Inflammation of the prostate gland is one of the most common urological problems in men of any age. Bacteria and viruses predominate among the causes of prostate inflammation.
What is bacterial prostatitis?
Currently, several forms of bacterial prostatitis are distinguished in the classification:
- Acute inflammation of the prostate.The main feature of the disease is the severity of the patient's clinical manifestations and complaints, as well as deviations in laboratory tests. But despite the acute form, the prognosis is favorable. In most cases, full recovery is possible. Of course, only with correct diagnosis and treatment. And with prevention, the disease may no longer remember itself.
- Subacute form.It occurs when, against the background of the manifestations of an acute disease, the patient resorts to self-medication or initially does not completely complete the prescribed course of therapy. In certain situations, this may be an initially incorrect treatment tactic. As a result, a significant part of the symptoms gradually disappear, but some manifestations (urination disorders, deterioration of sexual function, discomfort in the genital area) can persist and cause discomfort. If not caught in time, the disease becomes chronic with frequent exacerbations. Depending on the characteristics of the infection, the initial development of a subacute form of the disease is also possible.
- Chronic type of disease.Almost always, chronic prostatitis is a neglected, untreated, or improperly treated disease. Most of the symptoms consistently bring tangible discomfort. Any unfavorable conditions quickly cause an exacerbation with a deterioration of the condition.
Acute bacterial prostatitis
The disease always begins acutely and develops rapidly. Initially, a general temperature reaction occurs, which often reaches values above 38. 5 degrees. Almost immediately, dysuric disorders occur (frequent and difficult urination in small portions, imperative (sudden) need to urinate, weakening of the urinary flow and sometimes up to complete retention of urination).
A very important symptom is pain in the perineum, groin, scrotum, lower abdomen. If initially the pain accompanies only the urination process, then after a while it can constantly annoy, even at rest. In addition to the manifestations of pain, the patient has a decrease in sexual desire and a deterioration in erection.
It is with these signs of bacterial prostatitis that the patient comes to a specialist urologist. Doctors prescribe blood and urine tests, and in most cases this may be sufficient. In the absence of severe pain, prostate secretion can be taken for microscopic examination.
In the acute form of the disease, a characteristic manifestation will be severe pain during a digital examination. At the same time, prostate massage is not performed due to the risk of provoking the spread of infection.
The urologist makes a diagnosis based on laboratory tests and patient complaints. Then he prescribes a treatment, which usually includes:
- Antibiotic therapy with broad spectrum drugs. If data on the sensitivity of microorganisms are available, antibiotics that are more effective for the patient can be selected.
- Painkillers can be prescribed in the form of tablets and in the form of rectal suppositories for topical use. With a strong pain syndrome, they are often combined.
- Antispasmodics and drugs that improve urine outflow.
- Topical preparations aimed at activating resistance mechanisms. One of the most prescribed are preparations with an extract from the tissues of the prostate gland, which stimulate local immunity and resistance, as they contain biologically active organotropic molecules.
This list of therapeutic measures, followed by compliance with medical prescriptions and prevention, guarantee a complete recovery.
Subacute inflammation of the prostate
The subacute form in the initial stage does not differ from the acute one. However, it is formed due to incomplete or interrupted treatment. At the same time, the patient's vigilance is lulled by the fact that the most acute symptoms disappear, such as fever, which most often disappears completely. But other symptoms - dysuric disorders, disorders of the intimate sphere, pain or discomfort in everyday life - remain, albeit with minimal manifestations. Gradually, the patient gets used to not paying attention to them.
A slow and constant process gradually turns into chronic. Most often, any weakening of the immune system leads to an exacerbation of the process with the development of the clinical picture. Treatment of subacute prostatitis is based on:
- Antibiotic therapy with mandatory determination of the sensitivity of microorganisms.
- Painkillers and very often with a long period of action.
- Antispasmodics and drugs that improve urine outflow. In this case, longer paths are required, as some changes become difficult to reverse.
