How prostatitis manifests itself: symptoms and signs

Inflammation of the prostate gland today is a leader in the group of male diseases, mainly sexually transmitted. Its complications threaten infertility, decreased libido, impotence.

The first signs of prostatitis in men

Prostatitis is an inflammatory disease. This is one of the most common urological pathologies diagnosed in the stronger half of humanity.

This anomaly is most often found in men over the age of thirty, although the disease has recently become younger. Prostatitis should be treated by qualified specialists (urologists or andrologists), as there is a high probability of developing various complications.

healthy and diseased prostate

How is prostatitis treated?

With the help of drugs

  • NSAIDs - eliminates inflammation, fever and fever. They have a mild analgesic effect. With the onset of prostatitis, it is necessary to take a short treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs and vitamins to keep the gland in a normal state. Men are prescribed: Diclofenac, Nise, Voltaren, Nimesulide. The drugs are produced in suppositories, tablets, injections.
  • Antibiotics - designed to eliminate the infectious or bacteriological factor of inflammation. The treatment regimen for prostatitis is signed after the pathogen has been identified and its resistance to antibiotics has been tested. The course of treatment is 7-10 days. In severe cases, therapy is extended to two weeks.
  • Hormones are recommended when the usual course of medication is not helpful, as well as with a decrease in sexual desire due to an advanced disease. Hormone therapy is prohibited in the early stages. Medications are taken under the strict supervision of a urologist.
  • Symptomatic medications - Take aspirin tablets to relieve pain syndrome. Spasms are removed by No-shpa. Blockade with Novocain is indicated for persistent severe pain.
  • Vitamins and medications to keep the prostate gland functioning. During remission, it is recommended to take medications to normalize metabolism and improve blood supply and juice production to the glandular tissues. For this purpose, phytopreparations are prescribed: Prostamol-Uno, Prostat-forte, etc. A complex of vitamins and minerals is shown to strengthen the immune system: Duovit, Vitrum.

Self-medication is dangerous, it does more harm than good. You should consult a urologist before taking any of these medications.

With the use of physiotherapy

  • UHF and microwave oven.
  • Magnetotherapy.
  • Mud treatment.
  • Galvanization.
  • Ultrafonophoresis.
  • Laser treatment.
  • Heat treatment.

natural remedies

Diagnostics

To begin treatment of prostatitis in time, you should contact a qualified specialist who will conduct a thorough examination and make a correct diagnosis. The list of recommended diagnostic methods includes:

  • Blood tests - study of biochemical composition, PSA (prostate-specific antigen), general analysis and, if necessary, PCR.
  • Urine analysis - to conduct the study in different ways, the man is asked to urinate in several different bowls.
  • Scratching the surface of the urethral canal to detect an infectious pathogen.
  • Bacteriological culture of prostate secretion and urethral secretion to determine bacterial pathogen and its resistance to drugs.
  • Ultrasound of the prostate gland - allows you to assess the size and shape of the gland, the presence or absence of tissue fusion, adhesions and cicatricial changes.
prostate problems

A mandatory item in the diagnosis of prostatitis is a digital rectal examination. A finger examination allows the doctor to feel the gland and assess its density, structure, shape and size. Also, during the rectal examination, the secretion of the prostate is obtained, which is then sent for analysis. If additional examination methods are indicated, it is prescribed individually to a particular patient.

These may include measuring urine flow rate, magnetic resonance or computed tomography, pelvic radiography, and other methods.

Acute prostatitis

The disease begins with a sharp rise in temperature (up to 40 degrees), unbearable headache, fever. Symptoms include pain in the groin, perineum, back, discharge from the urethra, frequent urination, and a desire to urinate regularly.

Bladder emptying is delayed, with a burning sensation. The urine itself becomes cloudy and a mixture of blood may appear inside. There is irritation, fatigue.

The result of acute prostatitis can be a complete solution of the process (with timely treatment). Because of the changes in many organs of the small pelvis, they should not be left to chance, otherwise there will be appropriate complications:

  • Vesiculitis is an inflammation of the seminal vesicles that causes pus to form in the sperm, which not only reduces the quality of ejaculation, but also leads to loss of reproductive function.
  • Coliculitis - inflammatory changes in seminal tuberculosis lead to the development of severe pain during intercourse, cessation of orgasm, psychological impotence.
  • The formation of an abscess in the body of the prostate, its rupture, purulent damage to the rectum leads to exacerbation of symptoms, severe intoxication of the body, up to death.
  • Stagnation in the tissues of the prostate leads to changes in their structure, disruption of innervation, disruption of blood supply to both the gland itself and nearby organs, and dysfunction. An erection is insufficient for full-fledged sexual intercourse, premature ejaculation is observed, sexual intercourse lasting for a long time before the onset of orgasm.
  • In this case, cicatricial changes in the sperm cord lead to infertility, decreased sperm quality and sperm motility. Narrowing of the urethra interferes with the normal process of urination, obstruction of the bladder can lead to acute urinary retention, requires emergency surgery.

