Almost every second man faces prostatitis at different ages. This disease is associated with an inflammatory process in the prostate, which can be caused by stagnant processes in the pelvic region, various infections. In the case when the result of the analysis showed the presence of pathogens in the secret of the prostate gland, the doctor diagnoses bacterial prostatitis. Why does the disease develop and how is it treated?
Causes
Based on the name, it becomes clear that the main reason for the development of the disease is the ingress of bacteria into the prostate. The causative agents can be:
- Intestinal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Staphylococcus aureus.
- Enterococcus.
- Klebsiella.
- Enterobacter.
- Proteus.
- Sexually transmitted infections.
Many pathogenic microorganisms are always in the human body without harming it. However, when favorable conditions arise, the infection begins to actively develop, causing the disease. These favorable conditions for bacteria include:
- Diseases of the urinary tract.
- Bacterial infections that develop in the body and can enter the prostate gland through the blood or lymphatic fluid.
- Phimosis of the prostate.
- Acute epididymitis.
- Urethral catheterization.
- Reflux (intraprostatic or urethroprostatic), when disease-causing organisms enter the prostate.
- Transurethral operations that were performed without prior antibiotic therapy.
- Violation of urination due to the abnormal structure of the bladder.
- Conditions associated with a decrease in immune defense (AIDS, diabetes, hemodialysis procedure).
When bacteria enter the prostate area, the pathogenic microflora begins to actively develop and an inflammatory process appears in the organ.
Risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing prostatitis include:
- Frequent diseases of the genitourinary system of an infectious nature.
- The presence of helminthic infestations and other parasites.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Incomplete or untimely emptying of the bladder.
- Hypothermia.
- Irritation of the urethra with chemicals.
- Promiscuous sex life, lack of contraception.
The main causes of the development of inflammation of the prostate gland
- Prolonged sexual abstinence.
- The presence of bad habits.
- Weakening of immunity.
- Improper nutrition.
- Dehydration of the body.
- A sedentary lifestyle, which leads to the appearance of stagnant processes in the pelvic area.
- Frequent stressful situations.
Symptoms
It is simply impossible not to notice the symptoms of bacterial prostatitis, since this form of the disease begins acutely. The patient is worried about:
- Increased body temperature, accompanied by chills.
- Painful sensations in the perineum, lower abdomen and lower back.
- Painful urination. The patient notes pain and burning sensation in the urethra, which are especially strongly felt at night.
- Difficulty urinating, feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder.
- Constipation is possible due to squeezing of the anus by an inflamed prostate.
- Signs of intoxication of the body (headache, general weakness of the body, body aches).
- Discharge from the urethra.
Symptoms of the disease also vary depending on the stage of bacterial prostatitis:
- At the beginning of the disease, inflammation does not spread outside the prostate. A man is worried about soreness in the perineum, which can radiate to the sacrum area. Urination is rapid and painful.
- In the second stage, inflammation passes to the lobules of the prostate gland. In this case, the soreness increases and can be given to the anus. Urination is significantly impaired, up to its complete retention.
- With an advanced form of bacterial prostatitis, inflammation spreads to all lobules of the prostate. The patient complains of signs of general intoxication of the body. The body temperature rises to 40 degrees. The delay in urination becomes acute. There are pulsating sensations in the perineum. Frequent constipation occurs.
Possible complications
In case of untimely or poor-quality treatment, acute bacterial prostatitis can seriously harm a man's health and life. The most dangerous of them is sepsis.
Also, the infection can rise above the prostate gland and lead to pyelonephritis or cystitis.
Bacterial prostatitis can turn into a chronic form, the treatment of which is often difficult and leads to complications such as: adenoma, infertility, impotence, and so on.
Diagnostics
Since bacterial prostatitis has characteristic symptoms, it is usually quite easy to diagnose it. If the disease is not acute, the doctor will conduct a rectal examination by probing the area of the gland and taking a sample of the secretion for analysis. The following studies help to make a diagnosis:
- Clinical and bacterial analysis of the patient's blood and urine.
- Ultrasound of the prostate.
- PSA of blood.
- Analysis of scraping of the epithelium from the urethra.
