Pain during urination, burning sensation in the urethra, erection problems and frequent trips to the toilet are all signs of an inflammatory process in the prostate. What is prostatitis? The disease is multifactorial, the etiology of which is a combination of inflammatory factors that cause inflammation. In medical practice, it is classified according to the pathological course, pathogenesis and other aspects. Think about what causes 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 a glandular organ is. The prostate is the male internal organ. Reminiscent of "heart" or "chestnut" in appearance. Ancient physicians called this organ the "second man's heart. "
The functionality of the glandular organ is as follows:
- Production of a secretion containing a liquid with a specific odor;
- Protection of the prostate gland from infections;
- Maintain full erectile function;
- Synthesis of the hormone testosterone;
- Ensuring a normal urinary excretion process.
Production of secretions in the prostate is always observed. In healthy members of the stronger sex, sperm enter the urethra during secretion. Prostatic secretion increases sperm volume, helps maintain vital sperm function.
It should be noted that prostatitis is a common disease diagnosed in 80% of men, 30% of whom are diagnosed in the age group of 20-40 years. According to static studies, pathology is observed in every tenth man.
If an ultrasound examination reveals swelling of the prostate gland, foci of inflammation inside, it is prostatitis. In most clinical pictures, the inflammatory process continues with the formation of calculus. The male organ is surrounded by the urethral canal and seminal ducts, and edema leads to compression of the ureter. As a result, the dominant symptom of the disease is revealed - problems with urination - pain, cramps, burning.
When an inflammatory process occurs, the qualitative and quantitative composition of prostate juice changes, resulting in decreased sexual desire, worsening erection, decreased strength.
Causes and symptoms of prostatitis
Speaking of prostatitis, it is impossible to say the exact cause of the inflammatory process. Many doctors agree that the etiology is based on a combination of certain factors.
The appearance of prostatitis is due to the following reasons:
- Infectious pathologies transmitted during sexual intercourse.
- Disorders of blood circulation in the pelvic organs. This leads to a sedentary lifestyle, extremely tight underwear, jeans.
- Damage to the perineal organs causes poor blood circulation.
- Frequent hypothermia, the presence of chronic pathologies of the reproductive system.
- Hormonal imbalance, irregular sex life, prolonged abstinence.
- Inflammation of the rectum can lead to the development of prostatitis.
- Constipation of a chronic nature.
- Decreased immune status. The main sources include chronic stress, bad eating habits, alcohol consumption, smoking, unbalanced diet.
- Urological infections such as gonorrhea.
In fact, there are many reasons for the onset of the pathological process. Only by identifying the trigger can we make a favorable prognosis.
Prostatitis is acute and chronic. In the first case, the man's body temperature rises significantly, frequent trips to the toilet are observed, accompanied by severe pain syndrome and a weak pressure of urine flow. Such a clinic is often accompanied by a burning sensation in the perineum, pain in the rectum during bowel movements.
Worth to know:with purulent inflammation of the prostate gland and the opening of the abscess, there is a discharge of purulent masses from the urethra or rectum.
In the chronic course of the pathology, the symptoms are not very clear. Patients are diagnosed with the following clinics:
- Low-grade fever that does not subside for a long time;
- Pain in the groin area;
- Problems with bowel movements;
- Constant fatigue, unreasonable nervousness and irritability.
Difficulty urinating is a special danger against the background of inflammation in the glandular organ. In the absence of adequate 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, microbes, a little less the simplest microorganisms or fungi.
In the absence of therapy for an acute pathological form, it becomes a chronic course, which can lead to a complication in the form of benign hyperplasia of the glandular organ. The symptoms are not acute, which is a danger 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.
Important:Bacterial prostatitis is acute and chronic. Inflammation is caused by bacteria - Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enterococci, Klebsiella. This type is most often diagnosed in men between the ages of 20 and 40, and is associated with other types of prostatitis, occurring in 5-10% of clinical pictures.