The main symptoms

As mentioned above, the disease can be chronic and acute. One of the most common and important symptoms is increased urination. A healthy man usually has no more than 10-11 urination calls per day (the normal number is 5-6 calls).

Inflammation of the prostate gland has a negative effect on the bladder, so in the presence of the disease will appear the following symptoms:

  • Increased number of requirements (daily urine volume remains unchanged).
  • Urine is excreted in small portions, which is associated with the reception of false signals from the bladder receptors due to the inflammatory process. Also, therefore, there may be a feeling that the bladder is full even after emptying.
  • Pain during urination is associated with narrowing of the urethra as a result of an inflammatory process in the prostate gland.
  • Difficulty urinating due to compression of certain parts of the urethra as a result of inflammation. In some cases, men are therefore unable to empty their bladder at all.
  • At night, the walls of the bladder begin to give false signals, which increases the number of trips to the toilet during sleep.
symptoms of prostatitis in men

Part of the diagnosis of prostatitis can be made by monitoring body temperature, along with problems with urination. If these problems are accompanied by an increase in temperature to subfebrile and febrile values, then we can most likely talk about the development of pathology. It should be noted that in the later stages of the disease, on the contrary, a decrease in body temperature to 35, 5-36 degrees can be observed, which in any case is an extremely negative and dangerous symptom, which should not be. be allowed.

In the middle stages of the disease, blood may be observed in the patient's urine. This symptom is relatively rare and often not indicative, but extremely dangerous. Purulent adhesions of the prostate may begin to manifest themselves as a result of damage to the prostate gland, as well as aggravation of the inflammatory process with hyperplasia. Treatment for this condition is complicated (often requires surgery).

Treatment should begin immediately after the first symptoms of the disease. At the very least, if it seems insignificant, but in some cases there are problems with urination, accompanied by fever and pain in the area of simplicity, then you should immediately make an appointment with a urologist. diagnosis. It is important to pay attention to the symptoms of the pathology described above, because prostatitis can be defeated quickly and painlessly only with timely treatment.

Why is the prostate gland inflamed?

In fact, there are only 2 main reasons:

  1. Infection. Prostatitis often develops due to an infection in the prostate gland. Infection can occur through the bladder, urethra, rectum, blood and lymph. It turns out that often prostatitis itself is a complication of the existing disease. Therefore, never self-medicate, you must first treat the source of infection. Cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis, CYBE (sexually transmitted infections) - this is understandable, they directly affect the prostate gland. Even untreated tonsillitis, sinusitis, influenza, caries can return to follow the inflammation of the prostate.
  2. Circulatory disorders. This may be due to structural features and spasms of the urethra, impaired nerve conduction and the work of the abdominal and pelvic muscles, as well as external factors.

However, the development of prostatitis depends primarily on predisposing factors:

  • Chaotic sex life. The abundance of sexual partners, especially unprotected intercourse - this depletes the immune system, which is constantly exposed to foreign microflora in female secretions. And sooner or later it fails.
  • Long abstinent. This is another extreme. Lack of sexual intercourse has a negative effect on a man's general condition, especially the prostate gland. Its secretion stagnates, blood circulation is disrupted, infection develops.
  • Masturbation. It seems that men try to avoid sexual intercourse through masturbation. However, this leads to a decrease in prostate tone, which becomes lethargic. Even prostatitis is isolated to another type - congestive.
  • Excess weight. In overweight men, the load on the pelvic organs, as well as the whole body in general, increases significantly. Blood supply is disrupted, which leads to prostatitis, hemorrhoids and a number of other diseases.
  • Hypothermia. All girls are told not to sit in the cold. But this also applies to men. At risk are those who love extreme winter fun, enthusiastic fishermen, old car owners (oh, how often I see men lying on cardboard under the car in the winter), even passengers on icy trains, as well as fashionistas in folded pants. hat. Yes, urinating outside in the winter can have serious consequences.
  • Inaction. Basically, this applies to the work process when you have to sit in one place for a long time: drivers, office workers. Crossing the legs is especially harmful, because the load on the prostate only increases.
  • Stress. Psychological problems, chronic sleep deprivation, and an overworked work schedule are all favorites for infections.
  • Limit the urge to urinate. Is 5 minutes kept in a busy work process worth the potential problems?
  • Bad habits. Well, where without them? Alcohol abuse and nicotine abuse only.
  • Malnutrition. Fatty, spicy, salty foods are a magnet for diseases of the pelvic organs.
  • background diseases. Any untreated infectious disease can be complicated by prostatitis.
  • Narrow underwear. As well as "fashionable" extreme skinny pants. They squeeze the small pelvis, disrupt blood circulation, cause swelling and inflammation.
  • Physical overload. Professional athletes, loaders, active visitors to gyms are at great risk.
  • Self-medication. Sometimes men are ashamed to admit their problems even to the doctor, try to crush the disease with various folk remedies, proven and not so good. However, it happens that you can not cope here without medication prescribed by a competent doctor.
The main causes of prostatitis

How is the disease diagnosed?