Treatment
The danger of bacterial prostatitis is that it is capable of becoming chronic in the shortest possible time. Therefore, it is so important to begin treatment when identifying the first signs of the disease. After all, the chronic form of the disease contributes to the spread of the inflammatory process to the surrounding tissues and organs. If you ignore the treatment and do not take certain medications, then the prostate can completely atrophy.
Antibiotics are prescribed to treat bacterial prostatitis. Only a doctor can recommend this or that medicine after examination and obtaining the result of microbiological tests.
Treatment with antibacterial drugs is considered the most appropriate for the bacterial nature of the disease. Due to the fact that antibiotics are able to make organ tissues permeable, the drug can freely penetrate to the site of inflammation.
In the treatment of bacterial prostatitis, the following antibiotics are prescribed:
- Ampicillins.
- Macrolide preparations are quite effective in the fight against many pathogens of the disease.
- Medicines of the cephalosporin group are effective in the acute phase of the disease.
- Fluoroquinolones are highly susceptible to many bacteria. Due to the fact that these medicines have a large number of side effects, they are prescribed with caution.
- Tetracyclines can be difficult to tolerate, therefore, recently, they are prescribed very rarely.
The course of antibiotic treatment cannot be less than 10 days.
Additionally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for treatment. They effectively relieve pain and inflammation of the prostate.
If there are problems with urination, the patient is shown the use of alpha-blockers, which lead to a decrease in tension in the smooth muscles of the urethra and bladder.
Often, bacterial prostatitis is accompanied by a depressive state and frequent changes in the patient's mood. In such cases, the doctor recommends the use of medications with a sedative effect.
If the disease is severe, the patient needs detoxification treatment, which consists in the intravenous administration of glucose, saline solution with trace elements and vitamin complexes. It is important for a man to observe the drinking regime and drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day.
The treatment regimen for prostatitis with medications should be aimed at normalizing blood circulation in the pelvic region and increasing the body's defenses. To do this, use:
- Vitamin and mineral complexes.
- Antispasmodics.
- Immunomodulators.
- Biologicals.
In addition to taking medications, the doctor will recommend doing microclysters with a decoction of medicinal herbs (chamomile, calendula). The use of topical preparations in the case of bacterial prostatitis should be strictly limited, since there is a high risk of various complications.
After the elimination of the inflammatory process, the patient is prescribed physiotherapy treatment (electrical prostate stimulation, magnetotherapy, and so on). They help speed up recovery and are performed on an outpatient basis.
In extreme cases, when taking medications did not give the desired result, the doctor may decide on a surgical operation. Such an intervention consists of resection of the prostate and is usually performed in older men. Young people are not prescribed such treatment due to possible complications (enuresis, impotence, infertility).
If bacterial prostatitis has become chronic, it is quite difficult to treat it. It must be remembered that it is no longer possible to do this at home.
Preventive measures
The best prevention of bacterial prostatitis is an active lifestyle. This is due to the fact that the gland itself is poorly supplied with blood. Therefore, those who have sedentary work need to take regular breaks in order to walk a little or do special exercises (pulling in the anus muscles).
A contrast shower gives a good effect. In this case, a stream of water is directed directly to the perineal area. The use time of warm (hot) water is 30 seconds, cool - should not exceed 15 seconds. The average duration of the procedure should be 5 minutes.
Preventive measures also include:
- Avoiding hypothermia of the body.
- Fight constipation. If you cannot get rid of them on your own, you need to consult a doctor who will advise mild laxatives.
- Normalization of sexual activity (choosing a permanent partner, using a condom in case of questionable contact, avoiding prolonged absence or overly active sex).
- Regular preventive examination by a urologist for all men over 40-45 years old.
Forecast
What are the consequences of bacterial prostatitis in a man? The success of treatment depends on how timely and how competently the therapy was prescribed. In addition, this is influenced by the patient's age, lifestyle, stage of the disease, and the presence of other diseases of the body.
The acute phase responds well to drug treatment, which, after a few days, significantly improves the condition of the man. But with improper treatment or its interruption, a relapse and transition of prostatitis into a chronic form is possible, which turns out to be much more difficult to cure.
To avoid the unpleasant consequences of bacterial prostatitis, it is important for a man to monitor his health, observe preventive measures, and in case of discomfort in the perineum, consult a doctor.