Prostatitis is one of the most unpleasant diseases of the male genitals. Due to malnutrition, physical inactivity, bad habits and other negative factors in the lives of modern members of the stronger sex, the prevalence of this pathology is constantly increasing.
Eliminating the symptoms of prostate disease is quite simple, the main thing is to start treatment on time. Therefore any man should know the first signs of prostatitis as well as all the reasons why this disease can occur.
General Information
Prostatitis is a common infectious and inflammatory lesion of the prostate gland. But not all patients know that this pathology poses a great, latent threat to the health of the male reproductive system. The prostate is the pelvic organ that surrounds and joins the vas deferens and the urethral canal. Therefore the presence of infection in this gland can adversely affect the condition of its surrounding organs and systems.
Until recently, experts argued that prostate diseases are found in men only in their 40s and 60s, but nowadays this disease is much younger. Now doctors are increasingly announcing such a diagnosis to very young members of the stronger sex, who are 18-30 years old.
Why did the symptoms of prostatitis first start at such an early age? The answer to this question lies in the overly careless, careless attitude of men towards their health. Research by scientists in this field of medicine has shown that about 80% of male patients completely ignore the first signs of pathology. Most patients seek professional help from a doctor only in the advanced stages of the inflammatory process. And in such situations it is already very difficult to completely avoid serious complications of the disease.
What is the cause of this problem?
Various factors can cause signs of prostatitis in men. Some of them create favorable conditions for harmful microorganisms of bacterial, viral or even fungal origin to enter the body - some cause glandular malfunction and cause blood stagnation in it. The result of such a negative effect is the multiplication and growth of pathogenic microflora, as well as disease progression.
Inflammation of the prostate in men develops under the influence of the following causes:
- Untimely and improper nutrition, lack of essential trace elements and vitamins.
- Sexually transmitted infections (syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV, trichomoniasis, chlamydia).
- Severe hypothermia of the whole body or urinary system.
- Physical inactivity and swelling in the pelvis.
- The patient has recently experienced pathologies: cold, flu, ARVI.
- Wrong lifestyle, bad habits.
- Disruption of the hormonal system (causes insufficient secretion of testosterone).
- Chronic reproductive diseases in a sexual partner.
- Prolonged sexual intercourse or overly active sex life (in both the first and second cases the factor may contribute to the development of prostatitis symptoms).
- Frequent stress and constant psycho-emotional stress.
- Hard physical labor, long overwork.
- Infectious and inflammatory diseases of other organs.
interesting! Urethral reflux can also cause symptoms of prostatitis in men. This phenomenon is caused by prostate dysfunction, causing the body to lose the ability to block urine flow in the opposite direction. As a result, urine leaks into the prostate gland, along with infection from the urethra. Urethral reflux occurs due to improper placement of the urinary catheter or inflammation of the urethral canal.
How to determine the onset of this disease?
The signs and symptoms of prostatitis can be subtle or obvious. This feature of the disease is explained by the individuality of each patient's organism: age, the presence of bad habits or chronic pathologies, the state of immune protection and other specific factors. The very first signs of the disease most often appear 3-4 days or 1-2 weeks after the onset of the inflammatory process. Clinical manifestations of this disease include the following symptoms:
- Weakness, unpleasant feeling;
- Painful sensations in the lower abdomen;
- Very frequent urination with false desires;
- Urinary problem;
- Presence of discomfort in the lumbar region, scrotum;
- The appearance of pain along the urethral canal associated with the process of urinary excretion;
- Slight swelling of the genitals;
- Increase in temperature readings (can be observed in a short time);
- Incomplete emptying of urine.
Initial manifestations of prostatitis are often confused with symptomatic signs of urinary tract pathologies or other infections. That is why the stronger sex in most cases delay the visit to a specialist indefinitely. During this period, men treat the disease independently, based on the prevailing symptoms - for this purpose they take analgesics and antipyretics.
To understand how to accurately determine the expected inflammation of the prostate gland, you need to know a few important manifestations of this disease. The very first symptom that appears in patients with this pathology is frequent urination. In such a situation the man almost constantly runs to the toilet, especially at night. The color of the urine changes - it becomes either too dark and saturated, or too light, transparent. The amount of urine that comes out is significantly reduced. As the disease progresses, after a certain period of time, the act of urination becomes painful, a burning sensation is felt all over the urethra, there is constant hyperemia and irritation of the genitals.
The second specific symptom of prostatitis in men is a feeling of full bladder. This symptom is caused by an enlarged prostate gland that shrinks into the urethra. This is why it is very difficult to fully retain urine at this time and may leak spontaneously from time to time. Incontinence is often observed at night, when not only urine but also mucous, purulent, or bloody discharge may come out of the urinary tract.
Sexual dysfunction is also associated with prostatitis, which is simultaneously manifested by urinary incontinence. The volume of the inflamed prostate increases, which blocks the free flow of male hormones into the reproductive organs. As a result, patients notice a sharp decrease in libido, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Failure on the sexual front has a negative effect on the patient's psyche - more and more often manifested as nervousness, aggression, irritability or depression.
Prostatitis is also manifested by rapid fatigue and deteriorating health. Previously active men now look tired or even asleep. Adequate sleep in this case does not increase strength, reduces performance and reduces the body's natural defenses. In a similar condition, the usual hypothermia or cold can lead to severe complications.
What are the features of acute and chronic inflammation?
The symptoms of this pathology can be very varied. But every patient is obliged to know how prostatitis is manifested in men. It is also very important to distinguish between specific signs of acute and chronic forms of such a disease.
