Prostatitis is one of the most common urinary diseases in men.It is generally accepted that after 30 years, 30% of men suffer from prostatitis, after 40 - 40%, after 50 - 50%, etc.At the same time, the actual incidence is much higher than the registered rate, which is explained by the peculiarities of the diagnosis and the possibility of the disease occurring in a latent form.
The prostate is a small glandular-muscular organ located in the small pelvis below the bladder, covering the first part of the urethra (urethra).The prostate gland secretes a secretion that, when mixed with semen, maintains sperm activity and resistance to various adverse conditions.
When prostatitis occurs, many urination problems occur, sexual desire decreases and erectile function is impaired.The saddest thing is that without proper treatment, about 40% of patients face some form of infertility, because the prostate no longer produces enough high-quality secretions to ensure sperm mobility. It is important to remember that similar symptoms can occur not only with prostatitis but also with prostate adenoma and cancer.
Causes of prostatitis
There are four main types of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, nonbacterial prostatitis, and prostatitis.
In people under 35 years old, the disease often occurs in the form of acute bacterial prostatitis.Bacterial prostatitis is called when there is laboratory confirmation of the presence of infection.Usually this turns out to be chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gardnerellosis or gonorrhea.The infection enters the prostate from the urethra, bladder, rectum and through the blood and lymph vessels of the pelvis.However, recent studies demonstrate that in most cases, infection is caused by existing disorders in the structure of prostate tissue and blood circulation in it.In nonbacterial prostatitis, bacteria cannot be isolated, although this does not exclude their presence.
In older patients, chronic forms of the disease are more often diagnosed.Prostatodiniey refers to the presence of a clinical picture of prostatitis, thickening of prostate tissue without signs of inflammation.
Symptoms of prostatitis
Symptoms of prostatitis can be divided into 3 groups:
- urinary system disorders (frequent and painful urination, feeling that the bladder is not completely empty), pain in the lower abdomen;
- Sexual dysfunction (pain along the urethra and rectum during ejaculation, weak erection, premature ejaculation, loss of orgasm, etc.);
- increased anxiety and restlessness of a man, due to which the patient's attention is focused on his condition.
Acute prostatitis usually begins with an increase in body temperature to 39-40° C accompanied by fever and chills.Difficult and painful urination.Prostate swelling develops, which can cause acute urinary retention.
Chronic prostatitis progresses more calmly, but at any time, under adverse factors, an exacerbation can occur.There may be no symptoms.
complications
If not treated promptly, prostatitis can cause the following complications:
- Transition from acute to chronic prostatitis,
- bladder obstruction with acute urinary retention, requiring surgical treatment,
- the development of male infertility,
- narrowing and scarring of the urethra,
- recurrent cystitis,
- pyelonephritis and other kidney damage,
- abscess (suppuration) of the prostate, requiring surgical intervention,
- sepsis is a life-threatening complication that often develops in people with impaired immunity (diabetics, kidney failure).
What can you do?
If you experience the symptoms described above, try to contact a urologist as soon as possible.
What can doctors do?
The modern arsenal for diagnosing prostate disease is very wide.
Your doctor will order a bacterial test in your urine and prostatic secretions. To clarify the location of a urinary tract infection, different parts of the urine will be tested.In addition, the mandatory diagnostic method is a digital examination of the prostate. This procedure is not very exciting, but it is very informative.Your doctor may refer you for an ultrasound of the prostate and pelvic organs.If necessary, computed or magnetic nuclear tomography, cystoscopy, ureterography, and prostate enzyme testing are indicated.
When making a diagnosis, the doctor must rule out the presence of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.To quickly relieve pain in acute prostatitis, pain relievers and warm baths may be recommended.
Bacterial prostatitis requires mandatory prescription of antibiotics, the choice of which is carried out based on the results of the culture of secreted bacteria on a nutrient medium and the determination of the sensitivity of the pathogen to chemotherapy drugs.
Nonbacterial prostatitis is treated with anti-inflammatory medications.
Prevention of prostatitis
Avoid hypothermia and do not sit on cold objects. Follow a light diet (excluding alcohol, spicy foods, fried foods and canned foods).A regular sex life is also a way to prevent prostatitis (because one of the stimulating factors is stagnant sperm and frequent erections without subsequent ejaculation).Equally important is the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
In adulthood, every man should be examined regularly by a urologist (once a year).After prostatitis, preventive outpatient courses are carried out at least 2 times a year for a month and one course of treatment in a sanatorium.