The problem of chronic prostatitis affects not only older men, but also young people who are just starting to have sex. Inflammation of the prostate in the first months can manifest itself as a slight burning sensation and itching, which the patient does not attach importance to. But when inflammation becomes part of everyday life, it is no longer possible to ignore it. Exhausting pain, fatigue, decreased sexual activity are chronic companions of prostatitis.
What is chronic prostatitis?
Prostatitis is one of the most common diseases of the genitourinary system among middle-aged and elderly men. Treatment of chronic prostatitis involves minimizing symptoms and achieving a state in which prostatitis does not affect reproductive function.
Prostatitis is characterized by inflammation of the prostate: an important organ of the reproductive system located in the upper part of the beginning of the urethra. When healthy, the prostate is responsible for producing a secretion that keeps sperm alive and creates an environment for them to survive until ejaculation. In chronic prostatitis, this function is impaired in 70% of cases on average, which is why sperm become mostly sluggish and non-viable. The chances of successful fertilization significantly decrease 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. Painful symptoms disappear completely or return with a vengeance. Even at its peak, the inflammation does not reach the intensity of acute prostatitis. Irritation of the prostate is caused by a third factor - pathogenic bacteria. Such prostatitis can disappear without diagnosis and comprehensive treatment: for example, if a man had a cold or seasonal illness along with inflammation. Antibiotics will suppress the activity of bacterial colonies and the disease will recede. But the next time the immune system fails, chronic prostatitis will return and you will need to undergo treatment.
- Chronic abacterial prostatitis.According to research, chronic abacterial prostatitis remains one of the most common forms in men under 50 years old. The disease often begins with bacterial invasion: bacteria develop activity against a background of weakened immunity and are defeated. The consequence is a depletion of the body's resources, which is why inflammation returns in the future without the participation of bacteria. Chronic abacterial prostatitis is characterized by long phases with a short and barely noticeable remission. A man with abacterial prostatitis may be convinced that the disease is constantly getting worse. The burning sensation is more severe than with bacterial forms - due to the fact that the disease does not allow you to relax and take a break from the pain. The treatment is based on minimally invasive means. Advanced chronic prostatitis of a non-bacterial nature is treated in the surgeon's office.
- Asymptomatic (asymptomatic) chronic prostatitis.This form of prostatitis does not cause suffering to humans, but poses a dangerous hidden threat. Asymptomatic prostatitis occurs without pronounced symptoms. Burning in the prostate, 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 may 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. In combination with the release of white blood cells during urination, this will allow a diagnosis. Please note: a preventive examination by a urologist once a year may not be enough. Asymptomatic chronic prostatitis also has phases of activity, so it can be difficult to diagnose.
- Chronic granulomatous prostatitis.The rarest form of the disease, it develops as a side effect of drug treatment for other illnesses or long-term radiation therapy. The inflammatory process in this case is only a secondary symptom. Painful sensations are associated with the gradual destruction of 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, it can, with complications, turn into an acute phase, dangerous for the reproductive system. Sharp pain accompanied by a burning sensation in the prostate, high temperature, decreased immunity are signs that treatment of chronic prostatitis will have to be postponed. Call an ambulance or go to the hospital. You must first stop the acute inflammatory process.
Causes
The impetus for the development of chronic prostatitis is usually a combination of factors, including the condition of the body, environment and heredity. While acute prostatitis can be avoided, the development of chronic prostatitis is not so simple. Men naturally prone 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 the background of weakness in the body. Among the common causes of chronic prostatitis:
- Sexual infections.They directly affect the prostate or weaken the immune system enough that the slightest irritation causes an inflammatory process. Infections are transmitted sexually through unprotected contact. Carriers may not know they are infected: some infections only appear in men, although they are carried by women, and vice versa. The best preventive measure is to use hygienic contraceptives. Urologists recommend using condoms even during non-penetrative sex, for example when stimulating the prostate.
- Passive lifestyle.Lack of physical activity causes chronic circulatory problems not only in the prostate, but throughout the pelvic region. If you have to spend most of the day sitting at your desk, remember to get up and stretch at least once every 1 to 2 hours. Light exercise, a walk to the office, or stretching will restore normal blood circulation. On weekends, you can compensate for the workload of the week with long walks or sporting activities.
- Incomplete sexual intercourse, artificial prolongation of arousal or prolonged abstinence.The male reproductive system requires regular flow. This is how the sperm are renewed and thanks to this, all organs are permanently ready for the reproductive process. What happens if a man regularly delays or denies himself orgasm? The body accumulates more sperm and byproducts than it needs. The prostate also suffers: it produces unnecessary secretions that have nowhere to go. If the situation repeats itself constantly, the result may be chronic prostatitis.
- Regular hypothermia.It is believed that it is beneficial for men to completely freeze - it strengthens the body. Indeed, by being hypothermic while walking, riding a motorcycle or skiing, a man overloads his immune system. It is more difficult for the body to cope with bacterial activity, and the vulnerability of the prostate increases several times. Under 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 exhaust the immune system and open the body to a whole group of chronic diseases. A man who does not get enough rest 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 has a good rest with his family. From the first signs of the disease, it is important not to blame yourself and not give in to dark 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 at least the unpleasant symptoms.
