Prostatitis is one of the most common diseases of the male genital area. Symptoms of prostatitis in men and its treatment cannot be independently determined and prescribed.
If a person has the first signs of prostatitis, he should immediately consult a doctor. Even a mild discomfort that indicates the development of a disease of the genitourinary system can have serious complications.
The shape of the prostate resembles a chestnut. The transverse length of the prostate in men is 4 cm, the longitudinal - 3 cm, the thickness - 2 cm. The organ consists of glandular tissue. In the upper part it is connected to the bladder, and from the lower part the seminal ducts diverge.
Functions of the prostate
The prostate or prostate gland performs a very important function: it produces seminal fluid, which mixes with sperm and forms seminal fluid. The organ acts as a valve during erection, which prevents the leakage of urine during intercourse.
Due to the content of immunoglobulins A and B in the prostate, as well as lysozyme (an antibacterial enzyme), the infection cannot penetrate into the upper urinary tract.
The functional ability of the testicles depends on the prostate, therefore, with diseases of this organ, the sexual power of a man weakens and the production of spermatozoa is disturbed, which can lead to infertility.
Why men develop prostatitis
Prostatitis is a common disease among men. People living in cold areas with high humidity are more susceptible to it. Prostatitis occurs as a result of hypothermia of the body, since the cold is a predisposing factor for the stagnation of liquid secretion, and this leads to the active reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.
Prostatitis develops after 30 years. With weak immunity, it can go into a chronic course without pronounced symptoms, so the person does not notice the signs of the disease and does not go to the doctor, but lives with this disease for many years. Make an appointment with a doctor only after a sharp deterioration in health. This happens around the age of 45-50, when a man is diagnosed with prostate adenoma and the treatment becomes more complicated.
The disease is a benign prostate tumor that impairs a man's quality of life, gradually making intimacy impossible. Adenoma treatment is only surgical. After its removal, the problem disappears, but in the postoperative period it is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's prescriptions, in this case the rehabilitation process will be painless and a person will return to a full life. It is necessary to be careful, avoid hypothermia, and the symptoms of prostatitis will not return.
What are the symptoms of prostatitis?
Prostatitis does not appear immediately, it gradually develops in the body. Symptoms of the disease in men are manifested by pain in the lower abdomen, suprapubic area and perineum.
These sensations intensify after intercourse. Urination becomes frequent, painful, there may be a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder. Especially the pathological condition manifests itself at night, there are false painful desires to go to the toilet. Pain also occurs during ejaculation. Sexual intercourse becomes painful.
Prostatitis has an acute and chronic course. During the acute phase, the symptoms of the disease worsen, the patient's health deteriorates sharply. The first signs of prostatitis in men in the acute phase of the course are as follows:
- the temperature rises;
- there is weakness and pain in the body;
- chills appear.
Examinations are carried out, laboratory tests are taken, urine, semen and blood are examined. In acute bacterial prostatitis, the indicators will be clearly expressed. In the chronic course of the disease in men, increased irritability, anxiety, temper, etc. are more pronounced. In order to correctly diagnose the disease, an examination is required.
Bacterial prostatitis is an inflammatory disease of the prostate gland that drastically reduces the patient's quality of life and can cause irreversible consequences in the male genital organs.
Prostatitis can be infectious or congestive (non-infectious). Infectious prostatitis occurs when an infection enters the tissues of the prostate. Germs, viruses, fungi and bacteria can enter the genital tract. The disease can develop as a result of chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis or kidney disease.
Conditionally pathogenic microorganisms live in the human body, which can be activated when the immune system is weakened or during hypothermia. These are Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enterococci, etc. Penetrating the prostate, they cause an acute inflammatory process.
Non-infectious or stagnant prostatitis is formed due to blood circulation disorders in the pelvis. The cause can be a sedentary lifestyle, pelvic injuries, hormonal disorders, prolonged sexual abstinence or excessively active sex life. The prostate is adversely affected by smoking and alcohol.
How to treat prostatitis
Antibiotic therapy is used for infectious prostatitis. After identifying the type of pathogen, an appropriate combination of antibiotics is prescribed, after which health improves in a short time.
Preparations are selected only after laboratory analysis and establishment of the type of pathogen.
If the disease is bacterial in nature, in which living microorganisms are present, then without individually selected antibiotics, the treatment will be ineffective.
In prostatitis, choosing the right medicine is very important. There are substances that cannot penetrate the prostate tissue and treatment with them will be useless. And there are a number of antibiotics that have little effect. Only a doctor can choose the treatment tactics.
In acute form of prostatitis, non-steroidal drugs are prescribed.
In the acute phase of the disease, a powerful dose of antibiotic may be necessary, when milder symptoms of the disease can be used a gentler drug.
In the chronic stage of the disease, alpha-blockers are prescribed. The patient may be prescribed diuretics.
In the presence of infectious flora, it can penetrate the bladder, which will cause the development of acute cystitis. Your doctor may prescribe diuretics and a drinking regimen to actively empty your bladder.
In prostatitis, the prostate gland is swollen and to relieve the swelling, the man is prescribed anti-androgens. These drugs temporarily reduce secretion and block blood flow. Cold enemas may be prescribed. They help relieve swelling in prostatitis, inflammation and reduce blood flow. Many doctors are reluctant to use cold when treating with antibiotics because they find that along with slowing blood flow, the drugs do not reach the prostate tissue and there is no proper treatment.
If there is no clinical response to antibiotics after a course of treatment, this should serve as a reason to suspect a prostate abscess. In order to eliminate such a pathology, surgical intervention must be applied, otherwise the consequences can be unpredictable.
Often patients with prostatitis are prescribed prostate massage, which is performed through the anus. But in the acute phase of the disease, when there is inflammation, there is swelling of the gland and the infection progresses, massage is strictly contraindicated, because bacteria can easily spread in the urine and blood, which can cause sepsis, which has serious consequences up to death.
Biopsy in severe prostatitis is not performed. The data obtained based on the analysis of blood, urine, smears and ultrasound are sufficient to make the correct diagnosis and select drugs for treatment and relief of the patient's condition.
If there are signs and symptoms of prostatitis, you should urgently contact a urologist or andrologist. He will choose which drugs are suitable for the patient in order to effectively treat the pathology. In no case should you self-medicate.