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 real morbidity is much higher than that recorded, this is explained by the peculiarities of the diagnosis and the possibility of the course of the disease in a latent form.
The prostate is a small glandular-muscular organ found in the small pelvis below the bladder, covering the initial section of the urethra (urethra). The prostate gland produces a secret that, mixing with seminal fluid, maintains the activity of spermatozoa and their resistance to various adverse conditions.
With prostatitis, numerous problems occur with urination, libido decreases, and erectile function is impaired. The saddest thing is that in the absence of proper treatment, about 40% of patients face some form of infertility, as the prostate gland can no longer produce enough high-quality secretion to ensure sperm motility. 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 4 main forms of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, non-bacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia.
In people under the age of 35, the disease usually manifests itself in the form of acute bacterial prostatitis. Bacterial prostatitis is called when there is laboratory confirmation of the presence of an infection. Most often it turns out to be chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gardnerellosis or gonorrhea. Infection enters the prostate gland from the urethra, bladder, rectum, through the blood and lymphatic vessels of the pelvis.
However, recent studies show that in most cases the infection overlaps with already existing disorders of the structure of the prostate tissue and the blood circulation in it. In non-bacterial prostatitis, the bacteria cannot be isolated, although this does not exclude their presence.
In older patients, chronic forms of the disease are diagnosed more often. Prostatadynia is the presence of a clinical picture of prostatitis, compaction of the prostate tissue without signs of inflammation.
Symptoms of prostatitis
Symptoms of prostatitis can be divided into 3 groups:
- urinary system disorders (frequent and painful need to urinate, feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder), pain in the lower abdomen;
- disorders of sexual function (pain along the urethra and rectum during ejaculation, weak erection, premature ejaculation, loss of orgasm, etc. );
- increased anxiety and nervousness of a man, due to the fixation of patients' attention on their condition.
Acute prostatitisit usually begins with an increase in body temperature to 39-40 ° C with fever and chills. Difficulty and painful urination. Prostate gland edema develops, which can cause acute urinary retention.
Chronic prostatitisproceeds more calmly, but at any time with unfavorable factors an exacerbation can occur. Perhaps asymptomatic.
Complications
In the absence of timely therapy, prostatitis can cause the following complications:
- transition from acute to chronic prostatitis;
- obstruction of the bladder 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, which requires surgery;
- sepsis is a life-threatening complication that often develops in people with reduced immunity (patients with diabetes mellitus, kidney failure).
What can you do
If you notice the symptoms described above, try to see a urologist as soon as possible.
What a doctor can do
The modern arsenal of diagnostics of prostate diseases is very large.
The doctor will prescribe a bacteriological study of urinary and prostatic secretions. To clarify the localization of the urinary tract infection, a study is carried out on several portions of urine. In addition, a mandatory diagnostic method is a digital examination of the prostate gland. This procedure is not very pleasant, but it is very informative.
Your doctor may refer you for ultrasound examinations of the prostate and pelvic organs. If necessary, prescribe a computed or magneto-nuclear tomography, cystoscopy, urography and a study of prostate enzymes.
When making a diagnosis, the doctor must rule out the presence of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. For quick pain relief in acute prostatitis, analgesics and warm baths may be recommended.
Bacterial prostatitisrequires the appointment of antibiotics, the selection of which is carried out based on the results of bacteriological sowing of secretions on nutrient media and the determination of the sensitivity of the pathogen to chemotherapy.
Non-bacterial prostatitisis treated with anti-inflammatory drugs.
Prevention of prostatitis
Do not allow hypothermia of the body, do not sit on cold objects. Follow a light diet (excluding alcohol, spicy, fried, and canned foods).
Regular sex life is also a way to prevent prostatitis (since one of the provoking factors is the stagnation of sperm and frequent erections without subsequent ejaculation). The prevention of sexually transmitted diseases is equally important.
In adulthood, every man should undergo regular (once a year) examinations by a urologist. After suffering from prostatitis, preventive outpatient treatment courses are carried out at least 2 times a year for a month and a course of spa treatments.