The problem of chronic prostatitis affects not only older men, but also young men who have just started having sexual intercourse. Inflammation of the prostate in the first months can manifest itself as a slight burning and itching sensation, to which the patient does not attach importance. But when inflammation becomes part of everyday life, it is no longer possible to ignore it. Exhausting pain, fatigue, decline in sexual activity are chronic companions of prostatitis.
What is chronic prostatitis?
Prostatitis is one of the most common diseases of the genitourinary system in middle-aged and elderly men. Treatment of chronic prostatitis is to minimize symptoms and reach a state where prostatitis does not affect reproductive function.
Prostatitis is characterized by inflammation of the prostate gland: an important organ of the reproductive system located at the top of the beginning of the urethra. When healthy, the prostate is responsible for producing a secretion that keeps sperm alive and creates an environment in which they can survive until ejaculation. In chronic prostatitis this function is impaired on average in 70% of cases, which is why most sperm become sluggish and non-viable. The chances of successful fertilization decrease significantly even in the absence of other pronounced problems with the reproductive system. Complex treatment is required.
Chronic prostatitis develops in three forms:
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis.The painful symptoms disappear completely or return with a vengeance. Even at its peak, the inflammation does not reach the intensity of acute prostatitis. Prostate irritation is caused by a third-party factor: pathogenic bacteria. Such prostatitis can disappear without diagnosis and comprehensive treatment: for example, if a man had a cold or seasonal illness at the same time as inflammation. Antibiotics will suppress the activity of the bacterial colonies and the disease will recede. But the next time the immune system fails, chronic prostatitis will return and you will have to undergo treatment.
- Chronic abacterial prostatitis.According to research, chronic abacterial prostatitis remains one of the most common forms in men under 50. The disease often begins with a bacterial invasion: the bacteria develop activity against a background of weakened immunity and are defeated. The consequence is the depletion of the body's resources, which is why the inflammation returns in the future without the participation of bacteria. Chronic abacterial prostatitis is characterized by long phases with short, barely noticeable remission. A man suffering from abacterial prostatitis may be convinced that the disease is constantly worsening. The burning sensation is more intense than in bacterial forms, since the disease does not allow you to relax and take a break from the pain. The treatment occurs with minimally invasive means. Advanced chronic prostatitis of a non-bacterial nature is treated in the surgeon's office.
- Chronic asymptomatic (asymptomatic) prostatitis.This form of prostatitis does not cause suffering to humans, but is dangerous as a hidden threat. Asymptomatic prostatitis occurs without pronounced symptoms. Prostate burning, itching, release of moisture and other signs of inflammation do not appear. At the same time, the inflammatory process affects reproductive function, which is why a man can consider himself sterile. Asymptomatic chronic prostatitis can only be detected using laboratory diagnostics. Tests will show increased bacterial activity, which is associated with the development of prostatitis in men. Combined with the release of white blood cells during urination, this will allow for a diagnosis. Warning: a preventive visit to a urologist once a year may not be enough. Chronic asymptomatic prostatitis also has phases of activity, so it can be difficult to diagnose.
- Chronic granulomatous prostatitis.The rarest form of the disease develops as a side effect of drug treatment of other diseases or long-term radiation. The inflammatory process in this case is only a secondary symptom. Painful sensations are associated with the gradual destruction of the prostate tissue, which is replaced by connective tissue. The degradation of the organ leads to a weakening of the function of the prostate until it stops completely. If left untreated, the process becomes irreversible.
Although chronic prostatitis is qualitatively different from the acute form of the disease, with complications it can turn into an acute phase, dangerous for the reproductive system. Sharp pain with burning sensation in the prostate, high fever, decreased immunity are signs that the treatment of chronic prostatitis will have to be postponed. Call an ambulance or go to the hospital. First you need to stop the acute inflammatory process.
Causes
The impetus for the development of chronic prostatitis is usually a combination of factors, including the state of the body, environment and heredity. If it is possible to prevent acute prostatitis, the development of chronic prostatitis is not so simple. Men who are naturally predisposed to prostate disease will experience an exacerbation of the disease in situations that do not affect men with more favorable heredity.
If you want to reduce the risk of developing chronic prostatitis, pay more attention to your health. Prostatitis is a disease that occurs against a background of weakness of the body. Among the most common causes of chronic prostatitis:
- Sexual infections.They directly affect the prostate gland or weaken the immune system to the point that the slightest irritation causes an inflammatory process. Infections are transmitted sexually through unprotected contact. Carriers may not know they are infected: some infections appear only in men, although they are carried by women, and vice versa. The best preventive measure is hygienic contraceptives. Urologists recommend using a condom even during non-penetrative sexual intercourse, for example during prostate stimulation.
