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 disease evolving in a latent way.
The prostate is a small glandular-muscular organ located in the small pelvis under the bladder, covering the initial section of the urethra (urethra). The prostate produces a secret that, mixed with the seminal fluid, maintains the activity of the sperm and its resistance to various adverse conditions.
With prostatitis, several problems occur when urinating, libido decreases and erectile function is impaired. The sad thing is that, in the absence of adequate treatment, about 40% of patients face some form of infertility, since the prostate can no longer produce enough high-quality secretion to guarantee sperm mobility. 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 35 years of age, the disease usually occurs in the form of acute bacterial prostatitis. Bacterial prostatitis is called when there is laboratory confirmation of the presence of an infection. Most of the time, it is chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gardnerellosis or gonorrhea. The infection enters the prostate through the urethra, bladder, rectum, through the blood and lymphatic vessels of the pelvis.
However, recent studies prove that, in most cases, the infection overlaps with existing disorders of the structure of the prostate tissue and blood circulation in it. In non-bacterial prostatitis, the bacteria cannot be isolated, although this does not exclude its presence.
In older patients, chronic forms of the disease are diagnosed more often. Prostatodynia is the presence of a clinical picture of prostatitis, compaction of the prostatic tissue without signs of inflammation.
Symptoms of prostatitis
Symptoms of prostatitis can be divided into 3 groups:
- disorders of the urinary system (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 in the rectum during ejaculation, weak erection, premature ejaculation, loss of orgasm, etc. );
- increased anxiety and nervousness of the man, due to the fixation of the attention of the patients in their condition.
Acute prostatitisit usually starts with an increase in body temperature to 39-40 ° C with fever and chills. Difficulty and pain when urinating. Prostate edema develops, which can cause acute urinary retention.
Chronic prostatitisproceeds more calmly, but at any time with unfavorable factors an exacerbation may occur. Possibly asymptomatic.
Complications
In the absence of timely therapy, prostatitis can cause the following complications:
- transition from acute to chronic prostatitis;
- bladder obstruction with acute urinary retention, which requires surgical treatment, the development of male infertility;
- narrowing and healing 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 usually develops in people with reduced immunity (patients with diabetes mellitus, kidney failure).
What can you do
If you notice that you are experiencing the symptoms described above, try to see a urologist as soon as possible.
What a doctor can do
The modern arsenal of diagnoses of prostate disease is very broad.
Your doctor will order a bacteriological study of urine and prostate secretions. To clarify the location of the urinary tract infection, a study of different portions of the urine is performed. In addition, a mandatory diagnostic method is the digital examination of the prostate. This procedure is not very pleasant, but it is very informative.
Your doctor can refer you for ultrasound exams of the prostate and pelvic organs. If necessary, prescribe a nuclear computed or magnetic tomography, cystoscopy, urography and a study of prostate enzymes.
When making a diagnosis, your doctor should rule out the presence of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. For quick relief of pain in acute prostatitis, analgesics and hot baths may be recommended.
Bacterial prostatitisit requires the indication of antibiotics, whose selection is carried out according to the results of bacteriological seeding of secretions in nutrient medium and the determination of the sensitivity of the pathogen to chemotherapy.
Non-bacterial prostatitisis treated with anti-inflammatories.
Prevention of prostatitis
Do not allow the body to hypothermia, 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 triggering factors is sperm stagnation and frequent erections without further ejaculation). The prevention of sexually transmitted diseases is equally important.
In adulthood, every man should undergo regular examinations (once a year) by a urologist. After suffering from prostatitis, preventive outpatient treatment courses are held at least twice a year for a month and a spa treatment course.