Experts call the prostate gland the most vulnerable organ in men. The most common inflammation of the prostate, causing a lot of discomfort to the patient. If the inflammatory process lasts more than 3 months, we can talk about the chronic form of the disease. The problem of how to treat chronic prostatitis is faced by one in three representatives of the stronger sex. It is possible to cure the disease, but this will require qualified medical assistance. You should not delay the complex treatment of a chronic disease, because it provokes the appearance of adenoma and prostatic hyperplasia, as well as a decrease in erectile function.
What is meant by diagnosis
Usually, men are not inclined to listen to their own well-being, so the inflammatory process in the prostate gland takes a prolonged form. The danger of the disease lies in the fact that it can be completely asymptomatic. First, urethritis develops, and if medical assistance is not sought, complications cannot be avoided. Over time, chronic prostatitis is formed in men, the symptoms and treatment of which are individual. Forms of chronic prostatitis:
| First name | Diagnostics |
|---|---|
| contagious | It occurs due to damage to the prostate gland by viruses, fungi, or bacteria. It is revealed by means of a laboratory analysis of blood and urine. |
| stagnant | It proceeds with pain in the pelvic area, most often it is chronic. Symptoms of a congestive form are sometimes similar to signs of an inflammatory process. |
| Asymptomatic | There are no clinical manifestations of inflammation, which is why a man may not see a doctor for a long time. It is possible to identify the disease only by examining the prostate gland. |
Many men are diagnosed with chronic congestive prostatitis (non-infectious etiology). Inflammation in this case affects the secret of the prostate and veins.
Reasons for appearance
The causes of chronic prostatitis are various:
- Prolonged abstinence from intimacy or too active sex life;
- The presence of several perineal lesions (while driving or cycling);
- Irrational menu (lack of nutrients and excess of fried, fatty and smoked foods);
- Repeated infection of the genital organs;
- Reduced immunity;
- Diseases of the urogenital organs;
- Inactive and sedentary lifestyle;
- Underwear that is too tight and tight;
- coitus interrupted;
- Phimosis in history;
- Anal sex without additional protection (condom).
The disease affects both the elderly and men of middle and even young age:
- With an inactive sex life, prostatitis occurs due to stagnation of the secretion of the prostate gland.
- Athletes are at risk because they lift weights and are prone to microtrauma of the prostate tissue.
- Long-distance flight drivers suffer from stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs.
- Winter fishing enthusiasts are at risk from constant hypothermia of the body.
Among common male diseases, chronic prostatitis is about 20%. Every fifth patient who consults a doctor suffers from a chronic form of the disease. The disease is "getting younger" because modern kids are promiscuous, they don't think about their own safety. In order not to wonder about how to get rid of chronic prostatitis, it is enough to take care of the elementary protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
It is worth thinking about the fact that the chronic form of the disease leads to a violation of the erection of the penis and a decrease in sexual satisfaction during ejaculation. On this basis the fear of intimacy, irritability, insecurity begin. All this further leads to neurosis for sexual reasons.
Ways of infection
Doctors note two ways of infection with an infectious form of prostatitis:
- Urinogen (ascending). Specific microorganisms through the urethra enter the prostate. The secret of the prostate gland is normally sterile, no bacteria will be detected during the examination. There are cases when microorganisms live in the body of a man, but their concentration is not enough for the development of the disease. If the microflora is disturbed, infection of the organ begins, which leads to the development of inflammation. Do not rule out the risk of infection and damage to nearby organs when a man suffers from hemorrhoids or cystitis. In this case, dangerous microorganisms enter the prostate through the lymphogenous pathway.
- Hematogenic. The causative agent of the infection enters the prostate through the bloodstream. The diseases that can cause this type of infection are many: acute flu, tooth decay, etc. If in parallel there is venous congestion in the prostate gland, there is a high risk of chronic prostatitis, the treatment of which will take a long time.
Urologists identify two predisposing factors that lead to hematogenous infection:
- Congenital. Anatomical features of the prostate, including changes in the structure of muscle tissue or disorders of the circulatory system.
- Acquired. Causes of chronic prostatitis include trauma to the genital organs, craving for alcohol, prolonged smoking, a history of infectious diseases, and frequent hypothermia.
The danger of ignoring the disease lies in the fact that at this stage the symptoms of chronic prostatitis in men are often absent or insignificant. The patient believes that the disease can be cured with the help of folk remedies, but these methods are ineffective. Treatment regimens are carried out only by a specialist after a thorough examination and collection of the necessary information.
