Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland that affects men 20 years of age and older.
According to statistics, 1 in 4 men has experienced this disease in one form or another. There has been a persistent trend in recent years to "rejuvenate" the process. This is due to sexual liberation, the increase in sexually transmitted infections, tendencies to self-diagnosis and treatment on the Internet, and the resistance of infectious agents to the action of antibiotic therapy.
This is especially true because the first signs of prostatitis in men, as a rule, are erased, which does not allow to consult a doctor in time and in some cases leads to the development of advanced prostatitis.
Signs of prostatitis in men
Features of the structure, blood supply and location of the prostate gland affect the nature of the symptoms that will lead to its inflammation. These include:
- Pain symptom.
- Disturbed urination symptom (dysuric).
- Erectile dysfunction symptom.
Pain symptom
The painful sensations, of varying intensity, disturb the man in the lower abdomen, in the perineum, in the genitals, in the lumbosacral spine. This location of pain is due to the presence of nerve connections and the involvement of the seminal vesicles (vesicles) in the inflammation process.
The pain can vary in intensity, from an inexplicable feeling of discomfort to intense pain that affects a man's mental state and causes insomnia. Painful sensations depend on sexual behavior and arise from the lack of regular ejaculation or, conversely, from ejaculation, which is associated with the spread of the inflammatory process on the posterior urethra.
Note that pain in the lumbosacral region may not be associated with the prostate gland in any way, but may be the result, for example, of osteochondrosis of the spine. The result of a conversation with the patient and the data of the urological examination help establish the cause of such pain.
The very first sign of prostatitis in a man is a sensation of pain in the testicles (in the scrotum area) spreading along the epididymis (right and left groin areas). Pain radiated by an inflamed prostate can appear on the inside of the thighs, back, which dictates the need to consult a neurologist to rule out neurological pathologies, since it is precisely for prostate pain that such a spread is not typical.
In some cases, the irradiation of painful sensations is asymmetrical, which makes it possible to suspect an inflammatory process in the prostate, localized in one of its lobes. In the place of manifestation, the pain syndrome is divided into genital (in the genital area, characteristic of chronic congestive prostatitis), extragenital (above the genital organs), characteristic of advanced advanced prostatitis) and mixed (chronic prostatitis).
Symptoms of dysuria or urination disorder with prostatitis
Disorders of urination are expressed by false desires, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder with frequent urination, which is associated with inflammation of the bladder neck and urethra. Long-standing signs of dysuria in prostatitis indicate the chronicity of the process.
Erectile disorders with prostatitis
Erectile dysfunction in prostatitis is represented by premature ejaculation, blurred sensations during orgasm, decreased libido, weakened erection. Sometimes a man's prostatitis can be suspected from the absence of morning erections.
A decrease in potency, as the first sign of prostatitis in a man, is caused by a decrease in the synthesis of testosterone (male sex hormone).
The manifestations of inflammation in the prostate gland are not limited to the above three symptoms. Often the first sign of prostatitis in a man is the discharge of prostatic secretion from the urethra during the act of defecation (prostatorrhea), which indicates a decrease in the tone of the muscles of the ejaculatory ducts.
In addition, one cannot but focus on the psychological signs of prostatitis in a man: aseno-neurotic syndrome develops from the nervous system (depression, fatigue, lack of desire to do anything, physical weakness).
The first signs of acute prostatitis
All of the above symptoms are typical of chronic inflammation of the prostate, with acute prostatitis in a man, the picture is slightly different.
The disease begins with a sharp sharp pain in the perineum, the symptoms of urinary disorder are more clearly traced. There is a rise in temperature up to 38-39 C, chills, weakness, sweating, pain in the muscles and bones. During defecation, pain in the anus is worrying. There is no sex life.
If you do not pass the examination in a timely manner and do not start treatment, the acute process will be complicated by purulent prostatitis, up to an abscess, which will lead to emergency surgery.
If there are no other reasons (immunodeficiency states, severe concomitant pathology, etc. ) - purulent prostatitis in a man - an advanced inflammatory process due to premature access to a doctor!
Causes of signs of inflammation of the prostate
Factors influencing prostate inflammation have conventionally been divided into 3 groups.
Unresponsive factors include:
- Body type.
- Sexual constitution.
- Age factor.
- The presence of diseases.
- Environment (climatic factor).
Partially controllable factors:
- Sexual habits.
- Profession.
- Background diseases of the male genital area.
- Attitude towards the disease.
And finally, controllable factors:
- Promiscuous sex life.
- Alcoholism.
- Non-compliance with treatment recommendations.
- Power mode errors.
Who is at risk
Prostatitis threatens men who:
- Adhere to a sedentary lifestyle.
- Suffers from chronic constipation.
- You have a history of venereal infections.
- Having more than one sexual partner.
- Suffers from alcoholism, drug addiction.
- They work in cold conditions.
If there are signs of prostatitis, what to do
Laboratory diagnostics for prostatitis
- In the UCK, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, a shift in the leukocyte formula to the left. In OAM - leukocyturia, proteinuria, bacteriuria.
- Blood for HIV infection.
- A smear from the urethra on the flora As a rule, in the smear, leukocytes are completely. If a venereal pathogen (Neisser's gonococcus, Trichomonas) is not identified, it is imperative to perform PCR diagnostics.
- Secretion of the prostate gland Seeding of the secretion of the prostate on the pathogen and determination of sensitivity to the antibiotic.
- PCR - Diagnosis for Sexually Transmitted Infections The most reliable and fastest way to verify the pathogen.
- Blood for PSA Blood for PSA (prostate specific antigen) should not be taken during an acute inflammatory process in the prostate gland, the result will be unreliable. It is best to do this analysis 1 month after the end of therapy. Young people under 30 do not need to test their blood PSA level. This test is important for a man over 40, as acute prostatitis, in some cases, can be secondary and a malignant tumor in the prostate gland is masked behind its clinical manifestations.
Instrumental diagnostic methods
As a rule, an ultrasound examination of the prostate transrectally (through the rectum) or transabdominally (through the abdomen) is sufficient.
Signs of prostatitis on ultrasound
An increase in the volume of the gland, a change in consistency, edema; with purulent prostatitis - areas of necrosis, deformation of the contours, an increase in regional lymph nodes.
What you should pay attention to
First of all, to get rid of the symptoms of prostatitis forever, you need to follow a certain diet.
The exacerbation of prostatitis in a man depends on the irritants ingested with food: hot spices, vinegar, pickles, alcohol.
Special mention must be made of alcohol, even its minimal use can nullify the effects of complex therapy in the long term.
Some patients feel they should drink less often or switch to lighter alcoholic beverages. This is their main mistake.
Diluted vinegar, kvass, citrus, sauerkraut, tomatoes and cucumbers have no harmful effect on prostatitis.
Eating high-fiber foods relieves a man of constipation, one of the main reasons for the development of congestion in the small pelvis.
Herbal medicine helps well for prevention. Taking Herbal Diuretics: Cranberry leaves, dill seeds, urological collection helps improve urination during inflammation.
Sport, especially exercise to improve blood circulation in the pelvic organs, helps keep the prostate in good shape.
The development of inflammation in the prostate causes hypothermia. In winter it is worth dressing warmer, and in summer, after swimming, you should not stay in a wet bathing suit for long.
Using condoms during sexual contact with an unknown partner will protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection.
Prolonged fatigue has a negative effect on a man's immune system, as do stressful situations, which can intensify a dormant infection in the prostate gland. Regular preventive examination by a urologist will help maintain men's health.