Other types of inflammation in the prostate gland:
- The calcified form of prostatitis is characterized by an inflammatory process that develops as a result of the formation of stones in the prostate. It is often diagnosed in elderly patients who neglect drug treatment of the acute form. Neglected calculus causes reproductive dysfunction, infertility, impotence, adenomas and other complications.
- The stagnant form of the disease persists in the most chronic form, the etiology is not contagious. The main reason is the stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs, for example, the stagnation of prostate secretions due to impaired blood circulation in the pelvis or an irregular intimate life.
- An infectious disease develops due to the activity of pathogenic bacteria, and in most images tests detect E. coli. There is an acute and chronic course, the clinic is similar to the types of bacteria.
- A purulent form is the most dangerous type of pathology. In medicine, purulent prostatitis is classified into other types. Catarrhal develops with the development of sore throat and influenza against the background of weak immune status. Follicular prostatitis is the second stage of an already purulent disease; There is a discharge of pus from the prostate, accompanied by severe pain syndrome and high body temperature. The parenchymal form is a severe form that requires timely treatment. With abscesses of glandular organ tissues, they speak of abscess disease; therapy should be started immediately as there is a risk of sepsis.
The treatment regimen for inflammation of the prostate gland is associated with a particular type of pathology, respectively, and can vary significantly. You can combine medications with physiotherapy procedures and alternative therapies.
Diagnosis of prostatitis
To diagnose inflammation, the doctor collects the patient's medical history, and then prescribes laboratory and instrumental research methods. They allow you to make an error-free diagnosis based on certain indicators.
Fact:You can suspect prostatitis with a rectal examination of the prostate gland. Pain in the anterior rectal region and an increase in organ size are characteristic signs of inflammation.
The following diagnostic methods are prescribed after rectal palpation:
- Ultrasound examination shows the size of the body, the symptoms of the inflammatory process, changes in the structure of soft tissues;
- The study of prostate secretion allows to determine its composition and abnormalities;
- Examination of a stain from the mucous membrane of the urethra and urethra will help identify sexually transmitted diseases;
- Assessment of hormonal status. Excessive hormonal substances can lead to pathological proliferation of glandular tissues, and a decrease in the concentration of hormones can lead to its dysfunction.
The medical professional is interested in the cause of the disease, not the inflammation itself, as it can be detected by palpation of the prostate gland. After all, determining the right stimulus allows you to determine an effective course of therapy.
Methods of treatment of the disease
Treatment of prostatitis is always a complex process that involves taking various medications. It is forbidden to use traditional therapies with the permission of the attending physician.
Therapeutic activities include:
- Antibacterial pills, immunostimulatory drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs. Dosage, frequency and duration of use are determined individually. Medicines can be bought at the pharmacy, most require a doctor's prescription.
- Physiotherapy manipulations - magnetic field, leech therapy, ultrasound and laser therapy.
- Prostate massage. It strengthens the reproductive system, normalizes blood circulation in the prostate and pelvic organs.
Traditional therapies include herbal solutions and infusions. Patient reviews note the high therapeutic efficacy of red carrot, licorice and marshmallow rhizomes.
Important:To treat prostatitis, you must strictly adhere to the prescribed treatment regimen. Self-administration of drugs, even the most effective drugs, may not give the desired result. There is no single therapy tactic: helping one patient hurts another patient.
Preventive measures
Prostatitis is one of the easiest pathologies to prevent. Doctors have long been developing preventive measures to rule out the disease. Prevention is primary and secondary. In the second case, it is designed to prevent the recurrence of a chronic disease.
Preventive measures:
- Physical activity;
- Regular sexual intercourse;
- Exclusion of illicit sex;
- Timely treatment of all accompanying pathologies;
- Prophylactic examinations by a urologist;
- Rational nutrition, giving up bad eating habits.
Prevention of inflammation of the prostate gland does not require much time and investment, and the effectiveness of the measures is undeniable.
Prostatitis is a common disease. The self-medication rate is very low. Lack of adequate therapy leads to a chronic disease that occasionally worsens and can provoke organ hyperplasia or oncology.