Chronic prostatitis is a disease that occurs most often in the practice of urologists-endocrinologists.It is primarily diagnosed in men who are at the peak of their reproductive, sexual, and working capacity.Therefore, timely treatment of prostatitis is very important to restore men's health and social functions.
Causes of development of chronic prostatitis
The chronic inflammatory process is followed by an acute phase due to the activity of pathogenic microflora.If the cause is not promptly identified and comprehensively treated, prostatitis will turn into a latent form and recur periodically.
Infection can occur in 3 ways: ascending - through the urinary tract, descending - when urine containing pathogenic bacteria enters the bladder, blood - through the circulatory system (infection is transmitted from other inflammatory foci in the body).
Factors causing chronic prostatitis:
- pathogenic fungi
- coli
- Coryne bacteria
- garden plants
- staphylococcus
- Trichomoniasis
- small bacteria
- mycoplasma
- intestinal cocci
- gonorrhea
- chlamydia
- parasites
- virus
- proteus
In chronic form of prostatitis in men, the inflammatory process can recur even after the pathogenic microflora has been eliminated.In such cases, there is disruption of nerve distribution in the organ with an autoimmune attack of the tissue against the primary inflammation.The examination did not reveal any infection.Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with “chronic bacterial prostatitis”.
Prostate dysfunction is not always caused by infectious damage.There are a number of adverse factors that cause illness.Among the most popular:
- reduced immune defenses due to hypothermia, poor lifestyle, bad habits and overwork.
- poor circulation in the pelvic area due to chronic constipation, sedentary work, and lack of physical activity
- blockages in the prostatic ducts and other pelvic organs
- chronic infectious diseases (sinusitis, pharyngitis)
- permanent damage to prostate tissue due to increased load on the pelvic floor muscles and physical stress
- Irregular sexual intercourse, sexual abstinence, interrupted sexual intercourse
- inflammation of the genitourinary system
- poor diet
- Previous STD
Chronic bacterial prostatitis often becomes an accompanying problem with cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis, epididymitis, orchitis.In some cases, the focus of infection is not even on the genitourinary system.This could be tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, tooth decay, intestinal or pneumonia that has not been treated appropriately.
Urologists associate the occurrence of a chronic nonbacterial form of prostatitis with congestion in the pelvic organs.When local circulation is impaired, the blood vessels of the prostate gland fill with blood, causing edema and stagnation of secretions.As a result, the prostate cannot produce the necessary amount of secretions and hormones.This leads to the development of an inflammatory process in the tissues.
Main signs of chronic prostatitis
Symptoms of the bacterial form of pathology are similar to any infectious process.They progress with an increase in the number of pathogenic bacteria and lead to a serious deterioration of the general condition if not adequately treated.In the early stages, chronic prostatitis has no symptoms or mild symptoms.Therefore, most men ignore the need to contact a urologist for examination.
Delay in seeing a specialist to determine the cause and start treatment of prostatitis will lead to serious consequences not only for the genitourinary system, but also for the psycho-emotional state.Fertility disorders result from urinary disorders and a gradual decline in health in many men causing nervousness, lethargy, increased irritability, severe fatigue and loss of appetite.In addition, untimely initiation of treatment leads to infertility in 40% of cases.
Symptoms of chronic prostatitis that require contact with a urologist:
- frequent need to urinate, weak urine stream
- pain radiating to the perineum, groin, rectum, scrotum, glans penis and sometimes the sacrum
- painful urination (especially at the beginning and end of intercourse)
- Chills, excessive sweating (typical endocrine symptoms, as the prostate is part of this system)
- Changes in skin color in the area where pain is felt
- the release of small amounts of prostatic secretions from the urethra (when physically stressed) due to impaired tone of this organ
- potency disorders (decreased sexual desire, erection problems, ejaculation due to decreased testosterone produced by the gland)
Any of the listed signs can indicate illness, so men need to promptly contact a urologist for medical care.Also, don't forget to see your doctor regularly to prevent diseases, because the disease can be asymptomatic.In such cases, the diagnosis is made by measuring the number of white blood cells in the prostate secretions.
