Symptoms and types of prostatitis in men

One of the most common diseases in men is prostatitis, whose ICD-10 code is 41. What kind of disease is prostatitis? A sedentary lifestyle, addiction to tobacco and alcohol, and excessive consumption of fatty and salty foods contribute to the spread of this disease.Like most diseases, prostatitis is easiest to treat in its early stages. The difficulty is that inflammation of the glands doesn't actually show itself for a very long time. The disease is most often diagnosed in its late stages or during seasonal exacerbations. How to recognize the signs of prostatitis in men and its symptoms will be discussed in the following article.

what is prostate

The prostate is a small organ located below the urethra.The importance of this organ cannot be overestimated as it is responsible for normal urination and male strength. The prostate is similar in shape and size to a walnut; as you age, the gland increases in size.Prostate tissue has a glandular and muscular structure. The glands are responsible for producing hormones and prostatic fluid, and the muscles regulate the size of the urethra lumen.The likelihood of developing this disease increases with age. According to statistics, most patients with prostatitis are men of retirement age.However, in recent years, the disease has been diagnosed in men aged 30 and younger. In total, 30% of men suffer from some type of prostatitis.In order to avoid the negative consequences of the disease, men must pay attention to their health and not ignore the appearance of warning signs that indicate the presence of the disease.The best treatment for prostatitis is early, so it's important to know the characteristic symptoms of the disease. What symptoms can be used to determine if there is a problem with men's health?

Causes of prostatitis

What is male prostatitis? The prostate is a rather delicate organ; many negative factors can trigger inflammation of the gland. In terms of the causes of its occurrence, there are two types of symptoms:bacteriaandviral.bacterial prostatitis, caused by pathogenic bacteria entering the prostate tissue. Most commonly, microorganisms enter the body as urine residue or through the circulatory system. The pathology occurred unexpectedly, progressed rapidly, the body temperature increased, and the man felt severe pain in his groin.If patients ignore these symptoms, the results can be very detrimental or even fatal. With chronic bacterial prostatitis, symptoms can manifest as severe pain as they worsen.Infectious (bacterial) prostatitis. In this case, the causative agent of the disease is a virus. The most common pathogens are influenza virus, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and papillomavirus. The disease is rare and is characterized by fever, joint pain, or a massive rash.There are many factors that can trigger the disease:

1. Complications from pre-existing conditions;
2. Hypothermia of pelvic organs;
3. The female partner has a chronic infection;
4. Urinary reflux – If the prostate cannot stop the backflow of urine, bacterial infection can gain access to the surface of the gland and begin inflammation;
5. Intimate life is inconsistent. Long-term abstinence and excessive sexual activity can also have negative effects;
6. Stagnation of blood in the genitourinary system - may occur against the background of hemorrhoids or other diseases;
7. Hormone imbalance. If the glands do not produce enough male hormones, muscle tone will gradually weaken and erectile dysfunction will occur;
8. decrease in immunity;
9. Frequent stress and sleep deprivation;
10. The practice of intercourse interruption is to deliberately extend the time of intercourse.

Most commonly, the first symptoms of prostatitis are difficulty urinating and penile pain.Unfortunately, most men prefer to ignore this warning signal from their body. Visits to the urologist were postponed until later; treatment was limited, at best, to medications recommended by friends or colleagues. As a result of this approach, inflammation progresses to a chronic stage.The painful feeling is no longer so strong, and the man thinks that everything is getting better. In fact, this process continues, and soon a series of problems in the intimate sphere and regular exacerbations of prostatitis appear.For men with prostatitis, it becomes more difficult to choose effective drugs, the cost of treatment at this stage will be higher, and treatment will take a long time. Therefore, it is important not to ignore the first signs of illness; if you have difficulty urinating or experience discomfort in your groin area, see your doctor immediately.Since prostatitis syndrome in men is not always obvious, it is recommended to check the condition of the gland regularly, at least once a year. A prompt visit to a urologist will help avoid unpleasant consequences and complications.

