Painful urination, burning sensation in the urethra, erection problems and frequent trips to the bathroom are symptoms of an inflammatory process in the prostate. What is prostatitis? The disease is multifactorial, the etiology is due to a combination of triggers that lead to inflammation. In medical practice, pathology is classified according to course, pathogenesis, and other aspects. Let's consider what causes lead to the disease, what symptoms it manifests itself and how it is treated.
What is prostatitis?
To understand what is prostatitis in men, you need to know what the glandular organ is. The prostate is a male internal organ. In appearance, it resembles a "heart" or "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 odor;
- Protect the prostate gland from infections;
- Maintain full erectile function;
- Synthesis of the hormone testosterone;
- Ensuring the normal process of urination.
The production of secretions in the prostate is constantly observed. In healthy representatives of the stronger sex, it enters the urethra in the process of secreting sperm. Prostatic secretion increases the volume of semen, contributes to the maintenance of the vital activity of sperm.
For your information, prostatitis is a common disease diagnosed in 80% of men, of which 30% are diagnosed at the age of 20 to 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 this is prostatitis. In most clinical pictures, the inflammatory process progresses along with stone formation. The male organ is surrounded by the urethral canal and the seminal ducts and the 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, as a result, sexual desire decreases, erection worsens, potency decreases.
Causes and symptoms of prostatitis.
Speaking of prostatitis, it is impossible to name 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 that are transmitted during intercourse.
- Violation of blood circulation in the pelvic organs. This leads to an inactive lifestyle, too tight underwear, jeans.
- Injury to the organs of the perineum, causing poor circulation.
- Frequent hypothermia, presence of chronic pathologies of the reproductive system.
- Hormonal imbalance, irregular sex life, prolonged abstinence.
- Inflammation in the rectum can lead to the development of prostatitis.
- Chronic constipation.
- Decreased immune status. Primary sources include chronic stress, unhealthy 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 establishing 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, frequent trips to the bathroom are observed, accompanied by severe pain syndrome and weak pressure of the urine stream. Often this clinic is joined by a burning sensation in the perineum, painful sensations in the rectum during a bowel movement.
Worth knowing:with purulent inflammation of the prostate gland and opening of the abscess, there is a discharge of purulent masses from the urethral canal or rectum.
In the chronic course of the pathology, the symptoms are not very pronounced. Patients are diagnosed with the following clinic:
- Mild fever, which does not subside for a long time;
- Pain in the pubis;
- Problems with bowel movements;
- Constant fatigue, nervousness and irrational irritability.
Difficulty urinating is a particular danger against the background of inflammation in the glandular organ. In the absence of proper treatment, it can have 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, somewhat less often the simplest microorganisms or fungi.
In the absence of therapy for an acute form of pathology, it turns into a chronic course, it can give a complication in the form of benign hyperplasia of the glandular organ. The symptoms are not acutely expressed, which is the 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. The inflammation is caused by bacteria: Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococci, Klebsiella. Most often, this type is diagnosed in men aged 20-40 years, in relation to other types of prostatitis, it occurs in 5-10% of clinical pictures.
Other types of inflammation in the prostate gland:
- The calculous form of prostatitis is characterized by an inflammatory process that develops as a result of the formation of stones in the prostate. Most often it is diagnosed in patients of the elderly group who have neglected drug treatment in the acute form. Neglected stone disease leads to impaired reproductive function, infertility, impotence, adenoma, and other complications.
- The stagnant form of the disease most often proceeds chronically, the etiology is not infectious. The main reason is stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs, for example, in case of impaired blood circulation in the pelvis or stagnation of prostate secretions due to 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 the bacterial species.
- A purulent form is the most dangerous type of pathology. In medicine, purulent prostatitis is classified into other types. Catarrhal develops against the background of a weak immune status 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 prompt treatment. With an abscess of the tissues of the glandular organ, they speak of an abscess disease; therapy should be started immediately, as there is a threat of sepsis.
The treatment regimen for inflammation in the prostate gland is due to a specific type of pathology, respectively, it can differ significantly. You can combine medications with physical therapy procedures and alternative therapies.
Prostatitis diagnosis
To diagnose inflammation, the doctor collects the patient's anamnesis, and then prescribes laboratory and instrumental research methods. They allow, based on certain indicators, to make a diagnosis without errors.
Done:You can suspect prostatitis with a rectal exam of the prostate gland. Pain in the anterior rectal region and enlargement of the organs are characteristic signs of inflammation.
After rectal palpation, the following diagnostic methods are prescribed:
- Ultrasound examination reveals the size of the organ, symptoms of the inflammatory process, changes in the structure of soft tissues;
- The study of prostate secretion allows you to identify its composition and deviations from the norm;
- The study of urine and a smear of the mucous membrane of the urethra will help to determine the infectious diseases transmitted during sexual intercourse;
- Evaluation of hormonal status. An overabundance of hormonal substances can lead to pathological proliferation of the tissues of the glandular organ, and a decrease in the concentration of hormones can provoke their malfunction.
In the diagnosis of a specialist doctor, it is not the inflammation itself that is of interest, since it can be detected by palpating the prostate, but the causes of the disease. After all, determining the correct provoking factor allows you to prescribe an effective course of therapy.
Disease treatment methods
Treating prostatitis is always a complex process that includes taking various medications. It is not prohibited to use traditional methods of therapy with the permission of the attending physician.
Therapeutic activities include the following:
- Antibacterial pills, immunostimulating drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs. The dose, frequency and duration of use are determined individually. Medications can be purchased at the pharmacy, many of which require a prescription.
- Physiotherapy manipulations: the use of a magnetic field, leech therapy, ultrasound and laser treatment.
- Massaging the prostate gland. It allows you to strengthen the reproductive system, normalize blood circulation in the prostate and pelvic organs.
Traditional methods of therapy include decoctions and herbal teas. Patient reviews point to the high therapeutic efficacy of red root, licorice and marshmallow rhizomes.
Important:To cure prostatitis, you must strictly adhere to the prescribed treatment regimen. Self-administration of drugs, even the most effective, may not give the desired result. There is no single therapy tactic: what helps one patient harm the second patient.
Preventive actions
Prostatitis is one of those diseases easier to prevent. Doctors have long developed preventive measures to rule out the disease. Prevention is primary and secondary. In the second case, it is intended to prevent the recurrence of a chronic disease.
Preventive actions:
- Physical activity;
- Regular sexual intercourse;
- Exclusion of promiscuous sexual relations;
- Timely treatment of all concomitant pathologies;
- Preventive exams performed by a urologist;
- Rational nutrition, rejection of bad eating habits.
The prevention of inflammation of the prostate does not require a lot of time and investment of funds, and the effectiveness of the measures is undeniable.
Prostatitis is a common disease. The self-healing rate is very low. Lack of adequate therapy leads to a chronic course of the disease, which periodically worsens and can lead to hyperplasia or organ oncology.