Complications can occur with chronic prostatitis
If not treated promptly, the inflammation will spread.This causes many related problems such as:
- epididymitis
- orchitis
- vesicular inflammation
- urinary incontinence
- formation of stones and cysts in the prostate
- reproductive dysfunction
- prostate tumor
The most serious complication may be prostate cancer.
Methods of diagnosing chronic prostatitis
Urologists receive the necessary medical information to diagnose and determine the cause of the disease after conducting a series of tests, as well as instrumental studies.At the first consultation, the doctor collects a medical history, asks the man about worrisome symptoms, and conducts an examination.The presence of discharge from the urethra, skin irritation and rashes in the external genital area are determined with the naked eye.Also in this situation, a digital rectal examination is indicated to evaluate the size, structure, and tenderness of the prostate.
Basic diagnostic methods:
- General urine test
- Urine bacterial culture, urethral smear
- Microscopic examination of prostatic secretions
- endoscopic examination of the urinary tract
- Prostate ultrasound (transrectal)
- PCR test for STD pathogens
A PSA test for prostatitis is performed to rule out adenoma and prostate cancer.In some cases, to clarify the diagnosis, a tissue biopsy is prescribed, followed by histology of the samples taken.If there are problems with reproductive function, men will be prescribed a sperm scan and MAR test.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis
Ignored conditions are difficult to correct.However, with an integrated treatment approach, stable and lasting remission can be achieved.To do this, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the inflammatory process and increase the body's resistance.This effect is achieved through individual selection of treatment therapy, taking into account the age of the man, the stage of prostatitis, the state of the immune system and the severity of symptoms.In extreme cases, when there is a risk of serious complications, patients should be treated with surgery.
Basic treatment methods for chronic prostatitis:
- take antibiotics
- Symptomatic treatment
- Use anti-inflammatory drugs
- Physiotherapy to normalize blood circulation and reduce swelling
- Adjust your diet and lifestyle
Completing a comprehensive course of treatment for chronic prostatitis allows you to eliminate the causes of the inflammatory process, relieve pain, and also improve the overall health of men.An essential part of therapy is the restoration of the body's protective resources.If prostatitis has a non-bacterial cause, taking immunomodulators may prevent autoimmune invasion.
Modern physiotherapy for prostatitis
Physical therapy methods quickly relieve many symptoms and bring about steady improvement in the majority of men.At home, you should take warm baths regularly but the water should not be too hot.
Clinical methods of physical therapy for chronic prostatitis:
- Ultrasound therapy.Exposure to high frequency waves.
- Supersonic.A combination of ultrasound treatment with drugs effective in treating prostatitis is used during the procedure.
- Magnetic therapy.Low frequency magnetic field therapy.
- UVT.The impact of shock waves on the direct cause of prostatitis: obstruction and inflammatory processes.
- Darsonvalization.Application of high frequency pulsed current.
- Electroplate.Treatment with low frequency direct current.
- UHF.Method to reduce symptoms of chronic prostatitis by using the impact of electric fields through capacitor plates.
Electrophoresis gives clear results.It accelerates the delivery of drugs to the affected tissues.Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the load on other organs, which is very important for overall health, since chronic prostatitis requires serious medication.Shock wave therapy procedures bring positive effects.Afterwards, most men note a reduction in prostate discomfort, pain relief and improved erections after the first session.
Physical therapy is a supportive method in the treatment of prostatitis.The reduction in the severity of symptoms, as well as the overall rate of recovery, depends on the individual's response to the chosen method of exposure.Some treatments last several weeks or even months but help put chronic prostatitis in men into a steady state of remission.
Qualified urologists in a modern clinic can develop an optimal treatment plan for this pathology.