Acute inflammation of the prostate gland rarely occurs in the stronger sex. The onset of this form of prostatitis is evidenced by the following disorders:
- Fever up to 39 ° C;
- Heaviness and discomfort in the groin area;
- Frequent urge to urinate;
- The appearance of a mucous, stretching discharge from the urethra;
- Reduced erectile function.
The symptomatology of this pathology is also complemented by general manifestations in the form of increased weakness, decreased appetite, and apathy. Chronic course of the disease most often develops due to blood stagnation in the small pelvis. In this case, patients develop the following clinical manifestations:
- Decreases the duration of sexual intercourse;
- There is excruciating pain that radiates to the perineum, lower abdomen, appendix, or rectum;
- Frequent need to empty the bladder (along with discomfort and pain);
- It is difficult to expel sperm during sexual intercourse;
- Decreased sexual desire for the opposite sex;
- There is a specific discharge from the penis.
In inflammation of the prostate, the secretion is accompanied by both the process of urination and the act of defecation. In the bacterial form of prostatitis the patient may have a yellowish discharge of viscous consistency. The first symptoms of prostatitis require urgent treatment, especially in the development and progression of a chronic congestive form of the disease.
Pain syndrome
Pain is one of the main symptoms of prostatitis in men, so we will talk about it in more detail. In this situation the patient should try to describe his painful sensations - they may have the character of pulling, exploding, cutting and pressing. This is very important because based on the description of this symptom, your doctor can determine the most likely cause of the onset of prostatitis. No less information can be obtained from the site of pain localization. Pain syndrome in inflammatory diseases of the prostate gland is usually located in the following areas:
- Along the urethral tract;
- In the perineum (the area between the base of the penis and the anus);
- Lumbar or sacral area (often confused with sciatica);
- In the lower abdomen, small pelvic projection;
- In the scrotum.
Each patient in the case of such pathology experiences almost the same painful sensations every time. In some men the pain is localized to only one place, while others find all of the above symptoms at once. Pain syndrome often affects different parts of the body - legs, buttocks, abdomen.
Attention! What symptoms a patient experiences with prostatitis is very important to a specialist. After all, if a man correctly describes his feelings, a qualified doctor, even by the nature of the painful manifestations, can determine the form of the disease. Thus, the pain of jogging in nature most often indicates a non-infectious type of disease, and the feeling of bloating and burning - prostatitis of infectious origin.
Specific discharge
Pain syndrome is often accompanied by the appearance of abnormal secretions. One of the characteristic signs of prostatitis is the appearance of various secretions - transparent, milky white, yellowish. They can be of thick or elastic consistency. This symptom is mainly manifested after urination or defecation.
Chronic inflammation of the gland can lead to the development of spermatorrhea - in this case a small amount of sperm is released from the penis during bowel movements or in a state of muscle tension in the perineal region.
The presence of a greenish secretion mixed with pus indicates a sluggish, slow course of the disease. Such secretions consist of dead leukocytes, damaged cells of epithelial tissue, mucus. Sometimes a similar phenomenon is observed with exacerbation of the chronic form of the pathology. In this case the patient's temperature rises, there are painful sensations and chills. In such a situation you should visit a urologist as soon as possible, because the progression of signs of prostatitis in men can lead to sclerosis of the organs and the development of infertility.
Healing activities
The treatment of the disease is chosen by the doctor according to the diagnosis. Different forms of prostatitis require an individual approach to therapy. It is essential to take antibacterial medications to eliminate the symptoms of acute prostatitis in men. It is best to use medications that penetrate well into this organ of the reproductive system.
When choosing an effective therapy regimen, a qualified physician should pay attention to the patient's immunity, take into account the nature of the disease, the individual characteristics of the male organism. Uncomplicated forms of inflammation of the prostate gland, with an acute course of the disease, can be treated at home. Patients with prostatitis are hospitalized only in severe cases when they develop symptoms of severe intoxication.
You can also treat this disease with the help of physiotherapy techniques - ultrasound, magnetic laser therapy. Hirudotherapy and manual manipulation (biopuncture, acupuncture) are popular methods. The use of medicinal herbs, the use of immunomodulatory and enzymatic drugs, cytotransmitters perfectly help us to get rid of any type of prostatitis.
In some situations, surgical treatment of prostatitis is performed in men. Surgical intervention is performed if the patient is diagnosed with an abscess of this organ. For this purpose, prostate drainage is performed trans-rectally (via the rectum) or transurethrally. In case of acute urinary retention, an epicostomy is performed - a hole is made in the wall of the bladder to remove a special supraventricular catheter.
Chronic inflammation of the prostate that is not complicated can also be treated on an outpatient basis. But in such a situation the therapy of the disease takes much more time. Suppositories, antibacterials, thermal methods, reflexology and gland massage are used for treatment. Patients who have symptoms of prostatitis are advised to reconsider their lifestyle, abandon bad habits, eat properly and avoid hypothermia.
ᲛImportant! Under no circumstances should you self-medicate for this pathology! Most often, inflammation begins to progress precisely as a result of symptomatic therapy and self-medication. Antibacterial drugs should be taken only under the supervision of a specialist, otherwise you can significantly weaken the body's immune defenses, which will become another problem for you and will only aggravate the existing condition.
The first signs of prostatitis in men - treatment of this manifestation should be timely. Such implicit symptoms pose a great danger, as they can occur not only as a result of inflammation of the prostate gland, but also in benign, malignant tumors of the body. Therefore, it is very important to timely diagnose and start treatment of the pathology as soon as possible. After all, the earlier the patient consults a doctor, the sooner the unpleasant and painful sensations disappear, the sex life is normalized.