Signs of prostatitis in men: symptoms, description and treatment

Prostatitis today is the leading disease in the group of men's diseases mainly transmitted through sexual contact. Its complications threaten infertility, decreased sexual desire and impotence.

Symptoms of prostatitis are not only pain, urinary disorders and inflammation of the spermatic cord. The most dangerous consequence of severe inflammation may be degenerative prostate cancer. Meanwhile, a timely diagnosed pathological process can be easily stopped.

Signs of disease

If a man discovers at least two of the following symptoms of prostatitis, he should immediately contact a qualified specialist:

• Urinary disorders with intermittent urine, weak and abnormally short urine stream, causing urine splashing, difficulty and pain before urinating. The frequent urge to empty the bladder occurs mainly at night.
• Pain is localized in the lower abdomen, spreading to the scrotum, perineum and rectum.
• Sexual dysfunction.
• Problems with ejaculation, changes in sperm (concentration, quantity).

Acute prostatitis

The disease begins with a sharp increase in temperature (up to 40 degrees), headache and fever. Symptoms appear with pain in the groin, perineum, back, discharge from the urethra, frequent urination and constant urge to urinate.

Bladder emptying occurs slowly and there is a burning sensation. Urine becomes cloudy and may contain blood. Irritability and fatigue occur.

The outcome of acute prostatitis can be a complete resolution of the process (if treatment is started promptly). Since changes occur in many pelvic organs, they cannot be left to chance, otherwise corresponding complications will arise:

• Seminal vesiculitis is an inflammation of the seminal vesicles, causing pus to appear in sperm, not only reducing semen quality but also leading to loss of reproductive function.
• Cholecystitis - inflammatory changes in the spermatic tube become the cause of severe pain during sexual intercourse, disruption of orgasm and psychological impotence.
• The formation of abscesses in the body of the prostate, rupture and purulent lesions in the rectum lead to exacerbation of symptoms, severe poisoning of the body, and even death.
• Stagnation in the tissues of the prostate leads to changes in their structure, disruption of nerve distribution, blood supply to both the gland and organs located nearby, disrupting function. of them. Erection becomes insufficient for full sexual intercourse, premature ejaculation and prolonged sexual intercourse without orgasm.
• Scarring changes in the gland and spermatic cord lead to infertility, reduced sperm quality and sperm motility. Narrowing of the urethra prevents normal urination; Bladder obstruction can cause acute urinary retention, requiring urgent surgical care.

Chronic prostatitis

The main feature of the disease is the vagueness of clinical symptoms with a long and persistent course. Most often, the chronic form occurs independently, as a main pathology against the background of stagnation of blood in the vessels (prostate), bacterial prostatitis.

The main symptoms of chronic prostatitis are:

• fever;
• pain occurs in the scrotum, perineum, anus, back;
• urinary disorders;
• mucus or pus discharge from the rectum or urethra, even without urinating or defecating;
• erectile dysfunction, painful ejaculation, interrupted sexual intercourse, prolonged intercourse without feeling satisfied.

Inaction and improper treatment of chronic prostatitis can cause complications:

• Infertility results from chronic inflammation of the spermatic cord, seminal vesicles, testicles, and their appendages.
• Cystitis, pyelonephritis (other diseases of the genitourinary system) are a consequence of hematogenous and mechanical spread of bacteria.
• Sepsis.
• Continuously reduced immunity.
• Untreated prostatitis can cause cancer in 35–40% of cases.

Diagnose

The clinical picture of the disease is typical so diagnosis is not difficult. It is performed by a urologist based on the patient's medical history, medical examination, minimal tests using the most modern medical equipment:

• Rectal examination, taking secretions for testing (fluid culture determines sensitivity to antibiotics).
• UAC, UAM, urine bacterial culture.
• STD smear test, UGI test.
• Monitor daily urination rhythm, measure urination rate (uroflowmetry).
• For differential diagnosis, ultrasound or TRUS is performed.
• If cancer needs to be ruled out, a biopsy will be performed, an X-ray of the urinary tract will be taken, and PSA - prostate-specific antigen - will be determined.
• To diagnose infertility, a spermogram - an ejaculation analysis - is prescribed to determine male fertility.

Based on the results of the patient's examination, an individual plan for the treatment of complicated prostatitis will be drawn up. When prescribing the drug, the form of pathology and the presence of accompanying diseases will be taken into account. The decision about where therapy is performed (inpatient or outpatient) is made by the doctor. Treatment is performed with careful monitoring of laboratory results.

