What is prostatitis? This is an inflammatory disease of the prostate gland. Only men have a prostate gland, so the disease at first glance is relevant only to them, but in reality it also affects the life of a regular sexual partner.
Causes of the disease
What are the causes of prostatitis? There is a myth that prostatitis can occur due to bacteria or hypothermia. In reality, things are a little different. Bacteria are always present in the prostate gland and hypothermia is only a predisposing factor that can trigger inflammation.
When hypothermia occurs, a violation of blood microcirculation occurs, which deteriorates the blood supply to the pelvic organs. As a result, the amount of blood around the prostate changes. There are fewer blood cells that fight bacteria and they can no longer cope with the load. It turns out that hypothermia causes the development of the inflammatory process and is an indirect cause of the development of prostatitis.
Chronic and acute disease
How does acute and chronic prostatitis manifest itself? Symptoms of prostatitis in acute form are manifested by sharp pain, high fever, painful urination with weak pressure. With chronic prostatitis it is more difficult. His symptoms can easily be confused with a simple malaise, so the patient believes that nothing terrible is happening: he sat in a cold place, was tired or ate something.
The following manifestations of symptoms of prostatitis in chronic form are known:
- aching pain in the perineum;
- nagging pain radiating to the scrotum;
- nagging pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the sacrum, coccyx, and penis;
- impaired urination during prostatitis is characterized by weak or normal pressure, but sometimes this symptom is not expressed;
- Some patients experience erection problems, which in most cases are psychological in nature, since a direct relationship between prostate inflammation and erection disorders has not been identified.
Preventive measures
How often should you have sex to avoid prostatitis? What is the prevention of prostatitis?
The prostate gland produces the so-called prostatic secretion, a viscous liquid that contains components also present in sperm. The liquid part of the sperm is the secretion of the prostate and the secretion of the seminal vesicles, which are located behind the prostate gland. At a young age, a man always has a morning erection, accompanied by the production of prostatic secretion. If sexual intercourse does not occur, it accumulates day after day. This leads to stagnation, which then causes a slight increase in the size of the prostate and pain - a nagging pain occurs in the perineum.
Nature intended that every erection end with ejaculation. I woke up 30 times in a month: 30 erections, which means 30 sexual intercourse! In urology it is generally accepted that on average 22 ejaculations are necessary to prevent prostatitis, but even in this case these are only recommendations. In practice, this is sometimes very difficult to achieve and all people have different sexual needs.
What tests do I need to take?
What tests should be performed if you suffer from prostatitis or suspect it? First of all, this is a general blood test, as well as a general urine test.
During the consultation, the urologist performs a thorough examination, during which a digital rectal examination is performed. The doctor examines the prostate, touches it, evaluates pain, consistency and elasticity. In this case, prostate secretion is collected for analysis.
The prostatitis test suggests:
- Evaluation of leukocyte count. The more there are, the more active the inflammatory process.
- Study of prostatic secretion by bacterial culture. It allows you to identify which bacteria cause inflammation, in what quantities they are present, which drugs work against them and which are completely useless.
- Take a swab test for sexually transmitted infections.
- Transrectal ultrasound examination. This is the most informative procedure that allows you to obtain information about the state of the prostate, its structure and volume.
How long does it take to cure prostatitis?
It all depends on the type of prostatitis. For diseases caused by bacteria it is necessary to prescribe an antibiotic. Due to the peculiarities of the porous structure of the prostate and the specific blood supply to this organ, treatment with antibiotics and other drugs lasts 28 days.
The blood supply to the prostate is located on the periphery, so during 20 days of taking the antibiotic a cumulative effect occurs and only from days 20 to 28 the drug reaches the desired therapeutic concentration. This is why it is important to take the medicine for the entire period recommended by your doctor.
Other drugs
In addition to antibiotics, they also prescribethe following drugs:
- Probiotics that restore the intestinal microflora.
- Antifungal drugs. When taking antibiotics, the activity of the immune system decreases, and fungal diseases (most often candida albicans or thrush) begin to appear in men, even if they have only one sexual partner.
- Vitamins.
- Prepare to improve blood microcirculation.
- Antiplatelet agents that thin the blood. They are prescribed to ensure that the blood supplies the tissues well and carries the prescribed medicine to them.
Non-pharmacological treatment
- Prostate massage helps overcome congestion.
- First, massage purely mechanically squeezes out the mucus and bacteria accumulated in the prostate.
- Secondly, it improves blood supply and lymphatic drainage.
- Physiotherapy and hardware treatments. Vibrolaser magnetotherapy gives good results. The laser improves the permeability of cell membranes to drugs, they penetrate the prostate and, under the influence of a magnet, improves lymphatic drainage, which is improved by vibration therapy.
What will happen if left untreated?
If prostatitis is not treated, then:
- Increases the risk of male infertility. Prostate secretion is an integral part of sperm, so bacteria and all the waste products of bacteria ruin its quality. The sperm become less active and there is a struggle for nutrients (fructose, citric acid, zinc) between bacteria and sperm. As a result, sperm become weakened and lose their ability to fertilize.
- Various adhesive processes can form in the vas deferens. This leads to the fact that sperm simply are not released and do not enter the egg.
- An annoying and regular pain may appear. Sometimes some patients are lucky and for some time nothing bothers them and they think that the disease has regressed by itself. But then the symptoms return and become more severe.
"Dos" and "don'ts" for prostatitis
What can you eat?
- Salty is possible, but without abuse (add a little salt to the food).
- Alcohol – possible in minimal quantities (one glass of wine or 50 g of cognac, whiskey per evening).
- Coffee - 1-2 cups per day are allowed, prohibited in large quantities, as coffee leads to vasoconstriction and worsening of blood microcirculation.
Is it possible to have sexual intercourse?
If ejaculation itself does not cause painful and acute sensations, then it is possible, even necessary, to be sexually active. If sexual contact causes pain or discomfort, it is best to refrain from sexual activity for the duration of treatment.
Is it possible to visit baths, saunas, hammams?
Here everything will depend on the stage in which prostatitis is located. If it is an acute process with fever, it is not necessary to visit such places. If the treatment for prostatitis proceeds as usual and there are no alarming symptoms, it is not forbidden to visit the bathhouse or pool in doses. But it is necessary to minimize the stay in the steam room, as well as in cold water.
Is physical activity necessary?
It is impossible to do without physical activity; Feasible physical exercise is the best assistant in the treatment of prostatitis. The main thing is not to expose the body to increased stress resulting from training. You can walk, run, squat, etc.
As for the bicycle, not everything is clear. Doctors do not recommend this sport to men (except only in the form of short walks). When a man sits on a bicycle, the blood vessels in the pelvic and perineal area are compressed and the blood supply is cut off. There is no direct relationship, but when it comes to prevention we try to exclude all possible factors, even if they do not directly influence.
Should I treat my sexual partner?
Treatment is necessary for the partner only if a sexually transmitted infection is detected. In reality, prostatitis is not transmitted through sexual intercourse, so no treatment for the partner is usually necessary, although a visit to a gynecologist would not hurt.