Pain when urinating, burning sensation in the urethra, erection problems and frequent trips to the toilet are all symptoms of an inflammatory process in the prostate. What is prostatitis? The disease is multifactorial, the etiology is due to a combination of factors that cause inflammation. In medical practice, pathology is classified according to course, pathogenesis and other aspects. Let's look at what causes lead to the disease, what symptoms it manifests and how it is treated.
What is prostatitis?
To understand what prostatitis is in men, you need to know what the glandular organ is. The prostate is a male internal organ. In appearance, it looks like a "heart" or a "chestnut". Ancient physicians called this organ "the second male heart".
The functionality of the glandular organ is as follows:
- Production of a secret, which is a liquid with a specific smell.
- Protect the prostate from infections.
- Maintaining full erectile function.
- Synthesis of the hormone testosterone
- Ensure the normal urination process.
The production of secretions in the prostate is constantly observed. In healthy members of the stronger sex, it enters the urethra in the process of sperm secretion. Prostate secretion increases sperm volume, helps maintain vital sperm activity.
For your information, prostatitis is a common disease that is diagnosed in 80% of men, of which 30% are diagnosed at the age of 20-40 years. According to static studies, the pathology is observed in every tenth man.
If an ultrasound examination reveals swelling of the prostate gland, foci of inflammation in it, then it is prostatitis. In most clinical pictures, the inflammatory process progresses along with the formation of calcium. The male organ is surrounded by the urethra and seminal vesicles and the swelling leads to compression of the ureter. As a result, the predominant symptom of the disease is revealed - problems urinating - pain, cramps, burning.
When an inflammatory process occurs, the qualitative and quantitative composition of prostate juice changes, as a result, sexual desire decreases, erection worsens, strength decreases.
Causes and symptoms of prostatitis
Speaking of prostatitis, it is impossible to mention the exact cause of the inflammatory process. Many doctors agree that the etiology is based on a combination of certain factors.
The onset of prostatitis is due to the following reasons:
- Infectious diseases transmitted during intercourse.
- Violation of blood circulation in the pelvic organs. This leads to an inactive lifestyle, too tight underwear, jeans.
- Injury to the perineal organs, causing poor circulation.
- Frequent hypothermia, the presence of chronic pathologies of the reproductive system.
- Hormonal imbalance, irregular sex life, prolonged abstinence.
- Inflammation of the rectum can cause prostatitis to develop.
- Chronic constipation.
- Decreased immune status. The main sources include chronic stress, unhealthy eating habits, alcohol consumption, smoking, unbalanced diet.
- Urological infections such as gonorrhea.
In fact, there are many reasons to start the pathological process. Only by determining the provoking factor can we speak of a favorable prognosis.
Prostatitis is acute and chronic. In the first case, a man's body temperature rises significantly, there are frequent trips to the toilet, accompanied by severe pain syndrome and weak pressure of urine flow. Often, such a clinic is accompanied by a burning sensation in the perineum, painful sensations in the rectum during bowel movements.
Worth to know:with purulent inflammation of the prostate and opening of the abscess, a purulent mass is secreted from the urethra or rectum.
In the chronic course of the pathology, the symptoms are not very intense. Patients are diagnosed with the following clinic:
- Low-grade fever that does not go away for a long time.
- Pain in the genital area
- Problems with bowel movements.
- Constant fatigue, irrational nervousness and irritability.
Difficulty urinating is a particular risk in the context of inflammation in the glandular organ. If there is not enough treatment, it can lead to serious consequences - acute urinary retention.
Types of prostatitis
So, to learn everything about prostatitis in men, you need to consider the forms of the disease. First of all, there is an acute and chronic inflammatory process. The name "sharp" speaks for itself. This indicates that there is an inflammatory process caused by infections. In most cases, germs, somewhat less often the simplest microorganisms or fungi.
In the absence of treatment for an acute form of pathology, it turns into a chronic course, it can give a complication in the form of benign glandular hyperplasia. The symptoms are not pronounced, which is the risk of this type of disease.
The etiology of chronic prostatitis is due to pathogenic microorganisms and other causes. For example, the phenomenon of stagnation in the pelvic organs, age-related changes.
Great:Bacterial prostatitis is acute and chronic. Inflammation is caused by bacteria - Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enterococci, Klebsiella. Most often, this type is diagnosed in men from 20 to 40 years, compared to other types of prostatitis, it occurs in 5-10% of clinical pictures.