Treatment of acute prostatitis

Acute prostatitis requires bed rest, a special, salt-free diet, and sexual rest.

Course treatments:

• The most effective treatment for prostatitis is etiotropic therapy. If the cause of prostatitis is infection, then the use of antibacterial drugs is the top priority, which helps reduce inflammatory manifestations.
• Pain syndrome is alleviated by analgesics, antispasmodics, rectal suppositories, microenemas with warm analgesic solutions. NSAIDs may be used.
• Immunostimulants, immunomodulators, enzymes, vitamin complexes and combinations of trace elements have proven their effectiveness.
• Physiotherapy can only be performed in the subacute stage of the disease. They improve microcirculation and increase immunity: UHF, microwave, electrophoresis, laser, magnetic therapy.
• Massage is another effective method of affecting the prostate. It opens the ducts, normalizing blood circulation in the scrotum and pelvis.
• Acute hydronephrosis can be corrected by catheterization and trocar cystostomy.
• The purulent process involves surgical intervention.
• Consulting by a psychologist.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis

With long-term effects (at least a month) on the prostate, there is no guarantee of 100% cure. Prioritize herbal medicines, regulate immunity, and change family habits:

• Herbal preparations are widely used in urological practice. They can accumulate at the site of the most active pathological process, protect cells from oxidation, remove free radicals and prevent the growth of glandular tissue.
• Antibacterial therapy is selected individually, based on the sensitivity of bacteria to the drug.
• Immunity enhancing drugs not only help to cope with prostatitis, but also correct the negative effects of antibiotics that disrupt the function of the immune system.
• Pain syndrome is alleviated using alpha blockers and muscle relaxants.
• Prostate massage allows you to mechanically remove "excess" secretions of the gland through the urethra, improving blood circulation and minimizing congestion.
• Physical therapy: laser, magnet, ultrasound, iontophoresis, warm water bath or microbiome with herbs.
• In severe cases, intravenous fluids with diuretics are indicated. This stimulates abundant urine production, prevents symptoms of intoxication, the development of ascending cystitis and pyelonephritis.
• For constipation, herbal laxatives are used.
• The urologist and psychologist, together with the patient, develop a long-term program for each individual regarding daily routine, necessary rest, diet, physical activity according to dosage and activity. sexual activity.
• If the chronic process cannot be treated and the urine flow is blocked, surgical intervention is indicated: removal of all affected tissue (transurethral prostatectomy) or complete removal of the glandwith surrounding tissues (prostatectomy). Practiced in special cases, it causes impotence and urinary incontinence. Young people do not have surgery because it can cause infertility.

Symptoms and treatment of chronic prostatitis

Many men suffer from chronic prostatitis but they attribute the symptoms to other diseases or waste time on ineffective treatments. From our article you will learn comprehensive information about this male problem: causes, exact symptoms and diagnostic methods, various treatment methods.

Despite all the successes of modern medicine, diagnosing a disease such as chronic prostatitis still causes certain difficulties. This also negatively affected the effectiveness of his treatment.

Causes of chronic prostatitis

The causes of chronic prostatitis vary widely. Among the many negative factors that affect men's health, it is difficult to single out exactly those that provoke the development of the disease. Often this is the complexity of situations and circumstances that accompany a man's life.

The main causes of chronic bacterial prostatitis are as follows:

• arrhythmia (irregular) heartbeat during sex;
• physical inactivity, characteristic of overweight people;
• prolonged stress;
• the predominance of fatty foods in the diet;
• negative impact on the body in dangerous industries.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is the result of bacterial prostatitis that is not completely cured. Or the man ignores the illness and does not seek help from a urologist. Therefore, no treatment was performed.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis develops as a result of exposure to infectious agents in the context of reduced immunity. As a rule, such patients are diagnosed with diseases of the endocrine system.

Factors that stimulate the development of chronic bacterial prostatitis are:

• prostate surgery (if antibacterial treatment is not performed before surgery);
• refusal to use contraception;
• lack of habit of keeping the body clean.

Symptoms of chronic prostatitis

Today there are many myths associated with chronic prostatitis. For this reason, any temporary disturbance in sexual function is believed to be caused by this disease. You can often hear the opinion that decreased sexual desire and erectile dysfunction are due to prostatitis, and if you are an older man, it is due to chronic prostatitis.