The diagnosis is made by a urologist or andrologistafter examining the patient, collecting anamnesis and studying the symptoms. The doctor should study the patient's method of contraception, the presence of STDs in the sexual partner, the possibility of anal intercourse without a condom. This information simplifies the diagnosis and directs the doctor's thinking in the right direction. Determining the onset of symptoms of the disease or discomfort in the perineum allows you to judge the course of prostatitis and its severity. The urologist must examine the patient's genitals and perform a rectal examination of the prostate gland. To do this, he inserts a finger into the patient's anus and grasps the anterior wall of the rectum with the protruding prostate. Pain and its size indicate the intensity of the inflammatory process.

The doctor then performs a series of instrumental, microscopic, bacteriological, and immunological examinations to determine the cause of the disease. The most common diagnostic method is a 4 or 3 bottle urine sample. The first method is more time consuming and difficult to implement in practice because it requires the patient to intentionally stop urinating several times. The second modification is simpler: the patient constantly urinates in three different coarse portions in equal parts. The first part talks about the condition of the urinary tract, the second about the pathology of the bladder and kidneys, the third part about the condition of the prostate gland. All collected material is examined under a microscope. In prostatitis, white blood cells and sometimes bacteria are found in the third part of the urine.

The secretion of the prostate gland is also taken for microscopy. To do this, the doctor massages the prostate through the wall of the rectum for a while to drain it into the urethra. Patches are made from the material collected in the laboratory, dyed and studied under high magnification. Symptoms of inflammation are leukocytes, the bacterial etiology of the disease are bacteria in the smear. Prostate secretion is injected into the nutrient medium to determine the type of pathogen. If it contains pathogenic microorganisms, then after 3-5 days they form microbial colonies, which can be studied later. Bacteriological method allows to obtain information about the sensitivity of the microflora to antibiotics.

The following instrumental diagnostic methods are performed:

  • Ultrasound of the kidneys;
  • Dopplerography of the prostate TRUS - an ultrasound probe is inserted into the rectum for the best view of the prostate gland, its blood flow is additionally assessed;
  • Ascending urethrography is required for persistent recurrent prostatitis. A radiopaque substance is injected into the urethra, after which a series of images are taken.

In addition to these methods, all types of STI-related research are of great importance. Among them:

  1. PCR discharge, prostate secretion, scratching of the mucous membrane of the urethra - the method allows to detect a wide range of pathogens;
  2. Blood ELISA - to detect specific antibodies to STI pathogens.

Types of prostatitis

Since 1995, according to the criteria of the American National Institutes of Health (NIH USA), there are four categories of prostatitis:

  • Category I: Acute prostatitis;
  • Category II: Chronic bacterial prostatitis;
  • Category III: Chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP / CPPS);
  • Category IIIa: Chronic pelvic pain syndrome with symptoms of chronic prostatitis / inflammation;
  • Category IIIb: Chronic prostatitis without symptoms of inflammation / chronic pelvic pain syndrome;
  • Category IV: Asymptomatic (symptomatic) chronic prostatitis.

Occasionally, chronic granulomatous prostatitis, which is not mentioned in this classification, also occurs.

In turn, most experts distinguish the following:

According to the course of the disease:

  • acute prostatitis;
  • chronic prostatitis;
acute prostate in men

Depending on the causes of the disease:

  • bacterial prostatitis;
  • non-bacterial prostatitis

In most cases (especially in men under 40), bacterial prostatitis is noted.

Based on this, there are:

  • acute bacterial prostatitis;
  • chronic bacterial prostatitis;
  • chronic bacterial prostatitis.

Prevention

To prevent recurrence of inflammation or chronic pathology, you should follow these recommendations:

  • reduce the amount of alcohol consumed;
  • Exercise regularly;
  • avoid hypothermia;
  • Stop smoking;
  • Avoid stressful situations;
  • Treat inflammation in a timely manner - this primarily applies to genital infections;
  • take a contrast shower;
  • Avoid lifting heavy objects;
  • use barrier methods of contraception;
  • have regular sex;
  • take vitamin supplements;
  • Engage in strengthening immunity;
  • visit a urologist twice a year;
  • Eat properly and balanced.

The purpose of the prostate in the male body: what is responsible?

The prostate is an exocrine gland in the male body.

Iron belongs to the reproductive system and is responsible for the production of a number of special substances:

prostate gland secretion
  • The key is the secretion (prostate juice) that provides the necessary viscosity of ejaculation and, accordingly, normal sperm motility. When sperm are too thick, fertilization becomes difficult, and a woman simply cannot conceive from a healthy-looking man;
  • other components maintain the normal composition of sperm. These include biologically active substances, immunoglobulins, enzymes, vitamins, trace elements, etc. includes. The norms of these substances are individual and regulate the prostate.

Thus, she is responsible for a man's reproductive abilities, his ability to lead a regular and full sexual life, and to have children. This is the main function of the gland, but there are others that are no less important.