Types of prostatitis

Modern medicine has successfully identified many undeniable signs of prostate inflammation in men. The choice of treatment strategy depends on the type of disease.Doctors distinguish two main types of the disease:

1. Acute prostatitis.This type of disease is very simple to diagnose, since the inflammatory process appears very clearly and clearly. The cause of inflammation is the presence of pathogenic flora. This disease can be treated very successfully with appropriate antibiotics;
2. Chronic prostatitis.The disease takes on a chronic form when acute inflammation of the gland is not cured or treated at all. The obvious symptoms of chronic prostatitis in men become less frequent and may even be noticed only when they worsen (usually in the spring or fall).

Often, chronic prostatitis is preceded by persistent pain, but more often the disease develops without any noticeable symptoms; this inflammatory process is common in people with sedentary jobs (office workers, drivers).The cause of inflammation is poor circulation in the genitourinary system, which occurs due to lack of physical activity and long-term abstinence.Everyone should know which symptoms of chronic prostatitis in men are the most common, because the success of treatment depends on this.If there are signs of bacterial prostatitis, manifested by general intoxication of the body, treatment will be based on the use of antibiotics. If inflammation is caused by stagnation of blood and lymph fluid, the main focus is on lifestyle modification and elimination of accompanying diseases.

Prostatitis symptom classification

How does the disease manifest? As a rule, all unpleasant symptoms indicating a disorder in the functioning of the prostate can be divided into three main categories:

1. Various deviations from normal conditions observed in the urinary system;
2. Difficulties arise in the area of intimacy;
3. Severe depressive symptoms caused by reduced amounts of male hormones and sexual impotence.

All of these symptoms may occur during the first stages of glandular inflammation. Symptoms become more pronounced over time, and more severe disease may develop in the future.

first signs of inflammation

The most common main symptom of prostatitis is frequent pain in the lower abdomen. At the same time, the nature and localization of unpleasant sensations can be very diverse. Men experience periodic stinging when urinating, but in some cases, the pain persists. The occurrence of acute prostatitis is more pronounced; manifestations of the disease often significantly interfere with normal life activities. Chronic exacerbations of the disease rarely occur, and symptoms may disappear completely during the recovery period after treatment.

With prostatitis, the pain is usually localized in the groin area. Unpleasant sensations may occur not only in the perineum, but also in the lower back and lower abdomen. Men may experience discomfort in the scrotum, penis, and testicles during urination and ejaculation.

Difficulty urinating

One of the most concerning symptoms is urinary problems. The following characteristic signs should alert men:

1. need to urinate frequently;
2. Discomfort caused by insufficient bladder emptying;
3. unreal urge to urinate;
4. The flow of water during urination is of low pressure and often interrupted.

When the disease is in its advanced stages, prolonged urinary retention often occurs. This symptom indicates active inflammation of the prostate, and severe tissue swelling may also be observed.Urine does not pass through the urethra at all. Traces of inflammation can often be seen in the urine. Pathological impurities appear in the form of mucus threads and are most commonly found in morning urine. Often, this symptom is the only manifestation of the disease, especially in the chronic form of the disease.

If prostatitis is not treated promptly, in most cases it will progress to prostate adenoma (proliferation of glandular tissue and the formation of nodules and tumors in it).

Urinary incontinence and pain are the first symptoms of prostatitis, so when they appear, you cannot postpone visiting a urologist. Your doctor will prescribe several tests (for example, a general PSA blood test for prostatitis).

Private questions

Perhaps the most unpleasant symptom of prostatitis in men is sexual dysfunction. Manifestations of this disease usually occur during the phase of active progression of inflammation. Most often, sexual dysfunction is a manifestation of old inflammation.The most common symptoms are as follows:

1. Weak erection. Habitual mating with females becomes impossible. Sexual arousal is short-lived and intercourse does not end with ejaculation;
2. Ejaculation too fast. The erection is good, but ejaculation occurs one to two minutes (or earlier) after the penis is inserted into the vagina;
3. Sensitivity becomes dull, the sensation during intercourse becomes less pronounced;
4. Changes in the smell and color of semen. Inflammation can manifest as an unpleasant, pungent odor from the semen; yellow or brown pus spots are often evident;
5. psychological problems. Being bedridden can have a negative impact on the nervous system, disrupting sleep and worsening health conditions.