This is not true because sexual dysfunction has many other causes and the main symptom of chronic prostatitis is pain. All other signs can be considered simultaneous and indirect.

Chronic prostatitis is often confused with pelvic pain syndrome because the symptoms of these diseases are largely similar. This is due to the formation of facial muscle areas near the prostate, which appear as a result of trauma and surgical intervention. Pain in these areas can be confused with symptoms of prostatitis.

When diagnosing the disease, complaints of pain and discomfort in the perineum and pelvis, lasting at least 3 months, appear. The pain is localized near the prostate, spreading to the sacrum, rectum and scrotum. With prolonged exposure to negative factors (carrying heavy objects, excessive physical activity, standing for a long time), pain increases.

The typical sign of the disease is premature ejaculation. Patients suffer from decreased sexual desire and erectile dysfunction. These symptoms are also characteristic of other genital tract diseases. Therefore, it cannot be said that they are a characteristic sign of chronic prostate disease.

An important symptom is the gradual loss of orgasm. If the patient begins to notice that the severity of the sensation during ejaculation has disappeared, this is a reason to take a more attentive attitude to his health and a signal about the need to visit a doctor. urologist.

The structure of the inflamed prostate becomes more dense, pressure on the urinary tract increases, and the quality of urination decreases. Patients with chronic prostatitis frequently urinate at night. The process of urine excretion is accompanied by a burning sensation, stinging and pain. Urinary incontinence often occurs.

Signs of chronic prostatitis can be fully or partially manifested. Much depends on the patient's health condition and the presence or absence of other diseases. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a wave-like course, with symptoms increasing and decreasing. With this disease, the inflammatory process is not acute.

Research methods in the laboratory

If chronic prostatitis is suspected, they first find out what its nature is: bacterial or bacterial. In the first case, it is necessary to identify the pathogen or pathogens and find out to which drugs they are sensitive. To do this, laboratory tests of urine and prostatic secretions are performed.

If, after a period of 10 days after DRE, the PSA test shows a prostate-specific antigen level exceeding 4. 0 ng/ml, this is a reason to refer the patient for a biopsy to rule out a cancerous process. letters.

The following research methods are recommended:

• scraping from the urethra;
• General and biochemical urinalysis;
• Prostate secretory LHC culture.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis

Treatment of chronic prostatitis requires an integrated approach. Medication alone is not enough. Physical therapy procedures and therapeutic exercises are necessary. In general, chronic prostatitis is difficult to treat and requires a radical review of lifestyle, changes in habits, and in some cases, a change in job. Urologists emphasize that there are only a few measures that will help completely eliminate the disease or ensure long-term remission.

Regardless of whether the disease is viral or bacterial in nature, blockages in the prostate play an important role in its formation. The mucus deposited in the ducts of the gland is a favorable environment for the growth of pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms. Therefore, the main attention should be directed to eliminating stagnation.

The problem can be solved by making lifestyle changes and incorporating physical therapy classes into the daily schedule.

Complex exercises have been developed suitable for different life situations:

• for men forced to sit most of the time (drivers, office workers, managers);
• for people with excess body weight;
• for people who don't have time to exercise.

After thinking about how to treat chronic prostatitis, you need to decide to seriously reconsider your attitude towards your health.

Treatment with medication

For chronic prostatitis, outpatient treatment is mainly performed. If the pathological process continues and cannot be relieved by this method, hospitalization is recommended. In the hospital, under the supervision of medical staff, there are more opportunities to comply with the regimen and monitor changes in the patient's condition.

Chronic prostatitis in men develops against the background of endocrine disorders. In this regard, it is recommended to take 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and alpha 1 blockers. They help normalize hormone levels and eliminate pathological symptoms.

An integrated approach includes taking medications such as:

Treatment methods for chronic bacterial prostatitis

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is treated with antibiotics. The most effective drug for a particular patient is determined using preliminary laboratory research on prostatic secretions.

There is no universal drug that can suppress and destroy pathogenic microflora. What helps one patient may not help another. For this reason, there are many negative reviews about drugs advertised for the treatment of chronic prostatitis.

The drugs recommended for antibacterial treatment are fluoroquinolones. Most bacteria are sensitive to them.

Herbal treatment

Many people doubt whether chronic prostatitis can be cured with herbal remedies. The answer to this question was obtained after many years of using these medicinal substances in urological practice.

