Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland that affects men aged 20 and over.
According to statistics, 1 in 4 men have survived this disease in one form or another. In recent years, there has been a steady trend of "rejuvenation" of the process, due to sexual liberation, an increase in sexually transmitted infections, trends in self-diagnosis and treatment on the Internet, and the resistance of infectious agents to antibiotic therapy.
This is especially true because the first signs of prostatitis in men, as a rule, are erased, which does not allow you to consult a doctor in time and in some cases leads to the development of advanced prostatitis.
Signs of prostatitis in men
The characteristics of the structure, blood supply and location of the prostate gland affect the nature of the symptoms that will lead to its inflammation. They include:
- Pain symptom.
- Symptom of urinary incontinence (dysuric).
- Symptom of erectile dysfunction.
Pain symptom
Pain sensations, varying in intensity, disturb the man in the lower abdomen, perineum, genitals, lumbosacral spine. This location of pain is due to the presence of nerve connections and the involvement of seminal vesicles (vesicles) in the process of inflammation.
The pain can vary in intensity, from an unexplained feeling of discomfort to intense pain that affects a man's mental state and causes insomnia. Painful sensations depend on sexual behavior and result from the lack of regular ejaculation or, conversely, from ejaculation, which is associated with the spread of the inflammatory process on the posterior urethra.
Keep in mind that lumbosacral pain may not be related to the prostate gland in any way, but may be the result of, for example, osteochondrosis of the spine. The result of a conversation with the patient and the data from the urological examination help to determine the cause of such pain.
The first sign of prostatitis in men is a sensation of pain in the testicles (in the area of the scrotum) with spread along the epididymis (right and left groin area). Pain emanating from an inflamed prostate can occur inside the thighs, back, which dictates the need to consult a neurologist to rule out neurological pathology, because it is for prostate pain such a spread is not typical.
In some cases, the radiation of painful sensations is asymmetric, which makes it possible to suspect an inflammatory process in the prostate, localized in one of its lobes. At the site of manifestation, the pain syndrome is divided into genital (in the genital area, characteristic of congestive chronic prostatitis), extragenital (above the genitals), characteristic of advanced advanced prostatitis) and mixed (chronic prostatitis).
Symptoms of dysuria or urinary incontinence 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 neck of the bladder and urethra. Long-term signs of dysuria in prostatitis indicate the chronicity of the process.
Erectile dysfunction with prostatitis
Erectile dysfunction in prostatitis is represented by premature ejaculation, blurred sensations during orgasm, decreased libido, weakening of the erection. Sometimes a man's prostatitis can be suspected by the lack of a morning erection.
The decrease in potency, as the first sign of prostatitis in men, 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 men is the secretion of prostate secretion from the urethra during the act of defecation (prostatorrhea), which indicates a decrease in muscle tone of the ejaculatory ducts.
In addition, one can not focus on the psychological signs of prostatitis in men: astheno-neurotic syndrome develops from the nervous system (depression, fatigue, lack of desire for anything, physical weakness).
The first signs of acute prostatitis
All the above symptoms are typical of chronic inflammation of the prostate, in acute prostatitis in men the picture is slightly different.
The disease begins with acute severe pain in the perineum, more clearly traced symptoms of urinary incontinence. There is a rise in temperature to 38-39 C, chills, weakness, sweating, muscle and bone pain. During defecation, the pain in the anus worries. There is no sex life.
If you do not pass the examination in time and do not start treatment, then the acute process will be complicated by purulent prostatitis, to an abscess, which will lead to emergency surgery.
If there are no other reasons (conditions of immune deficiency, severe concomitant pathology, etc. ) - purulent prostatitis in men - advanced inflammatory process due to untimely access to a doctor!
Causes of signs of inflammation of the prostate
The factors that affect inflammation in the prostate were usually divided into 3 groups.
Unresponsive factors include:
- Body type.
- Gender constitution.
- Age factor.
- The presence of diseases.
- Environment (climatic factor).
Partially controllable factors:
- Sexual habits.
- Profession.
- Background diseases of the male genital area.
- Attitude to the disease.
Finally, controllable factors:
- Prodigal sex life.
- Alcoholism.
- Failure to follow treatment recommendations.
- Power mode errors.
Who is at risk
Prostatitis threatens men who:
- Stick to a sedentary lifestyle.
- Suffer from chronic constipation.
- You have a history of sexually transmitted infections.
- You have more than one sexual partner.
- Suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction.
- They work in cold conditions.
If there are signs of prostatitis, what to do
Laboratory diagnosis of prostatitis
- In KLA, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate increases, shifting the leukocyte formula to the left. In OAM - leukocyturia, proteinuria, bacteriuria.
- Blood for HIV infection.
- Smear of the urethra on the flora. As a rule, the leukocytes are completely in the smear. If a venereal pathogen (Neisser's gonococcus, Trichomonas) is not identified, it is imperative to perform a PCR diagnosis.
- Prostate secretion. Inoculation of prostate secretion on the pathogen and determination of antibiotic susceptibility.
- PCR - diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections. The most reliable and fast 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 better to do this analysis 1 month after the end of therapy. Young people under the age of 30 do not need to have their blood PSA levels tested. This test is important for men over 40 years of age, as acute prostatitis may in some cases be secondary and the malignancy of 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
Increased gland volume, change in texture, edema; with purulent prostatitis - areas of necrosis, deformation of the contours, enlargement of regional lymph nodes.
What you need to pay attention to
First of all, to get rid of the symptoms of prostatitis forever, you need to follow a certain diet.
Exacerbation of prostatitis in men depends on irritants ingested with food: hot spices, vinegar, pickles, alcohol.
Alcohol should be especially noted, even its minimal use can nullify the effects of long-term complex therapy.
Some patients feel that they should drink less often or switch to lighter alcoholic beverages. This is their main mistake.
Diluted vinegar, yeast, citrus fruits, sauerkraut, tomatoes and cucumbers have no harmful effects on prostatitis.
Eating foods rich in fiber will relieve a man from 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, fennel seeds, urological collection helps to improve urination during inflammation.
Sports, especially exercises to improve blood circulation in the pelvic organs, help keep the prostate in good shape.
The development of inflammation in the prostate provokes hypothermia. In winter it is worth dressing warmer, and in summer, after swimming, you should not be in wet floats for a long time.
Using condoms during sexual intercourse 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 well as stressful situations that can exacerbate a sleeping infection in the prostate gland. Regular preventive examination by a urologist will help maintain men's health.