- Topical preparations with activation of local and organotropic immune resistance mechanisms. One of the most commonly prescribed are preparations containing an extract of prostate tissue.
It is extremely important that subacute prostatitis complete the course of treatment and conscientiously follow all the necessary recommendations. In this case, there is a chance to cure the disease and prevent its transition to a chronic form, from which it will be impossible to get rid of.
Chronic prostatitis
This clinical form of the disease can proceed in different ways. With an exacerbation, the clinical picture becomes similar to an acute form of inflammation of the prostate gland, and outside of the exacerbation, minimally pronounced symptoms are constantly present.
Main signs of bacterial prostatitis in remission:
- Dysuric disorders. Most often they are represented by a decrease in the speed of urinary flow in the form of a slow, weakened jet. There is no sensation of complete emptying of the bladder. The frequent need to urinate in small portions, especially at night, is characteristic: this symptom is called nocturia.
- Violations of the intimate sphere. In this case, there is discomfort during intercourse, and pain during ejaculation can also be observed. An important sign of the disease is a decrease in the quality of erection, as well as a decrease in the ability to conceive, up to complete infertility.
- Chronic pain syndrome. It is constantly present, reducing a man's quality of life and negatively affecting his activity and ability to work. At the same time, such factors as hypothermia, physical activity, stress often increase pain.
With an exacerbation of a chronic disease, the treatment of bacterial prostatitis does not differ from the treatment of acute or subacute forms:
- Antibiotic therapy with mandatory determination of the sensitivity of the microorganisms that cause inflammation.
- Painkillers and very often with a long period of action.
- Antispasmodics and drugs that improve urine outflow. Long-term intake in sufficiently high dosages is often required, since the existing changes are practically irreversible and permanent. The main task in this case is to reduce the severity of dysuric phenomena.
- Local action drugs for bacterial prostatitis with organotropic and organoprotective resistance mechanisms. One of the most prescribed drugs are products with an extract from the tissues of the prostate gland.
Adequate prevention of any form of bacterial prostatitis
At the moment, experts recognize three main preventive areas that help reduce the risk of the disease initially and, in its chronic forms, reduce the frequency of exacerbations and their severity. This is achieved by reducing the influence of risk factors, such as:
- Stagnation of blood circulation in the tissues of the gland with irregular sexual activity;
- Frequent change of partners during unprotected intercourse;
- A long pause in sex life, or excessive and debilitating sexual activity
- Mechanical stimulation of the urethra, especially dangerous due to microtrauma and direct bacterial infections;
- General and local hypothermia;
- Low physical activity and predominantly sedentary lifestyle;
- Physical exhaustion, exhausting physical activity;
- Traumatization of the genital organs.
Primary preventionaimed at preventing the onset of diseases. An important role here is assigned to ensuring personal and intimate hygiene, normalization of physical and sexual activity, avoiding stressful situations and hypothermia of the perineum.
Secondary preventionaimed at the most complete cure of the infectious process. The best result is a complete recovery. The more correctly the treatment is chosen and the more the man is responsible for fulfilling the doctor's prescriptions, the greater the likelihood of a complete recovery.
Tertiary preventionbacterial prostatitis is necessary in situations where the disease has already acquired a chronic form. Its main goal is to prevent the occurrence of exacerbations of the disease.
Not always all of the above preventive measures can provide complete protection against exacerbation. Recently, drugs that increase the level of local immunity have appeared and actively used. This increases the strength of the prostate tissue. Some of the preparations are of vegetable origin. These act due to plant analogues of hormonal compounds. However, the degree of effectiveness of these funds is still being studied and not fully demonstrated.
Preparations based on animal tissue extracts have a stronger evidence base. Organic compounds that are completely suitable for the human body. Among them, the most commonly prescribed are suppositories and ampoules from bovine prostate tissue extract. They have a proven clinical efficacy in reducing the risk of negative effects on the prostate. When using these funds, an increase in the protective reserves of the gland itself occurs. In addition, resistance increases and the prostate receives the necessary biologically active molecules. In this way, reinforcement is obtained at the "point of least resistance".