Chronic prostatitis - symptoms and treatment

Symptoms of chronic prostatitis are often mild and untreated in the early stages. But if you take it seriously, the problem can be solved.

What is this

Many patients find out what chronic prostatitis is when they go to the doctor for a completely different reason. Meanwhile, this disease is very dangerous and is a long-term inflammatory process that occurs in the prostate gland. If left untreated, serious complications can occur: impotence, infertility, vesiculitis, prostate cysts, adenomas, and prostate cancer.

There are several forms of the disease:

• acute bacterial prostatitis caused by the penetration of infectious pathogens into the prostate gland. It is characterized by typical pain in the lower abdomen and when urinating;

• in addition to the clinical picture of the acute form of the pathology, chronic bacterial prostatitis accompanied by the presence of bacteria and an increase in the level of leukocytes in the urine and prostate secretion;

• chronic prostatitis, which is the result of the previous bacterial form of the disease with ineffective treatment or its absence;

• asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis characterized by the absence of any symptoms, but manifested during laboratory diagnostic methods.

More than 90% of the disease is non-bacterial chronic prostatitis, which is asymptomatic, which leads to a delay in treatment.

Is it possible to treat?

The diagnosis itself indicates that the disease has been progressing in the body for a long time. It is often difficult for men to consult a doctor for such an urgent matter until the situation becomes critical. Meanwhile, the sooner a man seeks medical help (at the first signs of health), the more effective the treatment will be and the higher the probability of getting rid of the disease completely. It is almost impossible to treat chronic prostatitis in an advanced form, but with proper and regular therapy, the symptoms will be less noticeable. Therefore, timely consultation with a doctor is very important.

Reasons

The disease occurs in men aged 20-50 and depends on a number of initial conditions:

1. Infectious pathogens. They enter the prostate gland in several ways:

   • ascending (along the urethra);

   • descending (through infected urine);

   • lymphogenic (through lymph channels);

   • hematogenous (through the blood).

   Examples of pathogenic microflora that provoke the bacterial form of prostatitis include staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, enterococcus, Proteus, viral, fungal, parasitic pathogens, as well as chlamydia, gonococcus, gardnerella and others.

2. Disturbance of normal blood circulation in the pelvic organs. The reason for this can be a sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work (drivers, office workers) and poor nutrition. As a result, blockage and swelling occurs in the tissues of the prostate gland, incomplete removal of secretions from the organ cavity is observed. All this leads to partial or complete dysfunction of the gland.

3. Long-term abstinence or interrupted sexual experience. These actions also cause inflammatory processes in the prostate gland.

4. Accompanying diseases. First of all, it refers to pathologies of a urological nature: cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis, untreated acute prostatitis. But the cause of chronic prostatitis can be other diseases: chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, etc.

5. Frequent and long stay in cold, high ambient temperature or high humidity conditions, constant psycho-emotional stress.

Symptoms

The clinical picture of chronic prostatitis is poorly expressed in the initial stage. A man, as a rule, does not feel any discomfort or does not pay attention to the appearance of symptoms of the disease if it does not interfere with his normal lifestyle. Over time, the general condition worsens and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

1. The appearance of pain in the perineum, genitals, groin. The pain can be weak, painful or quite strong during urination, defecation, after sexual intercourse and ejaculation. Often the pain syndrome spreads to the sacrum, anus, scrotum and testicles.

2. Disturbances during urination and defecation. In the first case, the process is characterized by frequent and painful urges and burning in the urethra. The presence of string-like formations is observed in the urine. It is possible to discharge from the urethra during defecation, which indicates an insufficient tone of the prostate gland.

3. Sexual dysfunctions. Men suffering from chronic prostatitis experience decreased libido, unstable erection or its absence, pain during and after sexual intercourse, hemospermia, infertility.

4. Poor sleep, irritability, increased irritability, fatigue, depression.

5. Increase in body temperature. It can be observed during the exacerbation of the disease and has small deviations from the norm.

Symptoms may not appear immediately, but may be permanent.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic studies allow to refute or confirm the probable diagnosis, to determine what kind of disease it is and to what extent it is possible to treat it.

The main diagnostic procedures are:

• general urinalysis;

• analysis of prostate secretion to determine the presence of pathogenic microflora, as well as deviations of physiological parameters from normal values (increase in the number of leukocytes, etc. );

• bacteriological culture of urine and taking a smear from the urethra;

• three glass urine samples to determine the localization area of inflammation;

• analysis to identify pathogens of genital tract infections;

• ultrasound of the prostate gland;

• study of spermogram data, MAR test (for reproductive abnormalities);

• urodynamic, endoscopic examinations;

• determination of prostate specific antigen (PSA).

