Chronic prostatitis is an inflammatory process that affects the tissues of the prostate gland and leads to the failure of its full functioning. The disease is one of the most common among the disorders in the work of the male genital organs.
The risk group is the male population from twenty to forty years old, during their peak labor, reproductive and sexual activity. Almost every tenth man at least once in his life faced with such a sexual problem.
Chronic prostatitis is characterized by alternating periods of exacerbation and remission of the symptoms of the disease. Under the signs of such a disease, many other problems are suitable not only with the genitourinary system, but also with other internal organs, therefore, when they appear, it is important to immediately consult a qualified doctor for diagnosis.
Chronic prostatitis develops over a long period of time. Quite often, this disorder occurs without the manifestation of any symptoms or with a slight expression of them, and is diagnosed during a random examination. It is difficult to treat, there is a possibility of frequent relapses.
Etiology
Routes of infection:
- directly through the urethra;
- with a stream of infected urine;
- with the movement of blood or lymph;
- transmission of infection from neighboring organs.
In every male body there are pathogenic microorganisms that can provoke the progression of prostatitis. But still, not all men have such a dangerous and unpleasant disease. This means that not only the pathogenic microflora, although it is the main cause of the development of pathology, but favorable conditions are required for its activation. There are the following favorable factors for the progression of the disease:
- sedentary working conditions and a sedentary lifestyle;
- frequent change of sexual partners;
- premature termination of sexual intercourse, as a contraceptive;
- prolonged abstinence from sexual intercourse;
- tight underwear;
- hypothermia;
- other inflammations of the genitourinary system;
- all kinds of prostate injuries;
- bad habits;
- too fatty and high-calorie food;
- constant stress.
Varieties
In the medical field, the following classification of chronic prostatitis is common:
- infectious process caused by a bacterium;
- the disease is not bacterial in nature;
- asymptomatic (regardless of the infectious process);
- stagnant. It arises from prolonged sexual abstinence.
According to the stages of development, chronic prostatitis is divided into:
- exudative - accompanied by pain in the groin, scrotum, ejaculation is accelerated;
- alternative - the same signs are observed as in the previous stage, but with a slight addition, in the form of frequent urge to urinate;
- proliferation - ejaculation slows down, and the intensity of the urinary stream decreases;
- cicatricial changes - all of the above signs are inherent.
Symptoms
Chronic prostatitis is expressed by the following symptoms:
- pain and discomfort in the pelvic area, inguinal region, inner thighs, lasting from three or more months;
- frequent urge to urinate;
- sharp pain at the end of the need;
- painful erection;
- sometimes complete absence of ejaculation;
- sleep disturbance;
- decrease in working capacity;
- itching, feeling cold or excessive sweating of the perineum;
- discoloration of the skin in the groin area;
- decrease in sexual desire;
- night erections;
- loss of appetite;
- irritability;
- constant feeling of fatigue;
- slight increase in body temperature.
Complications
Chronic prostatitis is often not expressed by any signs, which is why the patient is unaware of the problem, and timely treatment does not occur. All this can lead to a number of complications.
Complications can be:
- male infertility;
- impotence;
- urinary incontinence;
- cysts in the prostate;
- cancerous tumors of the prostate.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of such a disease is not difficult for a urologist. The doctor does:
- questioning the patient about pain or discomfort;
- general inspection of the groin area for rashes, discharge or irritation;
- digital examination of the prostate gland (through the rectal opening);
- collection of prostate secretion.
These procedures are quite unpleasant and sometimes painful, but are the most acceptable for diagnosing such a disease.
In addition, the patient will be required to submit:
- general urine analysis;
- smear from the urethra;
- urine for bacterial research;
- three-glass urine sample;
- scraping to determine the causative agent of the disease.
Hardware diagnostics consists of:
- Ultrasound of the prostate - to determine the volume of the prostate gland, the presence of tumors or cysts;
- uroflowmetry - to determine the rate of outflow of urine. In a healthy state, the movement is - fifteen milliliters per second, with chronic prostatitis - less than ten;
- CT;
- biopsy.
Without carrying out all the above diagnostic methods, the doctor will not be able to determine how to treat chronic prostatitis.
Treatment
Chronic prostatitis, although difficult to treat, is still possible, especially with timely detection.
Treatment of this disease consists of several stages:
- antibiotic therapy, which in most cases lasts several weeks, if necessary, longer;
- a course of therapeutic massage of the prostate gland - consists of fourteen visits to the doctor;
- elimination of spasms of the prostate, stagnation of urine and outflow of secretions from the gland with the help of certain groups of drugs that can only be prescribed by a specialist;
- physiotherapy, consisting of microwave and laser therapy, various ultrasound methods, mud therapy and enemas with water enriched with minerals and hydrogen sulfide;
- herbal medicine. A good effect is the use of essential oil from pumpkin seeds;
- surgical medical intervention, which is addressed only when there are changes in the size of the urethra, in the event of abscesses or prostate adenoma.
Chronic prostatitis can be treated with folk remedies at home, but only when combined with the above methods. Such therapies can reduce pain when symptoms appear, as well as prevent recurrence of the disease.
At home, the course of the disease can be mitigated with:
- mixtures of honey and crushed pumpkin seeds;
- freshly squeezed juices of cucumber, beets and carrots. Use them at least five hundred milliliters per day;
- pear compote;
- decoction of parsley roots;
- peel of ripe chestnuts;
- infusion of celandine;
- coniferous baths, lasting no more than twenty minutes a day.
Also, a special diet will help speed up the recovery process, providing for the reduction or complete rejection of certain foods:
- fatty and rich meat, fish and mushroom broths;
- hot sauces and spices;
- onion, garlic, horseradish, radish, chili pepper;
- legumes;
- cabbage;
- milk and dairy products.
Preventive actions
To prevent chronic prostatitis, men should follow a few simple rules:
- if possible, avoid strong and prolonged hypothermia of the body;
- try to warm up every two hours with sedentary or sedentary work;
- for constipation, use special means with a laxative effect;
- wear only comfortable, not too tight clothing. This is especially true for underwear;
- to have sex without frequent change of partner;
- get rid of long abstinence from sexual relations;
- consult a doctor in a timely manner if you suspect the presence of diseases of the genital organs of any nature;
- lead a healthy lifestyle, giving up all bad habits;
- normalize the mode and composition of the food consumed. It is better to eat small meals, five or six times a day. Introduce a large amount of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat into the diet;
- do daily physical exercise.
The implementation of such simple recommendations will save a man from the occurrence of such a problem as chronic prostatitis. After all, avoiding it is much easier than curing it.