Prostatitis is an inflammatory process that develops in the prostate gland. In theory, every man is at risk of developing it, regardless of age.
But men are most susceptible to diseases that are affected by the following factors:
- Sedentary way of life;
- Prolonged sexual abstinence or, conversely, excessively active sex life;
- Frequent constipation. Please note that only regular bowel movements can cause prostatitis, not episodic constipation;
- Hypothermia. To get prostatitis, you do not need to swim in ice water for hours, it is enough to just sit on a cold stone or be cold for a long time in inappropriate clothes;
- Chronic inflammatory diseases (eg chronic bronchitis) or untreated focus of infection in the body (caries, tonsillitis);
- Chronic and acute urological or previous venereal diseases (urethritis, gonorrhea);
- Sedentary work. In the first place, these are those who are forced to constantly sit at work without the opportunity to get up and warm up (drivers, computer operators);
- Any condition that can suppress the body's immune system. These include inadequate or inadequate nutrition, physical and emotional overload, constant lack of sleep, chronic stress).
All the above factors become especially dangerous if the man is over 50 years old. In fact, at this age the hormonal background changes significantly, immunity decreases, various diseases appear and, moreover, few men at this age lead an active lifestyle. For these reasons, all men over the age of 50 should see a urologist prophylactically every six months.
How does the disease begin?
As a rule, the first sign of the development of prostatitis are unpleasant or even painful sensations when urinating. Sometimes you have to get up several times a night to go to the toilet. Few go to the doctor at this stage of the disease, although at this stage the treatment will be short-lived and effective.
After some time, sharp cutting, pulling or shooting pains appear in the pubis or perineum, sometimes the pain radiates to the penis or anus. Urination becomes frequent and painful, and urine becomes much more cloudy. Pain may occur during defecation.
In addition, body temperature may rise, sometimes men notice the release of drops of translucent white fluid from the urethra. As a rule, most men go to the doctor during this period of the disease.
What happens if prostatitis is not treated?
If you do not consult a doctor after the above symptoms and do not start treatment, the disease will progress further. The temperature can rise to 40 degrees, the pain becomes very strong, urination becomes very painful, the flow of urine is disturbed (it flows from the urethra in a thin stream or drop by drop). The longer prostatitis is left untreated, the greater the likelihood of acute urinary retention and the development of acute renal failure. Timely testing is also needed, as symptoms similar to prostatitis are also present in cystitis and prostate cancer.
Diagnosis
After contact with a urologist, a prostate examination is performed through the rectum, as well as an analysis of prostate secretion. This procedure is not very pleasant and sometimes painful, especially in the later stages of the disease. Sometimes this is why men do not want to go to the doctor.
But in fact, the earlier you go for an examination, the less painful it is. In addition, palpation of the prostate itself is already a treatment, as it helps to remove congestion.
In the laboratory, the secretion of the gland is sown on nutrient media, the sensitivity of the microflora to antibiotics is determined and urine analysis is performed. An ultrasound is also performed to confirm the diagnosis. Most often, the treatment of prostatitis is not difficult for a urologist, provided timely treatment.
The early stages of prostatitis are treated at home. The patient is prescribed antibacterial drugs, baths, compresses and other thermal procedures on the perineum, as well as painkillers and prostate massage. The treatment lasts for about 10 days. You should also not eat spicy foods and alcohol during treatment.
Signs and treatment of chronic prostatitis
In chronic prostatitis, painful pains in the perineum appear, which subside after walking or light exercise, there is a burning sensation when urinating. The man often does not sleep well and becomes irritable.
If left untreated, chronic prostatitis can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and even infertility. Reflexology and prostate massage are added to the above treatment. The patient is advised to lead a more active lifestyle, to exclude from the diet spicy foods and alcohol.
Trust the doctors
You should not try to diagnose yourself without seeing a doctor. In the end, only a urologist will be able to choose the optimal treatment regimen for you based on the test results.
When you self-medicate, you take antibiotics "blindly". This can lead to the transition of the disease to a chronic form. If the disease continues to progress, hospitalization may be necessary. In a hospital the course of therapy will last 1-2 weeks, and maybeeven longer.
To prevent the development of complications, be sure to be examined by a urologist every six months.
Prevention
Prophylaxis of prostatitis comes down to the following recommendations:
- If you are going to go out in the cold for a long time, choose the right clothes;
- Eat regularly and well;
- Lead an active lifestyle, do sports;
- Use laxatives for constipation;
- Have a regular sex life, preferably with a regular partner.
A very large number of men suffer from prostatitis. This article provides basic information about the disease and explains why it is necessary to visit a urologist regularly.