Prostatitis is one of the most common urological diseases in men.
According to WHO research, at least 30% of men between the ages of 20 and 50 suffer from this disease, and every year this insidious disease affects more and more young people. Cases of inflammation of this organ have also been recorded in children between the ages of 15 and 16.
The causes of chronic prostatitis
The disease itself is acute and chronic. Chronic prostatitis develops with premature or ineffective treatment of acute prostatitis. Unfortunately, in the chronic form of prostatitis, a person cannot count on a full recovery.
Due to the development of the disease, congestive (congestive) and infectious prostatitis are also distinguished.
Stagnant prostatitis occurs when circulatory disorders in the pelvic region, as well as stagnation of prostatic secretions. Poor permeability and regular accumulation of blood in this area over time lead to the development of foci of inflammation. As a result, the prostate gland is deformed, which in turn has a negative effect on nearby organs.
An enlarged organ can narrow the urinary tract, disrupting a person's urinary function and also press on the bladder, causing a regular need to urinate. The development of prostate congestion is often influenced by a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle. Bad habits and obesity also increase the likelihood of disease.
The cause of infectious diseases is much more difficult to find out than congestive ones, because the disease can develop on the basis of many venereal and fungal diseases. An infection, which enters a person through sexual contact, spreads throughout the body, but the prostate gland is the first on the way, where most of the pathogens accumulate. The multiplication of bacteria in this organ over time leads to its inflammation and subsequently to the development of a kind of purulent foci (even after healing, scars remain).
The infection does not stop in the prostate, some bacteria move through the urinary channels, entering the bladder and kidneys, which leads to regular urination.
However, infectious prostatitis is not always a consequence of sexually transmitted diseases. There are thousands of bacteria and microorganisms in the human body that regularly come from the world around us. Immunity easily copes with most of them, unless, of course, it is weakened by the negative effects of smoking, alcohol, constant stress and neurosis. In these cases, the immune system is unable to fully regulate the development of bacteria or fungi, as a result of which their uncontrolled multiplication occurs, which ultimately affects the prostate gland.
Symptoms of chronic prostatitis
The first signs of chronic prostatitis first appear in the regular need to urinate and discomfort in the perineum, similar to pain. This can be especially felt if you press lightly on the lower abdomen or into the anus.
Irregular urinary flow is considered to be another symptom of chronic prostatitis. Spraying in different directions indicates a deformation of the muscle, which should block the urinary canal (the muscle is located at the base of the prostate gland).
Weakness of the jet is also a negative sign, which indicates more about the infectious nature of the development of the disease, in which several organs of the genitourinary system are affected simultaneously. In some cases, there are problems with an erection, but more often they arise from a difficult psychological state of a person.
Diagnosis of the disease
The diagnosis in the early stages of prostatitis is the same, no matter if it is normal or chronic, infectious or stagnant. Treatment is most often carried out by andrologists (in some cases, urologists).
After consultation and internal examination, the doctor will write a referral for testing:
- Stain.The collection is performed using a special probe, which is inserted into the patient's urethra (the analysis allows to find out which bacteria and in what quantity are in the patient's urinary canal). Before taking the test, you need to 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 is in full swing in them, regular tests show nothing. This is where the analysis of the secret (the juice of the prostate) comes to the rescue. The doctor massages the prostate through the anus, thereby squeezing the secretion from the inflamed areas, then collects it from the urethra.
- Urinalysis.Usually administered after a smear, it allows to discover the pathology of the bladder and kidneys.
- Blood test- A test is performed for infections.
- Ultrasound- examination of the prostate, bladder and kidneys.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis in men
After completing all analyzes, the andrologist proceeds with the treatment. In the case of congestive prostatitis, treatment is simpler. As a rule, it consists in taking antibiotics and immunosuppressive drugs. Inflammation is removed with suppositories, which must be inserted into the anus.
With infectious prostatitis, everything is much more complicated, for a more accurate diagnosis it will be necessary to repeat some tests. Treatment will be prescribed depending on the severity of the infection. Most often these are droppers and antibiotics. The second step will be immunocorrection and elimination of toxins from the body. Along with drug treatment, prostate massage and physiotherapy (electrophoresis and magnetotherapy) are used.
The insidiousness of infectious prostatitis lies in the fact that with an alleged complete cure, some of the pathogens still remain in the body and multiply over time, triggering inflammation of the prostate gland again. To avoid this, it is recommended that you repeat the tests regularly and be examined by a doctor.
Quite often, even after complete recovery, the patient complains of discomfort in the perineal region and a frequent need to urinate. This situation is not uncommon. The fact is that even after the removal of the inflammatory process, scars remain on the organ, which interfere with its normal functioning. To eliminate this problem, there are a number of drugs (suppositories with enzymes) aimed at resorption of scars.
Prevention of chronic prostatitis
Treatment of chronic prostatitis consists of maximizing the prolongation of remission and the timely suppression of new inflammatory processes. To achieve long-term remission and thus avoid regular hospital visits, it is necessary to radically change one's lifestyle.
To begin with, don't catch a cold under any circumstances. Any drop in temperature, even the smallest, can cause an exacerbation. It is enough to ride a bus on a cold seat or sit on a draft. If possible, avoid sedentary work or do a five-minute warm-up at least once an hour, say goodbye completely to all bad habits:Smoking and alcohol are strictly prohibited!
In addition, it is important to follow a special diet for chronic prostatitis. It is not recommended to consume smoked meats, excessively fatty foods, heavily carbonated drinks and some types of spices (hot spices).
Include in your diet:
- chicken;
- fish;
- fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream with a low percentage of fat);
- vegetables;
- fruits;
- honey.
The use of pumpkin seeds has a very positive effect on the prostate gland.
If you've been diagnosed with chronic prostatitis, don't get depressed! Yes, the disease is quite complex, but if you adhere to all the recommendations of the doctor and lead a healthy lifestyle, constant pain and discomfort will cease to bother you for a long time. The careful care of your health and regular examinations by an andrologist will allow you to live a full and colorful life!