Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland that affects men aged 20 and above.
According to statistics, 1 out of 4 men have experienced this disease in one form or another. In recent years, there has been a persistent tendency to "rejuvenate" the process. This is due to sexual liberation, an increase in sexually transmitted infections, tendencies towards self-diagnosis and treatment on the Internet, and the resistance of infectious agents to the action of antibiotic therapy.
This is especially true because the first signs of prostatitis in men, as a rule, are expressed erased, which does not allow to consult a doctor in time and in some cases leads to the development of advanced prostatitis.
Signs of prostatitis in men
Features of the structure, blood supply and location of the prostate gland affect the nature of the symptoms that will lead to its inflammation. These include:
- Pain symptom.
- Symptom of urination disorder (dysuric).
- Erectile dysfunction symptom.
Pain symptom
Pain sensations, varying in intensity, disturb the man in the lower abdomen, in the perineum, genitals, lumbosacral spine. This location of pain is due to the presence of nerve connections and the involvement of the seminal vesicles (vesicles) in the process of inflammation.
Pain can vary in intensity, from an inexplicable feeling of discomfort to intense pain that affects the mental state of a man and causes insomnia. Painful sensations depend on sexual behavior and arise from the lack of regular ejaculation or, conversely, with ejaculation, which is associated with the spread of the inflammatory processon the back urethra.
Note that pain in the lumbosacral region may not be associated with the prostate gland in any way, but may be the result, for example, of osteochondrosis of the spine. The result of a conversation with the patient and the data of urological examination help to establish the cause of such pain.
The very first sign of prostatitis in a man is a sensation of pain in the testicles (in the scrotum area) with spread along the epididymis (right and left groin areas). Pain radiating from an inflamed prostate can appear on the inner thighs, back, which dictates the need to consult a neurologistto exclude neurological pathology, since it is precisely for prostatic pain that such a spread is not typical.
In some cases, the irradiation 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 place of manifestation, the pain syndrome is divided into genital (in the genital area, characteristic of congestive chronic prostatitis), extragenital (above the genital organs), characteristic of advanced advanced prostatitis) and mixed (chronic prostatitis).
Symptoms of dysuria or urination disorder 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 in the neck of the bladder and urethra. The long-standing signs of dysuria in prostatitis indicate the chronicity of the process.
Erectile disorders with prostatitis
Erectile dysfunction in prostatitis is represented by early ejaculation, blurred sensations during orgasm, decreased libido, weakening of erection. Sometimes a man's prostatitis can be suspected by the absence of morning erections.
A decrease in potency, as the first sign of prostatitis in a man, 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 a man is the discharge of prostate secretion from the urethra during the act of defecation (prostatorrhea), which indicates a decrease in the tone of the muscles of the ejaculatory ducts.
In addition, one cannot but focus on the psychological signs of prostatitis in a man: astheno-neurotic syndrome develops from the nervous system (depression, fatigue, lack of desire to do anything, physical weakness).
The first signs of acute prostatitis
All of the above symptoms are typical of chronic inflammation in the prostate, with acute prostatitis in a man, the picture is somewhat different.
The disease begins with acute severe pain in the perineum, symptoms of urinary disorder are more clearly traced. There is an increase in temperature up to 38-39 C, chills, weakness, sweating, pain in muscles and bones. When defecating, pain in the anus worries. There is no sex life.
If you do not pass the examination in a timely manner and do not start treatment, then the acute process will be complicated by purulent prostatitis, up to an abscess, which will lead to emergency surgery.
If there are no other reasons (immunodeficiency states, severe concomitant pathology, etc. ) - purulent prostatitis in a man - an advanced inflammatory process due to untimely access to a doctor!
Causes of signs of prostate inflammation
The factors that affect inflammation in the prostate were conventionally divided into 3 groups.
Unresponsive factors include:
- Body type.
- Sexual 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.
And finally, controllable factors:
- Promiscuous sex life.
- Alcoholism.
- Non-compliance with treatment recommendations.
- Errors in power supply mode.
Who is at risk
Prostatitis threatens men who:
- Adhere to a sedentary lifestyle.
- Suffer from chronic constipation.
- Have a history of venereal infections.
- 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 diagnostics for prostatitis
- In the KLA, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, a shift in the leukocyte formula to the left. In OAM - leukocyturia, proteinuria, bacteriuria.
- Blood for HIV infection.
- A smear from the urethra on the flora. As a rule, in the smear, leukocytes are completely. If a venereal pathogen (Neisser's gonococcus, Trichomonas) is not identified, it is imperative to perform PCR diagnostics.
- Secretion of the prostate gland. Sowing of the secretion of the prostate on the pathogen and determination of sensitivity to the antibiotic.
- PCR - diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections. The most reliable and fastest 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. It is not necessary for young people under 30 to examine the PSA level in the blood. This test is important for a man over 40, since acute prostatitis, in some cases, can be secondary, and a malignant tumor in 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 transabdominal (through the abdomen) is sufficient.
Signs of prostatitis on ultrasound
An increase in the gland in volume, a change in texture, edema; with purulent prostatitis - areas of necrosis, deformation of the contours, an increase in regional lymph nodes.
What you should pay attention to
First of all, in order to get rid of the symptoms of prostatitis forever, you must follow a certain diet.
Exacerbation of prostatitis in a man depends on irritating substances ingested with food: hot spices, vinegar, pickles, alcohol.
Special mention should be made of alcohol, 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, kvass, citrus fruits, sauerkraut, tomatoes and cucumbers have no harmful effect on prostatitis.
Eating foods rich in fiber will relieve a man of constipation - one of the main reasons for the development of congestion in the small pelvis.
Herbal medicine helps well for prevention. Taking herbal diuretics: lingonberry leaf, dill seed, urological collection helps to improve urination during inflammation.
Sports, especially exercise to improve blood circulation in the pelvic organs, helps to 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 swimming trunks for a long time.
Using condoms during sexual contact with an unfamiliar 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, which can intensify a dormant infection in the prostate gland. Regular preventive examination by a urologist will help maintain men's health.