The first signs of prostatitis in men can appear at a young age and, if there is no quality medical care, the disease can turn into a latent (latent) form and proceed with minor symptoms: discomfort when urinatingand coitus, pain in the perineum and lower back. If you do not pay attention to these symptoms, chronic prostatitis progresses, the treatment of which is more difficult and longer.
An experienced urologist will tell you what chronic prostatitis means and how dangerous it can be. Even a single inflammation without effective treatment can result in the transition from the disease to a severe recurrent form.
The causes of chronic prostatitis
Chronic prostatitis is the result of poor quality treatment of an acute inflammatory process. Men are usually negligent about their health or simply hesitate to contact specialists. As a result, the disease progresses.
A urologist treats the prostate professionally. He will tell you what chronic prostatitis is in men, why it appears and how unpredictable it is. The specialist will accurately establish the etiological factors. This directly affects the effectiveness of the treatment methods applied. Many are unaware of what chronic prostatitis is, that it is caused by certain infectious pathogens (E. coli, streptococci, staphylococci, fungi) and some factors are just a trigger mechanism.
Predisposing factors
The causative agent of prostatitis are microbial agents: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli. But the causes of chronic prostatitis can be associated with the following predisposing factors:
- decreased immunity; hypothermia;
- lesions of Organs genitourinary organs;
- stress;
- drinking alcohol and very spicy food;
- congestion in the pelvic region;
- constipation;
- smoking, chronic intoxication of the body with destructive substances;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- presence of foci of chronic infection;
- venereal diseases.
Prolonged exposure to one or more predisposing factors leads to the progression of chronic prostatitis in men. The disease occurs at any age; young men with a history of sexually transmitted diseases, other infectious prostate processes and organs of the urinary system usually suffer.
Men tend to procrastinate with reference to specialists. Often, the wife is the initiator of the urologist's consultation. If the husband has chronic prostatitis, treatment should be started immediately. Otherwise, you can start the course of the disease, which will become a serious chronic form and will start to cause complications.
Signs of disease
Signs of chronic prostatitis in men in remission are almost entirely absent. The minor pain syndrome is permanent, but the discomfort is moderate. After hypothermia, prolonged withdrawal, it can worsen chronic prostatitis, whose symptoms increase depending on the condition of the man.
Whenever an exacerbation occurs, the characteristic symptoms of chronic prostatitis in men appear:
- weight and pain in the perineum;
- signs of bodily intoxication;
- urinary disorder;
- irradiation of pain in the penis or anus;
- the prostate is asymmetrical and painful during palpation;
- chills, weakness, fever.
Characteristically, the pain intensifies at the beginning and at the end of urination. Unpleasant sensations are usually transmitted to the rectum, sacrum and penis. Pain syndrome also appears after intimate contact, it is especially acute during sperm excretion. Urination during remission may be painless, but it is usually more frequent. At the same time, there is a difficulty in starting the microphone.
The stream of urine becomes intermittent, there is a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder. In the morning, there is a burning sensation in the urethra. Filamentous formations are often found in morning urine. This means that the inflammatory process is chronic.
Impact on sexual performance
Male potency problems often arise in the context of a prolonged course of the inflammatory process, which disrupts the functionality of the prostate, reduces libido and may even cause infertility. With these complications, chronic prostatitis occurs - the causes of erectile dysfunction are usually associated with a slow infectious and inflammatory process. Until the disease-causing agents are eliminated, the effect of the predisposing factors is not eliminated, the potency will not be restored.
Diagnosis of chronic prostatitis
Comprehensive diagnosis will help determine the features of the course and the causes of chronic prostatitis in men. First, experts prescribe a rectal examination of the prostate. During the procedure, the specialist determines the clarity of the contours and limits of the organ, the degree of pain. In the future, ultrasound will be performed to identify specific functional and structural changes.
TRUZI
Prostate ultrasound (TRUS) is a safe and informative method for visualizing the main structures of the prostate and adjacent urogenital organs. The studies are carried out through the abdominal wall and transectally - through the rectum. In case of difficulty in urinating, the specialist additionally examines the bladder and determines residual urine.
Ultrasound diagnosis allows choosing the most effective treatment for chronic prostatitis in men, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the methods already used. The absence of exposure of the body to radiation allows the use of ultrasound as often as necessary for a specific clinical situation.
