Inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis) is a very painful condition. But generally, prostatitis is not limited to pain and causes even more serious symptoms. Which? How long does prostate inflammation usually last? And what helps with this?
What is prostatitis?
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland (prostate gland). The prostate can become inflamed as a result, for example, of bacteria that can enter prostate tissue from the urinary tract. Depending on whether the cause of prostate inflammation is bacteria or not, the following types of prostatitis are distinguished:
- bacterial;
- abacterial prostatitis.
The prostate is a four-centimeter gland that in men is located below the bladder. It is one of the internal reproductive organs that produces a secretion that mixes with sperm during ejaculation. This secretion provides sperm motility and provides support on the way to the female egg.
The prostate in men can become inflamed as a result of inflammation of the bladder or urethra (urethra), and the agents causing the inflammation can be bacteria that migrate from the bladder or urethra to the prostate. In this case we speak of acute prostatitis. In most cases, the infection can be controlled with antibiotics.
In about 5 out of every 100 patients, bacteria remain in the prostate despite treatment, leaving the inflammation unaffected. Diagnosis of chronic prostatitis.
Bacteria are not always the cause of prostate inflammation
In addition to bacteria, there are other factors that can cause prostate inflammation, such as central nervous system (CNS) disorders, mental problems, stress and chronic inflammation of the bladder wall. Since prostatitis in this case does not occur due to bacteria, it is called abacterial prostatitis.
Bacterial prostatitis is sometimes called one of the forms of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS for short). However, this pain syndrome can also develop without prostate inflammation. In addition to inflammatory ones, there are also non-inflammatory forms of chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Note: In chronic non-inflammatory pelvic pain syndrome, symptoms are similar to prostatitis, but no bacteria or signs of inflammation are found.
However, the official classification of prostatitis by the US National Institutes of Health includes inflammatory and non-inflammatory forms of chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
According to many, this misleads doctors and, in the worst case, can lead to incorrect treatment. Unlike prostate inflammation, chronic non-inflammatory pelvic pain syndrome does not respond to antibiotic therapy.
Causes of prostatitis
There are several factors that contribute to prostate inflammation. The most important are:
- recurrent urinary tract infections;
- bladder catheterization;
- surgeries in the urogenital area;
- unprotected anal sex.
In these and other circumstances, bacteria can easily enter the urinary tract and cause prostate inflammation. If bacteria enter the prostate, they can cause bacterial prostatitis.
Bacterial prostatitis can have many different causes. Let's take a closer look at the causes of both types of prostatitis.
bacterial prostate
Most bacterial prostatitis is caused by intestinal bacteria, such as Escherichia coli or enterococci. If they enter the urinary tract through the opening of the penis, they first cause an infection in the urethra or bladder, and then the pathogens enter the prostate, causing inflammation of the prostate.
Men who contract prostatitis in the hospital often have Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They enter the urinary tract after bladder catheterization.
In rare cases, prostate inflammation occurs as a result of sexually transmitted diseases. In this case, the causative agents are mainly chlamydia.
Bacterial prostatitis
In nonbacterial prostatitis (a form of chronic pelvic pain syndrome), any bacteria can be to blame. However, after testing, leukocytes (white blood cells that protect the body) are found in the prostate and sperm. This indicates that the body is fighting inflammation.
What causes this inflammation is not fully understood and studied by experts. This is likely the result of the combined effects of several factors. The following factors may play a role:
- impaired immune response;
- central nervous system disorders that affect the nerves and muscles of the genitourinary system and prevent a person from emptying their bladder normally;
- mental disorders such as stress, anxiety or depression.
Some experts suggest that hidden infections may be the cause of chronic pelvic pain syndrome. However, this assumption is controversial.
Typical symptoms of prostatitis
Typical symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis are:
- frequent urination;
- burning when urinating (usually with a small amount of urine);
- pain in the bladder and perineum;
- pain during bowel movements;
- nausea, vomiting;
- fever and chills.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis also causes pain and problems urinating. However, these symptoms disappear immediately and appear after a while. Chronic prostatitis is characterized by a recurrent course with the disappearance and reappearance of inflammation. It can last many months.
Another characteristic sign of chronic prostate inflammation is erectile dysfunction.
Bacterial inflammation of the prostate, which is not caused by bacteria, essentially causes symptoms similar to chronic bacterial prostatitis. Additionally, victims sometimes complain of pain during ejaculation.
Special case: asymptomatic inflammation of the prostate
In rare cases, the doctor may detect an increase in the number of white blood cells in ejaculate or prostate secretions, but the affected person may not experience pain or other symptoms of prostate inflammation.
These cases are classified as asymptomatic prostate inflammation and are often discovered incidentally as part of a cancer or infertility test.
Diagnosis
A doctor can diagnose acute bacterial prostatitis by asking the patient about their symptoms and examining the prostate. First, the doctor feels the prostate with his finger. If, on palpation, heat and swelling are felt in the prostate area and the patient feels pain, this indicates acute bacterial inflammation.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor may also do a urine test and draw blood from the patient to examine the level of inflammatory cells.
Chronic bacterial inflammation of the prostate cannot be diagnosed by palpation alone. For example, if the patient is between two bouts of inflammation, the doctor will not be able to detect severe swelling during palpation. Therefore, blood and urine tests are necessary to diagnose chronic bacterial prostatitis.
To detect chronic prostatitis, a urine sample is not enough. Because if the urine contains white blood cells and bacteria, this may also indicate a urinary tract infection. To find out if inflammation is affecting the prostate, your doctor will need to examine several urine samples.
Prostatitis treatment
The treatment that will help with prostate inflammation depends on the cause: if the inflammation was caused by bacteria, the therapy will be different from the treatment of non-bacterial prostatitis. However, in both cases, the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatories (so-called antiphlogistics).
