prevention
Prostatitis can be prevented, but several preventive recommendations must be followed continuously:
- leading a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, reasonable physical and sexual activity, and the absence of bad habits;
- take part in physiotherapy exercises aimed at eliminating congestion of the pelvic organs and strengthening the pelvic muscles;
- timely conduct examinations by a urologist and andrologist;
- beware of hypothermia.
Prostatitis is a serious disease of the urological sphere that can cause significant damage to the male body. It is very important to pay attention to the first signs of its appearance and visit specialists who prescribe a full treatment. Without this, the acute condition can become chronic and cause even greater health problems.