Examination of prostate secretions and ureteroscopy
The secretion of the prostate is collected after urination and massage of the gland. The study of biomaterials makes it possible to identify the pathogenic microflora, determine the level of leukocytes and the number of lecithin grains. The method allows to classify the nature of the pathological process, to understand how man should be treated and which drugs to use. The diagnosis is not accompanied by painful sensations, it is easily perceived by man.
In case of impaired urinary function, blood in the urine and erectile dysfunction, ureteroscopy is recommended. This procedure allows you to evaluate the urethra and perform specific treatments with endoscopic equipment.
Additional search methods
Additional diagnostic methods are used to clarify the clinical picture and determine the exact causes of the inflammatory process. Chronic prostatitis must be distinguished from neurogenic bladder and other similar diseases with similar symptoms. Experts prescribe electromyography, urodynamic diagnostic methods. They allow for qualitative differentiation of chronic inflammation from other diseases.
Chronic prostatitis often leads to hyperplastic processes, proliferation of glandular tissues, growth of adenoma and malignant neoplasms. To exclude a cancerous process, it is necessary to make the diagnosis of PSA. The method consists in determining the level of the specific prostate antigen, with an increase in which it is possible to suspect the growth of malignant cells. To clarify the nature of the identified formations, it is necessary to perform a prostate biopsy, followed by a morphological study of the material provided.
Possible complications
Chronic prostatitis significantly reduces man's quality of life. The prolonged course of the inflammatory process, in one way or another, interrupts reproductive function, weakens libido and threatens with various infectious complications. The most unpleasant consequences of the disease are impotence and reproductive disorders. Constant inflammation alters the tissues of the prostate, contributes to its proliferation, hormonal abnormalities, the early onset of menopause and the growth of adenoma.
The chronic course of the disease can cause urinary incontinence, stones and cysts in the prostate. As the disease progresses, prostate sclerosis develops. This pathological condition is the final stage of inflammation of the prostate. The body accumulates collagen with the formation of dense tissues. The urethra narrows, there are problems with potency. These changes are characteristic of benign prostatic hyperplasia, which at any time can lead to the growth of malignant cells and the formation of cancerous tumors.
Treatment resources
Chronic inflammation of the prostate is not easy to cure. But recovery is possible or the transition from pathology to a prolonged stage of remission. The effectiveness of medical procedures depends on the opportunity to seek medical help.
The man must strictly follow the recommendations of the attending physician, avoid the action of predisposing factors: hypothermia, scrotal trauma, sexually transmitted diseases, stress. It is important to remember that even a trivial viral infection can exacerbate the disease with the onset of severe pain and disorders of the urinary system.
Medical therapy
Bacterial prostatitis is treated with antibiotics. They are prescribed for several weeks. To increase the patient's life comfort, to combat the main acute symptoms, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. Adrenergic blockers are effective in restoring urodynamics, the regular flow of secretions from the prostate and relieving muscle tension in the gland. Paraprostatic block in combination with acupuncture deals effectively, even with severe pain syndrome.
If a man feels anxious due to a chronic inflammatory process, sedatives or tranquilizers can be used. But such drugs must be prescribed by qualified specialists who are well familiar with the specific clinical case.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy uses medicinal electrophoresis, treatment with ultrasound and magnetotherapy. Acupuncture is also used in combination with pain relievers. In addition, the use of therapeutic sitz baths, enemas and special instillations in the urethra is recommended. Drip medication administration is good for chronic inflammatory processes.
The technique ensures that a large quantity of the agent reaches the pathological focus directly. A high concentration of the drug remains for a long time. This allows you to effectively cope with a slow infectious process. The medication should be kept for 30-40 minutes, limiting urination.
Surgical Treatment
In case of ineffectiveness or impossibility of using conservative and physiotherapeutic techniques, surgical treatment is necessary. It is mainly needed to remove urethral strictures. In case of prostatic sclerosis, transurethral resection is performed using endoscopic techniques. The method is used if the patient has severe concomitant diseases of internal organs that do not allow classical prostatectomy.
In case of recurrent phimosis in the context of a chronic infectious process, it is recommended to perform therapeutic circumcision of the foreskin. The operation is performed according to the indications and only under the conditions of the urological department.
Prognosis of the disease
The prognosis of the disease is determined by the timeliness and effectiveness of the prescribed treatment, the duration of treatment of the inflammatory process, the age of the man and the presence of certain concomitant diseases. Subject to medical prescriptions, the implementation of preventive measures, including the normalization of intimate activity and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, it is possible to reduce the number of relapses per year and transfer the disease to a state of prolonged remission.