Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate that affects men aged 20 and over.
According to statistics, 1 in 4 men experienced this disease in one way or another. In recent years, there has been a persistent tendency to "rejuvenate" the process. This is due to sexual liberation, the increase in sexually transmitted infections, the tendency to 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 faint, which does not allow you to consult the doctor in time and, in some cases, leads to the development of advanced prostatitis.
Signs of prostatitis in men
Characteristics of the structure, blood supply and location of the prostate affect the nature of the symptoms that will lead to its inflammation. These include:
- Pain symptom.
- Symptom of disturbance when urinating (dysuric).
- Symptom of erectile dysfunction.
Pain symptom
Sensations of pain, of varying intensity, disturb men in the lower abdomen, in the perineum, in the genitals, in the lumbosacral spine. This location of pain is due to the presence of nerve connections and the involvement of the seminal vesicles (vesicles) in the inflammation process.
The intensity of the pain can vary, from an inexplicable sensation of discomfort to an intense pain that affects the mental state of the man and causes insomnia. Painful sensations depend on sexual behavior and arise from the lack of regular ejaculation or, conversely, ejaculation, which is associated with the spread of the inflammatory process in the dorsal urethra.
Note that the pain in the lumbosacral region may not be associated in any way with the prostate, but may be the result, for example, of osteochondrosis of the spine. The result of a conversation with the patient and the data from the urological examination help to establish the cause of such pain.
The first sign of prostatitis in a man is a sensation of pain in the testicles (in the scrotum area) that spreads along the epididymis (areas of the right and left groin). The pain that radiates from an inflamed prostate may appear on the inside of the thighs, on the back, which dictates the need to consult a neurologist to exclude neurological pathology, since it is precisely in prostate pain that such spread is not typical.
In some cases, the irradiation of painful sensations is asymmetrical, which makes it possible to suspect an inflammatory process in the prostate, located in one of its lobes. At the site of the manifestation, the pain syndrome is divided into genital (in the genital region, characteristic of chronic congestive prostatitis), extragenital (above the genitals), characteristic of advanced advanced prostatitis) and mixed (chronic prostatitis).
Symptoms of dysuria or urinary disorder with prostatitis
Disturbances when urinating are expressed by false desires, a sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder with frequent urination, which is associated with inflammation in the bladder neck and urethra. Long-standing signs of dysuria in prostatitis indicate the chronicity of the process.
Erectile disorders with prostatitis
Erectile dysfunction in prostatitis is represented by premature ejaculation, cloudy sensations during orgasm, decreased libido, weakened erection. Sometimes, male 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 are not limited to the above three symptoms. Often, the first sign of prostatitis in men is the secretion of secretion from the urethral prostate during defecation (prostatorrhea), which indicates a decrease in muscle tone in the ejaculatory ducts.
In addition, one cannot help but focus on the psychological signs of prostatitis in a man: asthenonurotic syndrome develops from the nervous system (depression, fatigue, unwillingness 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 slightly different.
The disease begins with acute and severe pain in the perineum, the symptoms of urinary disorder are more clearly identified. There is an increase in temperature of up to 38-39 C, chills, weakness, sweating, pain in muscles and bones. When defecating, pain in the anus is worrying. There is no sex life.
If you fail to pass the exam in a timely manner and do not start treatment, the acute process will be complicated by purulent prostatitis, even an abscess, which will lead to emergency surgery.
If there are no other reasons (states of immunodeficiency, severe concomitant pathology, etc. ) - purulent prostatitis in men - an advanced inflammatory process due to premature access to a doctor!
Causes of signs of prostate inflammation
The factors that affect inflammation in the prostate have been conventionally divided into 3 groups.
Factors that do not respond 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 towards the disease.
And finally, controllable factors:
- Promiscuous sex life.
- Alcoholism.
- Non-compliance with treatment recommendations.
- Errors in the power supply mode.
Who is at risk
Prostatitis threatens men who:
- Follow a sedentary lifestyle.
- Suffer from chronic constipation.
- You have a history of venereal infections.
- Having 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 for prostatitis
- In KLA, an increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation, a shift in the leukocyte formula to the left. In OAM - leukocyturia, proteinuria, bacteriuria.
- Blood for HIV infection.
- Smear of the urethra in the flora. As a rule, in the smear, the leukocytes are completely. If a venereal pathogen (Neisser gonococcus, Trichomonas) is not identified, it is imperative to perform the diagnosis of CRP.
- Prostate secretion: Sowing of prostate secretion over the pathogen and determining antibiotic sensitivity.
- CRP - diagnosis for sexually transmitted infections. The most reliable and fastest way to check the pathogen.
- Blood for PSA Blood for PSA (prostate specific antigen) should not be collected during an acute inflammatory process in the prostate, the result will not be reliable. It is best to do this analysis 1 month after the end of therapy. It is not necessary for young people under the age of 30 to examine the level of PSA in their blood. This test is important for a man over 40, since acute prostatitis, in some cases, can be secondary, and a malignant prostate tumor 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 volume of the gland, a change in texture, edema; with purulent prostatitis - areas of necrosis, deformation of the contours, enlargement of the regional lymph nodes.
What you should pay attention to
First, to get rid of the symptoms of prostatitis forever, you must follow a certain diet.
The exacerbation of prostatitis in men depends on irritating substances ingested with food: spicy spices, vinegar, pickles, alcohol.
A special mention should be made of alcohol, even its minimal use can negate the effects of complex long-term 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 detrimental effect on prostatitis.
Eating fiber-rich foods will relieve constipation in men - one of the main reasons for the development of congestion in the small pelvis.
Herbal medicines help a lot in prevention. Taking herbal diuretics: lingonberry leaf, dill seed, urological collection helps to improve urination during inflammation.
Sports, especially exercises to improve blood circulation in Organs pelvic organs, help to keep the prostate in good shape.
The development of inflammation in the prostate causes hypothermia. In the winter it is worthwhile to dress warmer, and in the summer, after swimming, you should not stay in wet trunks for long.
The use of condoms during sexual contact 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 in stressful situations, which can intensify a latent infection in the prostate. A regular preventive exam by a urologist will help maintain men's health.