Other types of inflammation in the prostate gland:
- The huge form of prostatitis is characterized by an inflammatory process that develops as a result of the formation of stones in the prostate. It is most often diagnosed in elderly patients who have neglected the acute form of medication. A neglected accounting illness leads to reduced reproductive function, infertility, impotence, adenoma and other complications.
- The stagnant form of the disease occurs most often in a chronic form, the etiology is non-infectious. The main reason is the stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs, for example, in case of disturbance of blood circulation in the pelvis or stagnation of prostate secretions due to an irregular intimate life.
- An infectious disease develops due to the activity of pathogenic bacteria, in most images, the tests detect E. coli. There is an acute and chronic course, the clinic is similar to bacterial species.
- A purulent form is the most dangerous type of pathology. In medicine, purulent prostatitis is classified into other types. Catarrhal develops in the context of a weak immune system along with the progression of sore throat and flu. Follicular prostatitis is already the second stage of a purulent disease. there is a discharge of pus in the prostate, which is accompanied by severe pain syndrome and high body temperature. The parenchymal form is a serious form that requires timely treatment. With an abscess of the glandular tissues, they talk about an abscess. Treatment should be started immediately, as there is a threat of sepsis.
Treatment for prostate inflammation due to a particular type of pathology, respectively, can vary considerably. You can combine drugs with physiotherapy procedures and alternative therapies.
Diagnoses of prostatitis
To diagnose inflammation, the doctor collects the patient's anesthesia and then prescribes laboratory and organic research methods. They allow, based on certain indicators, to make a diagnosis without errors.
Fact:You can suspect prostatitis by having a proper prostate exam. Pain in the anterior anal area and an increase in the size of the organs are characteristic signs of inflammation.
Following rectal palpation, the following diagnostic methods are prescribed:
- Ultrasound examination reveals the size of the organ, the symptoms of the inflammatory process, the changes in the structure of the soft tissues.
- The study of prostate secretion allows you to determine its composition and deviations from the rule.
- The study of urine and a smear from the urethral mucosa will help identify sexually transmitted diseases
- Evaluation of the hormonal status. Excessive amounts of hormonal substances can lead to abnormal proliferation of glandular tissue and a decrease in the concentration of hormones can lead to its dysfunction.
In the diagnosis of a specialist, the inflammation itself is not interested, as it can be detected by palpation of the prostate, but the causes of the disease. Ultimately, determining the right trigger will allow you to prescribe an effective course of treatment.
Methods of treatment of diseases
Treating prostatitis is always a complicated process that involves taking various medications. The use of traditional methods of treatment with the permission of the treating physician is not prohibited.
Therapeutic activities include the following:
- Antibacterial pills, immunostimulatory drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs. Dosage, frequency and duration of use are determined separately. You can buy medicines at the pharmacy, many of which require a prescription.
- Physiotherapy manipulations - the use of magnetic field, leech therapy, ultrasound and laser therapy.
- Massage the prostate. It allows you to strengthen the reproductive system, normalize blood circulation to the prostate and pelvic organs.
Traditional methods of treatment include decoctions and infusions based on medicinal herbs. Patient reviews note the high therapeutic efficacy of red root, licorice and marshmallow roots.
Great:to treat prostatitis, you must strictly follow the prescribed treatment regimen. Self-administration of drugs, even the most effective, may not give the desired result. There is no treatment regimen: one that helps one patient harm the other patient.
Preventive actions
Prostatitis is one of those pathologies that is easier to avoid. Doctors have long developed preventive measures to rule out the disease. Prevention is primary and secondary. In the latter case, it is intended to prevent the recurrence of a chronic disease.
Precautions:
- Physical activity;
- Regular sexual intercourse
- Exclusion of indiscriminate sexual intercourse;
- Timely treatment of all simultaneous pathologies.
- Preventive examinations by a urologist.
- Rational nutrition, rejection of bad eating habits.
Preventing prostate inflammation does not require much time and capital investment, and the effectiveness of the measures is unquestionable.
Prostatitis is a common disease. The self-healing rate is very low. Lack of adequate treatment leads to a chronic course of the disease, which periodically worsens and can cause organ hyperplasia or oncology.