- Hormonal activity disorders.In chronic prostatitis, prostate functions 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 must be supplemented with hormonal treatment.
- Neglect of personal hygiene rules.Warning: only once is enough for bacteria to settle on the fabrics. You may not notice the consequences of not following the rules of personal care for years, while the immune system protects the body from bacterial invasions. But just one exacerbation against the background of a seasonal disease is enough for the problem of chronic prostatitis to enter a man's life for several months.
The development of chronic prostatitis is often accompanied by a weakened immune system, poor diet and a lack of vitamins and minerals in the body. A man who leads a healthy lifestyle is at less 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 makes a diagnosis at the first visit, depending 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 of the prostate, urodynamic examination. Laboratory tests include analysis of urine, ejaculate, urethral swab, and prostate secretion.
After clarifying the diagnosis, the doctor will formulate treatment. There is no single, correct method for treating chronic prostatitis. Methods are selected depending on the type of chronic prostatitis, medical history and personal characteristics of the course of the disease.
Medical treatment
Prescribed in most cases for home treatment; if prostatitis is accompanied by acute exacerbations, the man may be admitted to the hospital. For bacterial forms of prostatitis, antibiotics are selected based on the group of bacteria identified during laboratory tests. Penicillins and fluoroquinolones remain the most popular antibacterial drugs in the treatment of chronic prostatitis of a bacterial nature.
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 caused by prostatitis. These drugs also have a powerful analgesic effect: a man stops suffering from pain and burning, physical activity and night's rest are normalized. Prostatitis occurs without pain or physical exhaustion.
When chronic prostatitis turns into an 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 have been recruiting fewer and fewer men with signs of chronic prostatitis to the surgeon's office. The reason is the mixed effect of surgical manipulations and a long recovery period. The prostatitis stops, but the patient suffers from side effects, including impotence. At the same time, there are forms of chronic prostatitis in which surgical intervention is essential.
Transurethral prostate resection (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 reappear. The operation is carried out without opening, regardless of the degree of inflammation. The resectoscope is aimed at the inflamed organ without affecting other pelvic organs.
Adenomectomy is the removal of a prostatitis gland in an "open" manner, also known as prostatectomy. An advanced inflammatory process leads to the fact that it becomes impossible to access 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 danger to the body. After a long period of rehabilitation, the man returns to a normal life with unlimited physical activity. Adenomectomy always ends in total impotence. Prostatitis never recurs.
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 and are therefore used everywhere. Official medicine recognizes the following treatment methods:
- Exposure to ultrasonic waves.Prostatitis only affects the prostate, so UV treatment concentrates the 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.
- Thermal treatment.Prostatitis and its manifestations can be reduced to "no" using microwave thermotherapy. High temperatures are applied directly to the prostate, causing it to shrink in size. The method is not used if prostatitis has entered the acute phase: in this case, heating aggravates the condition.
- Cryodestruction.Painless partial ablation of inflamed glandular tissue with liquid nitrogen with minimal recovery period. Chronic prostatitis disappears completely if antibacterial treatment is carried out along with strengthening the immune system. Reproductive function is not affected, prostatitis is unlikely to recur.
- Inductotherapy.Complex treatment with lasers and a magnetic field normalizes blood circulation, triggers regeneration processes and relieves pain due to inflammation. The technique in the case of prostatitis has an auxiliary effect: induction therapy increases the effect of drugs by one and a half to two times, but without drugs it gives a short-term result.
- Laser treatment.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 caused by 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 mechanical expansion of the walls of the urethra. 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 inflatable balloon (balloon dilation) or a cylindrical polymer frame (stenting) is inserted. 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 examinations can a urologist confirm the chronic nature of the disease and prescribe treatment. Signs of prostate inflammation are similar to other diseases of the pelvic organs, so you should not self-medicate.
After diagnosis, follow your doctor's recommendations and have regular checkups with a urologist. Prostatitis can be treated with care and patience: do not neglect hygiene procedures during the acute phases of the disease, take medications on time and the disease will recede.
If prostatitis is causing serious suffering, ask your doctor for a prostate massage or to recommend a private clinic offering this service. Massage enhances the effect of the treatment. From the first session, you will notice that prostatitis is felt less acutely: massage movements relax the pelvic organs, provide relief and trigger natural tissue restoration processes. The chronic nature of prostatitis will decrease considerably: signs of inflammation will bother you less often.
Men suffering from prostatitis should abandon traditional medicine for the entire period 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 overnight.
The same goes for self-prescribed medications. Prostatitis is treated with drugs selected after comprehensive laboratory tests. A random remedy will not give the desired effect, even if it has helped hundreds of thousands of men with prostatitis - just because you find yourself 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 drug that can treat prostatitis in any form, regardless of the cause, know that it is fake. Follow your doctor's recommendations and stay healthy!