In men, prostatitis is the most common urological disease. According to statistics, the number of men with this diagnosis can reach up to 8% of the male population worldwide, a third of whom own the chronic form of the disease. In 40% of cases, chronic prostatitis is detected in men before the age of 40.
The distinguishing feature of prostatitis is that its acute form is almost completely absent. As soon as it appears, it immediately takes a chronic form.
Cases of complete recovery (spontaneous or as a result of treatment) are small after the initial acute stage. The course of the disease is very slow, and the symptoms of prostatitis are often offset. Prostatitis manifests itself in three main syndromes: painful, sexual, and dysuric.
Causes of prostatitis in men
The causes of prostatitis are infections, stagnation of the prostate gland, and a combination of these two factors. One of the predisposing factors for the development of chronic prostatitis is the presence of benign hyperplasia in the patient.
The infection can enter the prostate as follows:
- through the urethra through sexual contact as a complication of infectious urethritis;
- infections in the body (carious teeth, sinusitis, pneumonia, and others) by the blood;
- through the lymph of internal inflamed organs (intestinal dysbiosis, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the rectum).
Most often, men’s prostatitis is non-infectious (abacterial prostatitis). The main cause is a violation of the blood circulation in the prostate and surrounding organs due to stagnation of the secretions contained in it.
Stagnation of secretions in the prostate gland can occur due to the following factors:
- prolonged sexual abstinence;
- no sexual contact occurred after sexual arousal;
- interrupted intercourse;
- faulty ejaculation.
Factors predisposing to prostatitis:
- irregular sex life;
- hypothermia;
- hypodynamics;
- chronic stress;
- chronic alcoholism and others.
Symptoms of prostatitis in men
- genital pain;
- pain in the groin, perineum, suprapubic region;
- frequent urination;
- painful feelings when urinating;
- pain with ejaculation;
- erectile dysfunction or lack thereof.
Very often, chronic prostatitis is predisposed to nerve weakness caused by the above disorders.
The pain of prostatitis is usually radiant in nature, i. e. , it radiates to the sacrum, perineum, or scrotum. Starting with the prostate, there are nerve endings in all the organs of the pelvis, so the pain is often given to the lower back. Their intensity varies - from subtle to pronounced, which even disrupts sleep. The pain may increase, weaken due to sexual abstinence, or, conversely, due to excessive sexual activity or ejaculation. It should be noted that sacral pain does not always indicate inflammation of the prostate - they may also indicate osteochondrosis.
How prostatitis manifests itself in chronic forms of men, the situation here is completely different. Its course is wave-like, with intermittent exacerbations replaced by more or less prolonged remissions in which the disease does not manifest in any way. In this case, men rarely see a doctor, preferring to sit at home. However, this is not a way out of the situation, as prostatitis in men, its worsening, progresses over time. Spreading through the urogenital system, this leads to the development of cystitis and pyelonephritis.
Prostatitis in men: consequences
<2_img_rxx>As a general rule, patients with acute prostatitis should seek medical attention in a timely manner. But if you don’t see a urologist in time, you’re more likely to have focal purulent inflammation - an abscess in the prostate gland. In this case, the body temperature may rise to 39-40 ° C, become hectic (a decrease in body temperature of more than 1 ° C), and intense fever is intermittently replaced by chills. The pain in the perineum is so pronounced that urination and defecation become extremely impossible. Gradually, the prostate gland swells and, as a result, urinary retention occurs. Fortunately, men themselves rarely bring themselves into this state.
Vesiculitis is one of the most common complications of prostatitis when the bladders become inflamed. And epididymo-orchitis, which is characterized by inflammation of the testes and their extremities. Chronic prostatitis caused by these diseases in men will be extremely difficult and time consuming.
Both diseases can lead to infertility. Everything described is more related to chronic prostatitis, which has a specific etiology and has developed as a result of sexually transmitted diseases. How to treat prostatitis in men and any form of medication is prescribed by a urologist.
Treatment of prostatitis in men
The treatment of prostatitis in men depends on the form and appearance of the disease. In the treatment of acute prostatitis, antibiotics are used that penetrate well into the tissue of the prostate gland. The prescriber should consider all the individual characteristics of the disease, the state of the body's immune system, and the presence of infectious agents. If the course of the disease is not complicated by anything, patients with acute prostatitis are treated only on an outpatient basis. Only patients with signs of severe and severe poisoning will be hospitalized. Such physiotherapy methods are widely used: magnetic laser induction therapy, reflexology, ultrasound, treatment of prostatitis with leeches. A good effect can be achieved by using herbal preparations (herbal medicines), enzymes, cytomediators, immunomodulators. Prostatitis surgery is indicated in the following cases:
- abscess of the prostate (trans-urethral or transrectal drainage of the abscess);
- acute urinary retention (defective epicystostomy).
Treatment of chronic prostatitis in men is performed on an outpatient basis but for a longer period of time. In addition to the use of antibiotics, suppositories and heat treatments, prostate massage and reflexology are also performed. In addition, patients with prostatitis are advised to exclude active lifestyles and alcoholic beverages and spicy foods from use.
Prevention of prostatitis in men
Timely treatment and prevention of prostatitis in men contributes to a speedy recovery. As a preventive measure to prevent the development of chronic prostatitis:
- regular sex life;
- well-chosen diet (varied and nutritious foods, with the exception of spicy and irritating foods);
- non-alcohol consumption;
- moderate physical activity aimed at improving blood circulation to the organs of the urogenital system and strengthening muscles, Kegel exercises (tension of the muscles of the perineum by retraction of the anus);
- appropriate and timely treatment of infectious diseases of other organs;
- prevention of pelvic stagnation by physiotherapy methods.
Exclusion of disease recurrence - secondary prevention of prostatitis, which includes primary prevention and:
- regular preventive examinations with a urologist;
- delivery of preventive cures with confirmatory methods, multivitamins;
- physiotherapy methods (especially in the spring and autumn periods).