Warning signs
Symptoms of chronic prostatitis are different, depending on the stage of the disease and its form:
| The module | signs |
|---|---|
| Bacterial (infectious) | Feeling of weakness, chills, fever, muscle pain, pain in the lower abdomen (may be aggravated by intercourse and prolonged abstinence), pain when urinating, weak jet pressure when urinating, frequent urination at night. Pain can be observed in the thighs, perineum and rectum, which is why the signs of chronic prostatitis are mistaken for hemorrhoids. |
| Bacterial specific | All the above signs are observed, to which discharge from the urethra, similar to mucus, can be added. |
| bacterial | Symptoms of congestive prostatitis are difficult to ignore due to the intense pain. It is localized in the perineum and thighs. Discomfort is felt in the head of the penis. The pain is aggravated by the interruption of sexual intercourse, as well as by prolonged abstinence from intimacy. |
The consequences of chronic prostatitis depend on the duration of the disease:
- adenoma;
- Oncology;
- Sclerosis of the prostate and bladder neck;
- Erectile dysfunction;
- infertility;
- Reduced testosterone levels.
The danger of the disease lies not only in the fact that prostatitis can be confused with another disease. If the acute phase passes, the symptoms of chronic prostatitis disappear and treatment is not carried out. The man no longer cares about his health and does not go to the doctor. However, there comes a time when the signs begin to seriously annoy and interfere with normal life, but the disease has already passed into a prolonged stage. Treatment of congestive prostatitis will take much longer if the diagnosis of the disease was not at the first stage.
Diagnosis
The symptoms of other diseases are very similar to those of chronic prostatitis. Is it possible to cure the disease without examinations? It is unlikely, because only an accurate diagnosis will determine the form and stage of development of prostatitis. Discomfort can be caused by:
- tuberculosis;
- adenoma;
- Cancer.
Only a comprehensive examination can confirm or rule out the diagnosis. There are two types of research:
- Instrumental;
- Laboratory.
After talking to the patient and taking a medical history, the urologist or andrologist will ask you to do a series of tests:
- General urine analysis;
- General blood test;
- Analysis of prostatic secretion;
- Blood test for PSA.
A urine sample is taken three times to obtain more accurate data on the change in composition in it:
- epithelial cells;
- leukocytes;
- Pathogens of infections;
- Non-specific bacteria.
Doctors know what chronic prostatitis is and how difficult it is to diagnose. The modern method of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) allows you to do it precisely:
- A device with an ultrasound probe is carefully inserted into the patient's anus.
- Since the prostate is firmly attached to the rectal wall, the specialist has a good opportunity to study the prostate gland in detail and make an accurate diagnosis.
Conventional ultrasound allows you to determine the change in the density of the prostate, its size, the presence of fibrous foci, abscesses and stones.
Before treating chronic prostatitis, the doctor must double-check the diagnosis. If in the slightest doubt, he can refer the patient to an MRI or CT scan to rule out the presence of a tumor outbreak. If a man has an intravesical obstruction, an x-ray will be needed to determine the cause of the disease.
Conservative treatments
The treatment regimen for chronic prostatitis is prescribed only by a professional urologist and is selected individually. The doctor takes into account the cause of the disease, the duration of the disease and such a factor as an aggravating pathology. If congestive or infectious prostatitis is in an early stage, treatment can be with drugs:
- Antibiotic therapy. Prostatitis is treatable with antibacterial drugs if the bacterial agent is detected in the secretions of the prostate or in the urine. Inflammation should be pronounced. The course lasts no more than 2 months, and the price of chronic prostatitis treatment depends on the prescribed drugs. The dosage of each drug is prescribed individually, and self-medication is fraught with complications. Reviews after treatment of prostatitis with antibiotics are not always positive, but there are reasons for this. Sometimes the symptoms persist at the end of the course, even if the infection has been defeated.
- Elimination of symptoms. For the treatment of chronic prostatitis in men, pain-blocking drugs are often used. The course of therapy may also include the use of antidepressants to reduce anxiety levels.
- Alpha blockers. A course of these drugs is prescribed if the doctor has diagnosed bladder muscle hypertonia or increased intraurethral pressure. However, the drugs are ineffective if the patient has pelvic floor myodystrophy or impaired muscle innervation.
- hormone therapy. It is carried out on the basis of the results of a hormonal examination. Androgens and antiandrogens are used.
