Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. Currently, urologists are inclined to believe that prostatitis is not a single disease, but combines several diseases of the male genital area. This is one of the most common pathologies of the male urogenital tract, and according to experts, the percentage of men suffering from prostatitis in one form or another is constantly growing. With age, the risk of developing prostatitis increases.
Causes of prostatitis
The immediate cause of prostatitis are two factors of equal importance. The first is the occurrence of congestion in the small pelvis and, consequently, in the prostate, and the second is the addition of an infection. However, in some cases, it is not possible to detect an infectious agent in the tissues of the prostate, presumably in these cases autoimmune processes become the cause of prostatitis, which means that the prostate gland is attacked by the cells of its own immune system, due to of its malfunction.
The predisposing factors to the onset of inflammation in the prostate gland are: weakening of the immune system following an infection, hypothermia, stress; hormonal disorders, incomplete ejaculation, physical inactivity, food preferences (addiction to fried, fatty, smoked, spicy foods), frequent urinary retention. Irregular sex life is considered to be one of the most common causes of prostatitis.
Types of prostatitis
Currently, the international classification of prostatitis has been adopted, which is the most comprehensive and covers all types of inflammation:
- Category I. Acute prostatitis;
- Category II. Chronic bacterial prostatitis;
- Category III. Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis / Chronic pelvic pain syndrome - a disease in which no infection is detected that lasts more than 3 months;
- Subcategory III A. Chronic inflammatory pelvic pain syndrome (leukocytes are determined in the secret of the prostate);
- Sub-category III B. Chronic non-inflammatory pelvic pain syndrome (there are no leukocytes in the secretion of the prostate);
- Category IV. Chronic asymptomatic prostatitis (leukocytes are present in the secret of the prostate, the patient has no complaints, the disease is detected by chance).
- pain in the pelvic and genital area;
- urinary disorders, which include slow flow, intermittent flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder, frequent urination, etc. ;
- disorders in the genital area.
- analysis of the secretion of the prostate gland;
- digital rectal examination;
- transrectal ultrasound of the prostate;
- Ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder;
- a blood test for PSA (prostate antigen);
- general blood test;
- general urine analysis;
- urinalysis for urogenital infections before and after prostate massage;
- uroflowmetry (urination test).
Symptoms of prostatitis
There is the so-called "prostatitis triad", the three most common symptoms of prostatitis. These include:
It should be noted that not all three symptoms of prostatitis are mandatory, in addition, acute and chronic prostatitis proceed in different ways.
Symptoms of acute prostatitis: intense and sharp pain in the area of the prostate gland, which is given to the rectum, perineum, testicles, lower back; deterioration of the general condition, fever, headache and muscle aches, general weakness; violation of urination up to acute urinary retention due to prostate edema and compression of the urethra.
Symptoms of chronic prostatitis: pain in the prostate gland area, but less intense than in acute prostatitis; urinary disorders, sexual disorders: incomplete erection, short-term erection, accelerated ejaculation, etc. Chronic prostatitis can have an undulatory course, when periods of exacerbation are replaced by periods of stasis, or it can have mild persistent symptoms.
Unlike other inflammatory diseases, when a chronic process is a consequence of untreated acute inflammation, chronic prostatitis is often primary chronic, when the patient himself has difficulty in determining the onset of the disease.
Diagnosis of prostatitis
To diagnose prostatitis, the following studies are carried out:
The main thing in the diagnosis is to identify the cause of prostatitis, since therapeutic measures depend on it. Another diagnostic challenge is to rule out prostate cancer.
Treatment of prostatitis
Acute and chronic prostatitis of bacterial origin are treated with antibacterial drugs. For acute prostatitis, large doses of antibiotics are prescribed, even before the results of bacterial culture are obtained, since the acute process requires immediate measures. In the complex, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, which also have an analgesic effect.
Chronic prostatitis is treated depending on the underlying cause. For non-bacterial prostatitis, general strengthening immunomodulatory drugs are taken. Treatment of prostatitis is carried out with the mandatory participation of physiotherapeutic procedures: laser therapy, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis of medicinal substances, ultrasound, etc.
Urologists claim that the treatment of prostatitis by medical means alone will lead only to temporary relief, since without changing the usual lifestyle, the treatment of prostatitis is ineffective. It is necessary to give up bad habits, lead an active lifestyle, eliminate hypodynamy, avoid stagnation in the small pelvis with the help of special gymnastics, try to spend less time in the car, walk more, and also get enough rest .
It is also important to improve your sex life, make it regular and eat right. Chronic prostatitis is prone to relapses, so lifestyle changes should be permanent, only in this case the treatment of prostatitis will lead to a complete cure.
Treatment of prostatitis with folk remedies
For the treatment of prostatitis, folk methods are widely and successfully used, in particular, for the treatment of chronic prostatitis. They act softer than drugs, but are still quite effective and give fewer side effects, so that the treatment of prostatitis with folk remedies can be carried out for a long time, until the symptoms of the disease are eliminated.
From folk remedies for the treatment of prostatitis, medicinal herbal teas with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects are widely used: tea based on chamomile, sage leaves, calendula flowers, etc. Medicinal herbs are also used in the form of tinctures and balms. Honey and bee products are used as fortifying agents. Beeswax is perfect for compresses in the treatment of chronic prostatitis, replacing paraffin wax. Echinacea tincture is used as a mild immunostimulating agent; some varieties of honey are used successfully for the same purpose.