Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland. Prostatitis can cause many symptoms, including the following: difficult or painful urination, frequent urination, fever, low-back pain, pain in the groin, inability to get an erection, decreased interest in sex. Prostatitis may be easily confused with other infections in the urinary tract. If you think you have prostatitis, see your prostate doctor.
Acute and chronic infectious prostatitis are contagious and are considered to be caused by sexually transmitted diseases. Your sex partner can catch this infection from you.
How then did you get it? The way in which the prostate becomes infected is by bacteria infection. The bacteria that cause prostatitis may get into the prostate from the urethra by backward flow of infected urine into the prostate gland or from rectal bacteria.
Certain conditions or medical procedures increase the risk of contracting prostatitis. You are at higher risk for getting prostatitis if you:
* recently have had a medical instrument, such as a urinary catheter (a soft, lubricated tube used to drain urine from the bladder), inserted during a medical procedure
* engage in rectal intercourse
* have an abnormal urinary tract
* have had a recent bladder infection
* have an enlarged prostate/prostate enlargement
How the prostate becomes infected is not clearly understood by the mainstream prostate dr. The bacteria that cause prostatitis might get into the prostate from the urethra by backward flow of infected urine or stool from the rectum.
At one time, prostatitis was believed to be a sexually transmitted disease, but more recent research by mainstream prostate dr. suggests that only a small number of cases are passed on through sex.
Certain prostate conditions and medical procedures increase the risk of developing prostatitis. You are at higher risk for getting prostatitis if you:
Recently had a medical instrument, such as a urinary catheter (a soft, lubricated tube used to drain urine from the bladder) inserted during a medical procedure
Engage in rectal intercourse
Have an abnormal urinary tract
Have had a recent bladder infection
Have an enlarged prostate/prostate enlargement
Prostatitis, especially if it continues for a long time, can cause stress, anxiety, and depression.
Acute bacterial prostatitis
Men with acute prostatitis have severe prostate pain and fever and may need hospitalization. Most men recover fully when treated with antibiotics. Delaying treatment increases the risk of developing complications, such as sepsis or an abscess in the prostate.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis
Chronic bacterial prostatitis can be difficult to treat, because some medicine have a hard time reaching the prostate. Men with chronic bacterial prostatitis commonly have repeated urinary tract infections. The infection may spread to the epididymis. The presence of infected prostate stones (prostatic calculi) can make treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis more difficult.
Chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome, inflammatory and noninflammatory
Chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome,
inflammatory and noninflammatory, often get better over time without serious complications. However, the prostate symptoms sometimes return unexpectedly.
You might experience no prostate symptoms, or prostatitis symptoms so sudden and severe that you seek emergency medical care.
When present, prostate symptoms include:
Frequent urge to urinate
Difficulty urinating
Pain or burning during urination
Chills and fever
Other symptoms might include pain and symptoms that comes and goes low in the abdomen, around the anus, in the groin, or in the back. In some cases, bacteria can get into the vas deferens (the tube that carries sperm from the testicles to the urethra), causing groin pain or an infection of the epididymis (area near the testicles where sperm mature and are stored). The prostate might swell, causing a less forceful urine stream. Sometimes blood in the urine and painful ejaculation are other symptoms of prostatitis.
Men might also complain of pelvic pain, pain during ejaculation, and pain with sexual intercourse.
To help make an accurate prostatitis diagnosis, several types of examinations are useful.
The prostate is an internal organ, so the physician cannot look at it directly. Because the prostate lies in front of the rectum, however, the prostate doctor can feel it by inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum.
This simple procedure, called a digital rectal examination, is illustrated below. This prostate examination allows the prostate physician to estimate whether the prostate is enlarged or has lumps or other areas of abnormal texture. While this examination may produce momentary discomfort, it causes neither damage nor significant prostate pain.
Because this examination is essential in detecting early prostate cancer, which is often without symptoms, the American Urological Association recommends a yearly prostate examination for every man over age 40 and an immediate examination for any man who develops persistent urinary symptoms.
If your physician suspects that you have prostatitis or another prostate problem, he or she may refer you to a prostate urologist (a prostate doctor who specializes in diseases of the urinary tract and the male reproductive system) to confirm the diagnosis.
The test that must be performed when prostatitis is suspected is prostate stripping (massaging), during which prostatic fluid is collected. While performing the digital rectal examination, your prostate doctor may vigorously massage, or "strip," the prostate to force prostatic fluid out of the gland and into the urethra. Although prostate stripping is not particularly painful, you may feel some discomfort depending on the sensitivity of your prostate.
The prostatic fluid is then analyzed under a microscope for signs of inflammation and infection due to prostatitis. The three-glass urine collection method is used to measure the presence of white blood cells and bacteria in the urine and prostatic fluid. You will be asked to collect two urine samples separately: the first ounce of the urine you void (urine from your urethra) and then another sample of flowing, midstream urine (urine from your bladder).
You will then almost empty your bladder by urinating into the toilet. At this point, your prostate doctor will massage your prostate and collect on a slide any secretions that appear. You will then collect in a third container the first ounce of urine that remains in your bladder.