- Vitamin therapy. With irrational nutrition, nutrient deficiency is replenished due to the vitamin-mineral complex. Experts do not recommend replacing it with popular dietary supplements, as the "dummies" will not help in any way.
- Normalization of uric acid levels. Methods of treating chronic prostatitis with the help of regulators are effective only in the presence of stones in the prostate gland.
- Immunostimulants. Prostatitis is treated in this way only with laboratory-proven immunodeficiency.
Answering the question of whether chronic prostatitis is treatable, we can safely say that recovery comes quickly with a correctly prescribed complex.
Operative method of treatment
The disease usually does not require surgery, except when the complication poses a threat to the patient's health and even life. Modern surgery practices endoscopic surgery in order to reduce the risks and damage to health. Surgery is essential for:
- adenoma;
- Seed tubercle sclerosis;
- Stones in the prostate;
- Prostate sclerosis.
Effective treatment of chronic prostatitis allows you to do without surgery if a man seeks medical advice on time. Do not forget that in the phase of exacerbation of the disease, surgical intervention cannot be performed. The need for such a cardinal method of treatment is determined only by the surgeon after studying the general clinical picture.
Other treatments
Men are often concerned about whether chronic prostatitis can be treated non-pharmacologically. The doctor can really prescribe other methods:
- Massage. Do not forget about the contraindications and the fact that only a small area of the prostate is available for massage. If there are hyperplastic changes in the prostate gland, a course of massage can lead to acute urinary retention. This, in turn, causes the inflammation to spread further and sepsis to develop. Massage is also prohibited in the presence of venous stasis, prostatic cysts and stones in the prostate gland. If you need to get rid of a stagnant secret, it is best to free the prostate naturally through ejaculation.
- Special gymnastics. It is used to strengthen the bladder and lengthen the intervals between urinating. Improving the tone of the sphincter and bladder allows you to set a pause between pulses to go to the toilet for up to 5 hours. Gymnastics is ineffective for neurodystrophic changes and myofascial syndrome.
- Muscle stimulation. With a reduced tone of the pelvic floor muscles, magnetic therapy, phonophoresis, transrectal ultrasound or electrical stimulation are used.
- Instillation. It is practically not used in modern medicine, since the infusion of medicines into the urethra is accompanied by pain and does not cure prostatitis. The consequences of such treatment can be dire.
It is more expedient to ask an andrologist or urologist how to treat congestive prostatitis with folk remedies. Popular videos on the Internet are filled with videos on the qualitative use of alcoholic tinctures and pumpkin seeds, but no method can replace drug therapy. How much the disease is treated is also determined only by the doctor and not by the heroes on YouTube.
Useful exercises
A simple set of exercises will improve blood microcirculation in the pelvic area. They can be performed in the morning instead of the usual exercise:
- Spread your legs shoulder-width apart, raise your arms and connect behind your head. Inhale - sit slowly and spread your knees to the sides, exhale - return to the starting position.
- Connect the legs together, the hands freely lower along the body. Bend your left leg at the knee, lifting it as high as possible. Repeat the same with the right leg. Perform 10 approaches.
- Squat down, palms down. Inhale: rise slowly, spread your arms to the sides. Exhale: Return to the starting position.
- Lie on your stomach, after placing a ball under it (no bigger than a tennis ball). Focus on the floor and roll the ball across the floor with your stomach. Perform 7 approaches.
- Lie on your back, bending your knees. Block the ball between them. Inhale - squeeze your knees, exhale - relax. Do 3 sets, possibly increasing the number of repetitions up to 9 times.
- Sit on the floor, focusing on your hands. Put a ball under the buttocks. Try rolling it on the floor with the help of your buttocks and genitals.
Helps in the fight against disease and Kegel exercises, useful not only for women, but also for men.
Probable predictions
Instead of looking for information on how to live with chronic prostatitis, it is more helpful to make an appointment with a specialist. With timely access to a doctor and a reasonably selected course of therapy, you can improve your health. The question of whether chronic prostatitis can be completely cured cannot be unambiguously answered. It all depends on the methods prescribed by the doctor and the accuracy with which the patient follows his recommendations.
Experts are very cautious in making predictions about the further course of the disease. Is chronic prostatitis treated with a guarantee? Full recovery was noted only in rare cases, as most often the disease takes the form of a prolonged remission. Normalization of urine and blood parameters is noted, symptoms completely disappear. However, without following a doctor's advice, the disease can again cause discomfort and complications.