Because of the stress caused by a depressed mental state, patients often experience unprovoked aggressive attacks and are often prone to physical violence. What if stimulation and stress keep reminding you of yourself?In this case, medical treatment of prostatitis should be carried out simultaneously with the observation of a psychologist. For better results, patients with such prostatitis symptoms can take antidepressants.Sometimes, even after completing the treatment process for prostatitis, the help of a psychologist may be needed. Often, slow chronic prostatitis does not manifest itself at all, but becomes a cause of infertility. This form of the disease can only be detected during a test related to infertility.

The old inflammatory process does not manifest itself externally, but irreversibly changes the composition and structure of the semen. The number of viable active sperm decreases and their motility becomes insignificant.

General symptoms

Regardless of the present form of the disease, prostatitis can be diagnosed by a number of general signs. These symptoms indicate the presence of an inflammatory process. If a chronic disease is present, these symptoms are very mild, but in the acute stage of the disease it is impossible not to notice them.A list of common symptoms is as follows:

1. Increased body temperature. The more actively the inflammation spreads, the higher the temperature will be. This symptom is particularly noticeable in acute bacterial prostatitis - the thermometer can show a figure of 39-40 degrees. This symptom is often accompanied by groin pain;
2. headache, persistent weakness, and apathy;
3. Muscle soreness throughout the body or waist;
4. Chills accompany rising temperatures.

An increase in temperature itself may indicate inflammation of any nature. Sometimes (eg, chronic prostatitis) a body temperature of 37-38 degrees is observed for a long time. The real cause can only be determined through a thorough examination of the body.

Symptom characteristics of different stages of the disease

Each stage of prostate inflammation has a range of symptoms. By carefully monitoring the body, men can notice early warning signals from the body and begin treatment for prostatitis in a timely manner.Prostatitis is mainly divided into three stages:

1. The first stage.At this stage, inflammation begins to spread throughout the glandular tissue. Men may periodically experience perineal, anal, and lower back pain. The urge to urinate becomes more frequent, and the process itself is accompanied by burning and pain in the urethra. At the same time, the level of sexual desire decreases, and ejaculation and discharge are accompanied by unpleasant sensations.
2. second stage.If the above symptoms are ignored, the disease will begin to progress. The size of the inflammation and accompanying swelling decreases, but scarring and vascular damage begin to develop. Pain when going to the toilet becomes more pronounced, the man feels more and more uncomfortable, and failures in the intimate sphere become more frequent. It was at this time that the development of concomitant diseases was observed - radiculitis, vegetative vascular dystonia, cardiac problems.
3. The third stage of prostatitis is considered chronic.At this stage, the glands are covered with scars, and degeneration of glandular tissue into muscle tissue is observed. During the examination of such patients, necrosis (death of tissue) may be detected. The enlarged glandular tissue can put pressure on the urethra, making it impossible to completely empty the bladder. The changes don't just affect the urinary system; inflammation often spreads to the kidneys and other organs.

How to treat inflammation? The treatment of prostatitis is a long process. In addition to medication, patients also need to receive a special diet and massage. Gymnastics is also useful in treating prostatitis; doctors prepare a set of exercises for prostatitis.Prostatitis in any stage or form poses the threat of serious complications to men. It is very important to prevent chronic prostatitis, and medications to maintain male health are prescribed by doctors after examination.Inflammation can spread to neighboring organs, causing infertility and even cancer. Taking careful attention to your health, taking appropriate prostatitis prevention, and prompt visits to your urologist will help prevent the progression of the disease.