Prostatitis is one of the most common urological diseases in men.
According to a WHO study, at least 30% of men between the ages of 20 and 50 suffer from this disease, and every year this insidious disease increasingly affects young people. Cases of inflammation of this organ have been reported even in children aged 15-16 years.
Causes of chronic prostatitis
The disease itself is acute and chronic. Chronic prostatitis develops with untimely or ineffective treatment of acute prostatitis. Unfortunately, in the chronic form of prostatitis a person cannot count on complete recovery.
Due to the development of the disease, both congestive (congestive) and infectious prostatitis are distinguished.
Congestive prostatitis occurs with circulatory disorders in the pelvic area as well as stagnation of prostate secretions. Poor permeability and regular accumulation of blood in this area over time leads to the development of foci of inflammation. As a result, the prostate is deformed, which in turn has a negative effect on neighboring organs.
An enlarged organ can constrict the urinary tract, disrupting a person's urinary function and also pressing on the bladder causing a regular urge to urinate. The development of prostate congestion is most often influenced by a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle. Bad habits and obesity also increase the likelihood of illness.
The cause of infectious diseases is much more difficult to detect than congestive ones, because the disease can develop on the basis of many venereal and fungal diseases. The infection, which enters a person through sexual contact, spreads through the body, but the first on the way is the prostate, where most pathogenic agents accumulate. The multiplication of bacteria in this organ over time leads to its inflammation, and then to the development of a kind of purulent foci (even after healing, scars remain).
The infection does not stop at the prostate, some bacteria move through the urinary tract, entering the bladder and kidneys, leading to regular urination.
However, infectious prostatitis is not always the result of a sexually transmitted disease. There are thousands of bacteria and microorganisms in the human body that regularly come from the world around us. Immunity is easily dealt with by most of them, unless of course it is weakened by the negative effects of smoking, alcohol, constant stress and neurosis. In such cases, the immune system is unable to fully regulate the development of bacteria or fungi, resulting in their uncontrolled reproduction, which ultimately affects the prostate.
Symptoms of chronic prostatitis
The first signs of chronic prostatitis initially appear in regular urges to urinate and discomfort in the perineum, similar to pain. This can be especially felt if you lightly press on the lower abdomen or anus.
Uneven urine flow is another symptom of chronic prostatitis. Spraying in different directions indicates a deformity of the muscle that should clog the urethra (the muscle is located at the base of the prostate).
Weakness of the jet are also negative signs, which indicates more the infectious nature of the development of the disease, in which several organs of the genitourinary system are affected at once. In some cases, there are problems with erection, but more often they occur due to a difficult psychological state of the person.
Diagnosis of the disease
The diagnosis in the early stages of prostatitis is the same, whether it is normal or chronic, contagious or stagnant. Treatment is most often performed by andrologists (in some cases urologists).
After consultation and internal examination, the doctor will write a referral for tests:
- Smear.Collection is performed using a special probe that is inserted into the patient's urethra (analysis allows you to find out what bacteria are and in what amount in the patient's urethra). Before taking the test, you should refrain from urinating for about 4 hours.
- Prostate juice analysis.The prostate gland has a porous structure, and with inflammation some parts of this organ are simply blocked. Although the inflammatory process in them is in full swing, regular tests show nothing. This helps save the secret analysis (prostate juice). The doctor massages the prostate through the anus, squeezing the secretion out of the inflamed areas, and then collects it from the urethra.
- Urine analysis.Usually given after a smear, it allows you to detect bladder and kidney pathology.
- Blood test- Analysis for infections is performed.
- Ultrasound- examination of the prostate, bladder and kidneys.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis in men
After completing all analyzes, the andrologist continues treatment. In the case of congestive prostatitis, treatment is simpler. As a rule, it consists of taking antibiotics and immunosuppressive drugs. Inflammation is removed with suppositories that must be inserted into the anus.
In infectious prostatitis, everything is much more complex, for a more accurate diagnosis, some tests will have to be done again. Treatment will be prescribed depending on the severity of the infection. The most common are drops and antibiotics. The second step will be immunocorrection and removal of toxins from the body. Prostate massage and physiotherapy (electrophoresis and magnetotherapy) are used in conjunction with drug treatment.
The insidiousness of infectious prostatitis lies in the fact that, supposedly by complete cure, some of the pathogenic agents still remain in the body and multiply over time, which triggers inflammation of the prostate anew. To prevent this, regular repetition of tests and examination by a doctor is recommended.
Often, even after complete recovery, the patient complains of discomfort in the perineal region and frequent urges to urinate. This situation is not uncommon. The fact is that even after the removal of the inflammatory process, scars remain on the organ that interfere with its normal functioning. To eliminate this problem, there are a number of medications (enzyme suppositories) that aim to resorb scars.
Prevention of chronic prostatitis
Treatment of chronic prostatitis is to maximize the prolongation of remission and timely suppression of new inflammatory processes. To achieve long-term remission and thus avoid regular hospital visits, you need to radically change your lifestyle.
For starters, never catch a cold. Any, even the slightest drop in temperature can cause deterioration. Just ride the bus in a cold seat or sit in the draft. If possible, avoid sedentary work or at least once an hour five minutes of warming up, completely say goodbye to all bad habits:Smoking and alcohol are strictly forbidden!
In addition, it is important to follow a special diet for chronic prostatitis. It is not recommended to eat smoked products, excessively fatty foods, highly carbonated drinks and some types of spices (hot spices).
Include in your diet:
- chicken;
- fish;
- fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir, low-fat sour cream);
- vegetables;
- fruit;
- baby.
The use of pumpkin seeds has a very positive effect on the prostate.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic prostatitis, don't get depressed! Yes, the disease is quite complex, but if you follow all the doctor's recommendations and lead a healthy lifestyle, the pain and constant discomfort will stop tormenting you for a long time. Careful care of your health and regular check-ups with an andrologist will allow you to live a full and vibrant life!