Treatment of bacterial prostatitis
For bacterial inflammation of the prostate, antibiotics help eliminate symptoms.
- In case of mild acute prostatitis, the doctor must prescribe antibiotics from the fluoroquinolone group, the patient must take them for 10 days.
- If the inflammation is severe, the doctor may give the patient broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- If it is chronic inflammation, the patient usually takes a fluoroquinolone for 4 to 6 weeks.
Treatment of abacterial prostatitis
Doctors often try to control nonbacterial prostate inflammation using a combination of different medications. For example, in addition to anti-inflammatory medications, they may also prescribe so-called alpha-1 blockers. They relax the prostate and bladder muscles and thus promote bladder emptying.
Depending on your doctor's suspicions about the cause of the inflammation, additional measures may be needed. For example, it has been suggested that psychological problems may also play a role in the development of nonbacterial prostatitis. In this case, the doctor may recommend psychotherapy.
Additionally, thermal treatments such as baths can often be used to alleviate symptoms.
Treatment of prostatitis with folk remedies
Folk remedies for prostatitis serve as an alternative to drug therapy. Used for bacterial prostatitis. Before using folk remedies, consult your doctor.
Fireweed
Fireweed has proven to be an excellent remedy for prostate diseases.
Fireweed is a perennial herbaceous plant. It has small flowers, usually white, but they also come in various shades of red.
Lemon balm seeds are small and have a fuzz on the surface, with the help of which they spread.
There are around 200 species of lemon balm, the plant is often considered a weed and can be very toxic, but beneficial effects have only been demonstrated in lemon balm. Flowers and root are used. The content of biologically active substances (myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin, lectin and sitosterol) has a positive effect on prostate activity.
Use of lemon balm:
- Pour 1 heaped teaspoon of herbs into 1/4 liter of water, bring to a boil and let it brew for a short time (15 minutes). It should be drunk in sips throughout the day (up to 2 cups) fresh.
This medicinal plant is used for various urological diseases, namely:
- for all prostate diseases, including prostate cancer;
- for kidney diseases;
- for bladder diseases;
- for bladder cancer;
- for wound healing.
Lemon balm is effective against inflammation of the urological tract, as a rule, it is combined with other herbs, depending on the nature of the problems, most often with cranberry, goldenrod, horsetail or birch.
Green Tea
Medicines in the form of green tea are probably the most pleasant way to treat prostatitis.
It is advisable to drink 3 cups of green tea a day.
This drink promotes frequent urination, which helps cleanse the entire body. Furthermore, green tea is directly involved in detoxifying the body.
Advice! Men are advised to urinate sitting down. In this way, complete emptying of the bladder is achieved. The sitting position completely releases all the pelvic muscles, meaning that no urine residue remains in the bladder, where some pathogenic bacteria would multiply quickly.
Nettle
2 handfuls of freshly harvested nettle leaves - about 15 cm from the top of the plant - should be poured into 300 ml of drinking water and left to infuse overnight (approximately 12 hours). In the morning, the infusion must be slightly warmed and drunk.
Cranberry
Cranberry is one of the famous fighters against prostatitis. Home treatment with cranberries involves consuming them dried, fresh or canned. In the latter case, however, you should be careful about adding sugar.
Cranberry juices are also available in stores. You should also be careful here and read the label carefully to ensure the juice does not contain additional juices from other fruits or artificial sweeteners.
Only 100% cranberry juice has healing effects.
Add dried cranberries to porridge or oatmeal.
Who are cranberries not suitable for:
Cranberry is contraindicated for people taking blood-thinning medications. Cranberry may reduce the antiplatelet effects of the drug, which may cause bleeding.
Red-haired
When treating prostatitis, you can pay attention to another useful product - ginger root. Ginger is a promising product for treating this disease. It has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and antioxidant properties, interrupts the reproductive cycle of cancer cells (which is especially important in the treatment of prostate cancer) and promotes apoptosis. Along with this, ginger is non-toxic to other fast-growing cells.
It should be taken after meals, adding the root to tea (preferably green).
Pumpkin seeds
As practice shows, the most effective method of treating prostatitis is to use fresh pumpkin seeds instead of dried ones.
Preparation: The pumpkin seeds must be crushed. The resulting mass is mixed with honey in equal proportions and slightly heated. Then you need to leave it in the refrigerator for several hours, after which you need to form balls the size of a walnut.
The balls are taken before meals, 1 to 2 times a day, daily.
For preventive purposes, you can eat 4 to 5 pumpkin seeds every day. They contain zinc, selenium and other biochemicals that reduce inflammation in the body, including the prostate, and have a positive effect on the formation of the male hormone testosterone.
Chestnuts
Chestnuts are also effective and have no side effects, which is very important for the elderly.
The chestnuts must be peeled, crush the kernel into small pieces, pour over with boiling water and let it ferment for one hour.
The decoction should be taken 3 times a day before meals, 30 drops.
Normal sex
Regular sex, as well as masturbation, cleans the prostate, promotes blood circulation and prevents local inflammation.
Prognosis: duration and course of prostatitis
Acute prostatitis generally responds well to treatment. If the patient takes the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor, the pain and fever usually disappear within 36 hours. After a few days, symptoms should subside significantly.
Chronic prostatitis lasts for several months and usually occurs in relapses, between which the patient feels little or no discomfort. Chronic prostatitis is generally more persistent than acute prostatitis: antibiotic therapy usually lasts several weeks.
Is it possible to prevent prostatitis?
Early treatment of urinary tract infections can prevent germs from spreading to the prostate and therefore prostate inflammation. Using condoms can also help prevent prostate inflammation caused by certain sexually transmitted diseases.