- Passive lifestyle.Lack of physical activity causes chronic circulatory problems not only in the prostate, but throughout the pelvic area. If you have to spend most of the day sitting at your desk, don't forget to get up and stretch at least once every 1-2 hours. Light exercise, a walk around the office or stretching will restore normal blood circulation. On weekends you can offset the workload of the work week with long walks or sporting activity.
- Incomplete sexual intercourse, artificial prolongation of arousal or prolonged abstinence.The male reproductive system requires regular discharge. In this way the spermatozoa are renewed and thanks to this all organs are permanently ready for the reproductive process. What happens if a man regularly delays or prohibits himself from orgasm? The body accumulates more sperm and byproducts than necessary. The prostate gland also suffers: it produces unnecessary secretions that have nowhere to direct. If the situation repeats itself constantly, the result could be chronic prostatitis.
- Regular hypothermia.It is believed that it is useful for men to freeze completely - it strengthens the body. In fact, being hypothermic while walking, riding a motorbike or skiing, a man overloads the immune system. It is more difficult for the body to cope with bacterial activity, and the vulnerability of the prostate increases many times. In such conditions it is easy to become a carrier of bacterial prostatitis, which will then transform into a non-bacterial or asymptomatic form.
- Chronic lack of sleep, depression, stress.Psychological factors combined with fatigue deplete the immune system and open the body to a whole group of chronic diseases. A man who does not rest enough at night or is stressed after work is 2-3 times more likely to get prostatitis than a man who sleeps 8-10 hours a day and rests well with his family. At the first manifestations of the disease it is important not to blame yourself and not give in to gloomy thoughts: they will only make the condition worse. Go to the doctor immediately and you will get rid of, if not the disease itself, then the unpleasant symptoms.
- Violations of hormonal activity.In chronic prostatitis, the functions of the prostate gland are impaired. Hormones are responsible for regulating the prostate and coordinating secretion with the functioning of the reproductive system. Even a slight hormonal imbalance can cause inflammation. In this case, the treatment of chronic prostatitis will need to be integrated with hormone therapy.
- Neglect of personal hygiene rules.Warning: only once is enough for the bacteria to settle on the fabrics. You may not notice the consequences if you do not follow the rules of personal care for years, while the immune system protects the body from bacterial invasions. But one exacerbation against the background of a seasonal disease is enough for the problem of chronic prostatitis to enter a man's life for many months.
The development of chronic prostatitis is often accompanied by a weakened immune system, a poor diet and a lack of vitamins and minerals in the body. A man who leads a healthy lifestyle is less at risk of chronic prostatitis, even with a high genetic predisposition.
How to treat chronic prostatitis in men and what to do
If you suspect the development of chronic prostatitis, you should schedule a comprehensive examination with a urologist. In some cases the doctor formulates a diagnosis already at the first visit, based on the nature of the disease and the patient's indications. If prostatitis has not manifested itself before, the urologist will prescribe diagnostic procedures: ultrasound examination of the prostate, urodynamic examination. Laboratory tests include analysis of urine, ejaculate, urethral swab and prostatic secretion.
After clarifying the diagnosis, the doctor will formulate a course of treatment. There is no single correct method for treating chronic prostatitis. Methods are selected based on the type of chronic prostatitis, medical history and personal characteristics of the course of the disease.
Pharmacological treatment
Prescribed in most cases for home treatment; if prostatitis is accompanied by flare-ups, the man may be hospitalized. For bacterial forms of prostatitis, antibiotics are selected based on the group of bacteria identified during laboratory tests. Penicillins and fluoroquinolones remain the most used antibacterial drugs in the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis.
For any form of chronic prostatitis, drugs from the alpha-blocker group are prescribed. They relieve swelling, eliminating the feeling of pressure and unpleasant itching that causes prostatitis. These drugs also have a powerful analgesic effect: a man stops suffering from pain and burning, physical activity and night rest are normalized. Prostatitis occurs without pain or physical exhaustion.
When chronic prostatitis passes into acute form, potent non-steroidal drugs are prescribed. They act directly on the inflammatory process and relieve the symptoms, but do not treat the root cause of the disease.
Surgical methods
In recent years, doctors are enrolling fewer and fewer men with signs of chronic prostatitis in the surgeon's office. The reason is the mixed effect of surgical manipulations and a long recovery period. The prostatitis ceases, but the patient suffers side effects, including impotence. At the same time, there are forms of chronic prostatitis in which surgical intervention is indispensable.