Today, the following treatment complexes are recommended:

All of these drugs have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the male reproductive system. Chronic prostatitis can be effectively treated provided that urinary function is normalized. The ingredients in herbal medicine all perform this task. They help reduce the frequency of urges and eliminate sluggish flow syndrome.

For patients with chronic prostatitis, herbal mixtures containing pumpkin extract or pumpkin seeds are recommended. The latter has a unique chemical composition and acts in three directions at once:

• normalizes metabolism;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• Activates blood circulation in the pelvic organs.

Taking herbal medicine cannot be considered the main treatment method. These health-promoting agents are considered to be used concurrently with drug therapy.

Non-drug treatment

Non-drug treatments allow you to act directly on the prostate, increasing the concentration of drugs in its tissues and helping to eliminate blockages.

Today, non-pharmacological treatment focuses on laser therapy. The possibilities of this technique are very wide. Under the influence of laser rays, the following processes occur in the prostate:

• activates redox reactions;
• Blood microcirculation is improved;
• New capillaries are formed;
• Pathogenic microflora is inhibited;
• Cell division is activated, promoting tissue regeneration.

During research on the effects of laser therapy on prostatitis patients, a side but positive effect was observed for therapeutic purposes. Those who completed the course increased potency, eliminated erectile dysfunction and restored vitality. To achieve this result, it is necessary to use a beam of a specific wavelength. In general, low-intensity laser radiation is used to treat chronic prostatitis.

This technique can have several positive effects:

Patients can perform a laser treatment session on their own if the treating physician does not prescribe it.

Surgical treatment of chronic prostatitis

Chronic prostatitis does not threaten the patient's life, but can significantly reduce its quality. The most serious complication of this disease is the formation of stones in the tissues of the gland. To free it from prostate stones, transurethral resection is used.

Surgical intervention is performed under TRUS control.

If complications such as prostatic sclerosis occur, transurethral electrosurgery will be performed. If bladder neck sclerosis is observed in association with this pathology, partial prostatectomy is performed.

When the vas deferens and excretory ducts are obstructed, laparoscopic operations are indicated to eliminate the obstruction of the excretion. For this purpose, an incision is made into the seminal vesicles and excretory ducts. In the case of an abscess, the gland can be completely removed.

Exercises to treat chronic prostatitis

There are a number of exercises that stimulate the prostate, helping to reduce congestion. This complex was developed for patients with problems with the hip joint. Practice has shown that these exercises are also useful for people diagnosed with prostatitis. Classes can be conducted at convenient times, the complex will take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Exercise number 1

1. Lie on the exercise mat, stretch your arms straight up.
2. Bend your knees and pull them towards you, while spreading them in different directions.
3. Raise your pelvis as high as possible. Repeat 10-12 times.

Exercise number 2

Standing on the mat, perform a deep squat.

Repeat 10-12 times.

Exercise number 3

1. Lie on your stomach.
2. Lift one leg, then the other. Repeat 10-12 times.

Exercise number 4

They lie on their sides.

When performing this set of exercises, all movements must be rhythmic. This is the main condition to achieve high treatment effectiveness.

Prognosis of treatment

Very few men can completely cure chronic prostatitis. Prostatitis often goes into a long-term remission period. But when conditions trigger the pathology, the disease will relapse. The exacerbation begins with the appearance of pain in the prostate. Often they are accompanied by urinary disorders. At the first symptoms of a relapse, you should seek help from a specialist.

Patients should see a urologist regularly, at least every six months. With the same frequency, they conduct an examination of the state of the prostate and do a PSA test. By systematically monitoring the condition of the gland, the processes that cause disease recurrence can be identified in time. But even with long-term remission there is no guarantee that it will not be interrupted.

Patients must follow recommendations to prevent exacerbation of the disease. It is recommended to balance your diet by excluding fatty and spicy foods. The use of herbal remedies and traditional medicine must be approved by the treating physician. With this method, you can minimize the risk of exacerbation of chronic prostatitis.

Can you cure prostatitis yourself?

If there are severe symptoms, it is better to consult a specialist for treatment, the time factor plays a big role in treatment, because the longer the inflammation lasts, the more likely it is that irreversible changes will occur. The higher the recovery in the organ.

But it's better to prevent it yourself, no doctor will do it for you.

Avoid hypothermia, stagnation from prolonged sitting, sexually transmitted infections, irregular sex life - all this is an effective prevention of prostatitis.