Treatment of chronic prostatitis

The answer to the question about the treatment of chronic prostatitis depends on the severity of the pathology and its type. The disease requires a complex approach to its elimination or stable elimination of symptoms.

Drug treatment

It involves taking drugs from the following groups:

1. Antibiotics must be prescribed during the diagnosis of the bacterial form of the pathology. However, such therapy may also be indicated for non-bacterial chronic prostatitis if a sustained positive effect is observed. Penicillins, cephalosporins, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones are taken for at least two weeks as prescribed by the doctor.

2. Antispasmodics that help relieve painful spasms in the perineum.

3. Anti-inflammatory, pain reliever.

4. Alpha1-blockers are used to reduce prostate hypertonicity and normalize motility.

5. Immunostimulating drugs.

The drug regimen is selected individually according to the characteristics of the diagnosis and intolerance to individual drugs (if any).

Non-drug treatment

In this case, the positive effect of therapy is achieved by a physical effect of a different nature on the disease. Patients can be prescribed:

1. Prostate massage. It activates the complete removal of secretions from the prostate gland, improves blood circulation, and normalizes the tone of the body. Massage with antibiotics is especially effective in the treatment of bacterial chronic prostatitis. However, if the patient is diagnosed, there are contraindications to its use:

   • acute bacterial prostatitis;

   • accompanying diseases of the gonads (vesiculitis, cooperitis);

   • the presence of stones in the prostate gland;

   • prostate cysts;

   • BPH;

   • cancer of an organ or suspicion of it;

   • prostate abscess;

   • hemorrhoids, rectal fissures and other disorders.

2. Electrophoresis. The physiotherapy procedure has a therapeutic effect on the pathological area with a small electric current (not more than 50 μA). In this way, recovery reactions are stimulated, pain is eliminated and blood flow in the gland tissues is optimized. Electrophoresis helps antibiotics penetrate deeply into the structures of the prostate gland, thereby increasing the effectiveness of their activity.

3. Ultrasound. The method is widely used in the treatment of chronic prostatitis, because it has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, restores sexual function and suppresses pain. Prostate tumors are successfully treated with ultrasound.

4. Ultraphonophoresis is the use of ultrasound therapy in combination with drugs. This method allows drugs to penetrate into the deep layers of the affected body and act there most effectively.

5. Magnetotherapy. Physiotherapy procedure has a comprehensive restorative effect on the genitourinary system, improves metabolic processes and neurogeneration.

6. Laser magnetic therapy. Laser exposure also effectively treats disease manifestations, eliminating the risk of possible complications.

7. Inductometry is exposure to a high frequency alternating magnetic field.

8. Urethral instillation, mud therapy, healing enemas, hot baths.

Physiotherapy in combination with drug treatment allows to achieve a lasting therapeutic effect and in most cases to completely defeat the initial stage of the disease.

Surgical intervention

It is indicated in cases where it is impossible to help the patient by other methods.

1. Prostatectomy is the partial or complete removal of the prostate gland while preserving erectile function.

2. Transurethral resection (TUR) is an operation to excise or remove enlarged glandular tissue. It is prescribed for adenoma or prostate cancer.

3. Laser surgery. The operation involves the removal of organ tissue affected by a laser beam. In this case, blood vessels are "sealed", eliminating bleeding.

4. Drainage of prostate abscess. This operation makes it possible to drain the pus from the gland cavity using a rubber drain inserted through the perineum or rectum by cutting the skin tissue.

5. Transurethral excision of the prostate. The operation involves making several incisions in the prostate to relieve pressure on the affected organ in the urethra and restore urine flow.

After surgical intervention, the patient requires rehabilitation, the time interval varies from 2-3 days to several months, depending on the type of surgery used.

Folk treatment

Herbal remedies are also effective drugs in the complex treatment of chronic prostatitis. For these purposes, tinctures, decoctions, food mixtures or ointments are used, which include:

• pumpkin seeds;

• birch bark;

• hazelnut leaves and bark;

• chestnut shells;

• Parsley;

• honey, propolis;

• Kalanchoe, etc.

Regular use of herbal medicines helps to eliminate unpleasant symptoms, restore impaired functions and have a long-term preventive effect.

Chronic prostatitis is a disease that you should pay attention to at the first signs in order to eliminate dangerous complications and treat them in time.