Resection of the prostate gland by the transurethral method (TUR) is the partial or complete removal of prostate tissue to relieve stress on the urinary system. With partial resection the prostate retains all its functions, while the inflammatory process disappears irreversibly and prostatitis does not recur. The operation is performed without opening, regardless of the extent of the inflammation. The resectoscope is directed to the inflamed organ without affecting the other pelvic organs.
Adenomectomy is the "open" removal of a prostatitis gland, also called prostatectomy. An advanced inflammatory process leads to the fact that it becomes impossible to reach the inflamed gland without opening it. In this case, conventional surgical instruments are used to completely remove the prostate. This is an extreme measure, which is prescribed only when other methods of treatment are impossible and there is a danger to the body. After a long period of rehabilitation, the man returns to a normal lifestyle with unlimited physical activity. Adenomectomy always ends in complete impotence. Prostatitis never comes back.
Minimally invasive treatment methods
In modern medicine there are many ways to treat prostatitis in chronic forms that do not require surgical intervention. The new techniques have proven to be more effective than traditional surgery, which is why they are used everywhere. Official medicine recognizes the following treatment methods:
- Exposure to ultrasonic waves.Prostatitis only affects the prostate gland, so UV treatment focuses radiation on this organ. Regular procedures reduce symptoms, relieve swelling and pain. The process is not accompanied by pain, does not cause irritation and is harmless to the genitourinary system.
- Spa treatments.Prostatitis and its manifestations can be reduced to "no" by microwave thermotherapy. High temperatures are applied directly to the prostate, causing it to reduce in size. The method is not used if prostatitis has entered the acute phase: in this case heating aggravates the condition.
- Cryodestruction.Painless partial removal of inflamed glandular tissue with liquid nitrogen with a minimal recovery period. Chronic prostatitis disappears completely if antibacterial treatment is carried out in parallel with strengthening the immune system. The reproductive function is not compromised, prostatitis has minimal possibility of recurrence.
- Inductotherapy.The complex treatment with laser and magnetic field normalizes blood circulation, triggers regeneration processes and relieves pain due to inflammation. The technique in case of prostatitis has an auxiliary effect: inductotherapy increases the effect of drugs by one and a half to two times, but without drugs it gives a short-term result.
- Laser processing.If chronic prostatitis is accompanied by long phases of exacerbation, laser therapy is prescribed. The laser evaporates excess moisture, stopping the growing area of tissue damage due to prostatitis. The treatment has a stimulating effect: the body's cells are activated, natural defenses are awakened and tissue regeneration occurs.
One of the new methods is the mechanical expansion of the urethral walls. This method does not treat chronic prostatitis, but contributes to the almost complete disappearance of its symptoms. Reducing the contact area promotes faster healing and prevents the spread of the lesion. To increase the space between the walls of the urethra, a catheter with an inflating balloon (balloon dilation) or a cylindrical polymer frame (stenting) is inserted. The methods can be combined to achieve the desired result. The technique is not used if prostatitis has reached the acute stage.
How to treat
If you suspect prostatitis, you should first consult a doctor. Only on the basis of the tests will the urologist be able to confirm the chronic nature of the disease and prescribe treatment. Signs of inflammation of the prostate gland are similar to other diseases of the pelvic organs, so you should not self-medicate.
After diagnosis, follow your doctor's recommendations and undergo regular checkups with a urologist. Prostatitis can be treated with care and patience: do not neglect hygiene procedures during the acute stages of the disease, take medications hour by hour and the disease will regress.
If prostatitis causes severe suffering, ask your doctor to recommend a prostate massage or to recommend a private clinic that provides this service. Massage enhances the effect of the treatment. After the first session you will notice that prostatitis is felt less acutely: the massage movements relax the pelvic organs, bring relief and trigger natural tissue restoration processes. The chronic nature of prostatitis will decrease significantly: signs of inflammation will bother you less often.
Men suffering from prostatitis should abandon traditional medicine for the entire course of treatment. Decoctions, poultices, compresses and other folk remedies do not treat prostatitis in specific forms. They can relieve discomfort or worsen the inflammatory process at night.
The same goes for self-prescribed medications. Prostatitis is treated with drugs selected after extensive laboratory tests. A random remedy will not give the desired effect, even if it has helped hundreds of thousands of men suffering from prostatitis, simply because you are in a different situation. The dosage, duration and even methods of using drugs for chronic prostatitis are selected individually. If you are offered to buy a medicine that can cure prostatitis in any form, regardless of the cause, you should know: this is a fake. Follow your doctor's advice and stay healthy!