Prostatitis in men is the most common urological disease among men. According to statistics, the number of men with this diagnosis reaches 8% of the male population of the whole world, of which 1/3 are the owners of the chronic form of the disease. In 40% of cases, chronic prostatitis in men is detected before the age of 40.
A distinctive feature of prostatitis is that its acute form is almost completely absent. As soon as it appears, it immediately takes a chronic form.
There are fewer cases of complete recovery (spontaneous or as a result of treatment) after the initial acute phase. The course of the disease is very slow and the symptoms of prostatitis are often lessened. Prostatitis occurs in three main syndromes: painful, sexual and dysuric.
Causes of prostatitis in men
The causes of prostatitis are infections, stagnation in the prostate gland and a combination of these two factors. One of the predisposing factors for the development of chronic prostatitis is also the presence of benign hyperplasia in the patient.
Infection can enter the prostate gland as follows:
- through the urethra through sexual contact, as a complication after infectious urethritis;
- through the blood from existing infections in the body (carious teeth, sinusitis, pneumonia and others);
- through the lymph from inflamed internal organs (intestinal dysbiosis, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the rectum).
Most often, prostatitis in men is non-infectious in nature (bacterial prostatitis). Its main reason is a violation of blood circulation in the prostate and surrounding organs due to stagnation of the secretions contained in it.
In the prostate gland, stagnation of secretion may occur due to the following factors:
- prolonged sexual abstinence;
- unrealized sexual contact after sexual arousal;
- broken relationship;
- defective ejaculation.
Predisposing factors for the development of prostatitis:
- irregular sex life;
- hypothermia;
- hypodynamia;
- chronic stress;
- chronic alcoholism and others.
Symptoms of prostatitis in men
- pain in the genital area;
- pain in the groin, perineum, suprapubic region;
- frequent need to urinate;
- painful sensations when urinating;
- pain with ejaculation;
- faulty erection or lack thereof.
Most often, chronic prostatitis is predisposed to neurasthenia caused by the above disorders.
Pain in prostatitis, as a rule, is radiating in nature, that is, it radiates to the sacrum, perineum or scrotum. From the prostate there are nerve endings to all organs of the small pelvis, so the pain is often given to the lower back. Their intensity is different, from subtle to pronounced, which even interrupts sleep. The pain can intensify, weaken with sexual abstinence or, conversely, manifest itself with excessive sexual activity or ejaculation. It should be noted that pain in the sacrum does not always indicate prostatitis, but can also indicate osteochondrosis.
How prostatitis manifests itself in men of a chronic form, here the situation is completely different. Its course is undulatory; periodic exacerbations are replaced by more or less prolonged remissions, during which the disease does not manifest itself in any way. In this case, men rarely go to the doctor, preferring to sit at home. However, this is not a way out of the situation, as prostatitis in men, its exacerbation, will progress over time. And, spreading through the genitourinary system, it will lead to the appearance of cystitis and pyelonephritis.
Prostatitis in men: consequences
As a rule, patients with acute prostatitis seek medical help in a timely manner. But if you do not turn to a urologist in time, then there is a high probability of focal purulent inflammation - an abscess of the prostate gland. In this case the body temperature can rise up to 39-40 ° C, becomes frantic (the lowering of the body temperature exceeds 1 ° C) and the intense fever is periodically replaced by chills. 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 for men themselves, they rarely bring themselves to such a state.
Vesiculitis is one of the most common complications of prostatitis, when the seminal vesicles become inflamed. And also epididymo-orchitis, characterized by inflammation of the testicles and their appendages. Treatment of chronic prostatitis in men caused by these diseases 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 which developed as a result of sexually transmitted diseases. How to treat prostatitis in men and drug treatment of any form is prescribed by a urologist.
Treatment of prostatitis in men
How to treat prostatitis in men depends on the form of the disease and its appearance. In the treatment of acute prostatitis, antibiotics are used, which penetrate well into the tissue of the prostate gland. The prescribing specialist must take into account 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 at all, patients with acute prostatitis are treated only on an outpatient basis. Only patients with signs of severe and severe intoxication are subject to hospitalization. Such physiotherapeutic methods are widely used: magnetic laser inductotherapy, reflexology, ultrasound, treatment of prostatitis with leeches. A good effect can be achieved using herbal preparations (phytotherapy), enzymes, cytomediators, immunomodulators. Surgery for prostatitis is indicated in the following cases:
- an abscess of the prostate (trans-urethral or transrectal drainage of the abscess);
- acute urinary retention (puncture epicystostomy).
Treatment of chronic prostatitis in men is carried out on an outpatient basis, but for a longer period. In addition to the use of antibiotics, suppositories and spa treatments, prostate massage and reflexology are performed. In addition, patients with prostatitis are recommended to have an active lifestyle and the exclusion from the use of alcoholic beverages and spicy foods.
Prevention of prostatitis in men
Timely treatment of prostatitis in men, as well as its prevention, contributes to a speedy recovery. As a preventive measure to prevent the development of chronic prostatitis, it is recommended:
- regular sex life;
- properly selected diet (varied and nutritious food with the exception of spicy and irritating foods);
- not alcohol abuse;
- moderate physical activity aimed at improving blood circulation in the organs of the genitourinary system and strengthening the muscles, Kegel exercises (tension of the muscles of the perineum with retraction of the anus);
- adequate and timely treatment of infectious diseases of other organs;
- prevention of stagnation in the small pelvis with physiotherapy methods.
To exclude recurrence of the disease - secondary prevention of prostatitis, which includes primary prevention and:
- regular preventive examinations with a urologist;
- passing courses of preventive treatment with fortifying, multivitamin methods;
- physiotherapy methods (especially in spring and autumn).