Examination of these samples will help your prostate dr. determine whether your prostate problem is an inflammation or an infection and whether the problem is in your urethra, bladder, or prostate. If an prostate infection is present, your prostate doctor will also be able to identify the type of bacteria involved so that the most effective antimicrobial medication can be prescribed.
Acute bacterial prostatitis is the easiest of the three conditions to diagnose because it comes on suddenly and the symptoms require quick medical attention. Not only will you have urinary problems, but you may also have a fever and pain and, frequently, blood in your urine.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis is associated with repeated urinary tract infections, while non bacterial prostatitis is not. In fact, if you do not have a urinary tract infection or a history of one, you probably do not have chronic bacterial prostatitis. Other symptoms, if any, may include urinary problems such as the need to urinate frequently, a sense of urgency, burning or painful urination, and possibly perineal and low-back pain.
Nonbacterial prostatitis is more common than bacterial prostatitis. It may cause no prostate symptoms, or its prostate symptoms may mimic those of chronic bacterial prostatitis. If you have non bacterial prostatitis, however, it is unlikely that you will have urinary tract infections.
Yes. The term "prostatitis" encompasses the following four disorders of the prostate:
Acute bacterial prostatitis is the least common of the four types. It is also the easiest to diagnose and treat effectively. The man with this disease often experiences chills, fever, pain in the lower back and genital area, body aches, burning or painful urination, and the frequent and urgent need to urinate, often at night. The urinary tract is infected, as is evidenced by white blood cells and bacteria in the urine. The treatment of acute bacterial prostatitis is with an antibiotic appropriate for the particular bacteria. Sometimes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are given to relieve pain.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis is also relatively uncommon. This condition is basically longstanding prostatitis associated with an underlying defect in the prostate, which then becomes a focal point for the persistence of bacterial infection in the urinary tract. The prostate symptoms include low back pain, discomfort in the perineum (the area between the anus and the genitalia), testicular pain and, if the infection spreads to the bladder, mild pain or burning on urination (dysuria) and frequent and urgent need to urinate (frequency and urgency). The effective treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis usually requires the identification and removal of the defect in the prostate and then treatment with antibiotics. Antibiotics alone often do not cure the infection of prostatitis. Sometimes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are given to relieve pain.
Nonbacterial prostatitis is the most common and least understood form of prostatitis. It is believed to occur eight times more often than bacterial prostatitis. Nonbacterial prostatitis is frequently a chronic, painful condition that is found in men of any age. Prostate symptoms go away and then come back without warning. The urine and fluids from the prostate show no evidence of a known infecting organism, but the semen and other fluids from the prostate contain cells that the body usually produces to fight infection. Prostate doctors often treat nonbacterial prostatitis with antibiotics and drugs that relax the muscles of the prostate gland, but these treatments have not been proven to work and, in fact, often fail. This form of prostatitis can be associated with other diseases, such as reactive arthritis (formerly called Reiter's disease). Sometimes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are given to relieve pain.
Prostatodynia is similar to nonbacterial prostatitis with regard to symptoms, age of patients, and ineffectiveness of treatment. However, there are no objective findings, such as the presence of infection-fighting white blood cells, in the urine of men who suffer from prostatodynia. Sometimes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are given to relieve pain.
Because the treatment is different for the three types of prostatitis, the correct diagnosis is very important. Nonbacterial prostatitis will not clear up with antimicrobial treatment, and bacterial prostatitis will not go away without such treatment.
In addition, it is important to make sure that your prostate symptoms are not caused by urethritis or some other condition that may lead to permanent bladder or kidney damage.
Treatment of Prostatitis
* Correct diagnosis is crucial because each type of prostatitis is treated differently.
* Bacterial prostatitis is caused by bacteria and treated with antimicrobial medications.
* Antimicrobial medications are not effective treatments for nonbacterial prostatitis.
* Prostatitis is contagious; if you have it, you will endanger your sexual partner.
* The treatment regimen your prostate doctor recommends should be followed even if you have no prostate symptoms. With bacterial prostatitis, for example, the symptoms may disappear before the infection has completely cleared.
Your treatment depends on the type of prostatitis you have.
If you have acute bacterial prostatitis, you will usually need to take antimicrobial medication for 7 to 14 days. Almost all acute prostate infections can be cured with this treatment. Analgesic drugs to relieve prostate pain or discomfort and, at times, hospitalization may also be required.
If you have chronic bacterial prostatitis, you will require antimicrobial medication for a longer period of time--usually 4 to 12 weeks. About 60 percent of all cases of chronic bacterial prostatitis clear up with this treatment. For prostatitis cases that don't respond to this treatment, long-term, low-dose antimicrobial therapy may be recommended to relieve the symptoms. In some cases, surgical removal of the infected portions of the prostate may be advised.
If you have nonbacterial prostatitis, you still need antimicrobial medication. Depending on your prostate symptoms, you may receive one of a variety of treatments. If your prostate condition responds to muscle relaxation, you may be given an alpha blocker, a drug that can relax the muscle tissue in the prostate and reduce the difficulty in urination.
You may find that tub baths or changes in your diet may help to alleviate your prostate symptoms. While there is no scientific evidence proving that these " prostate home remedies" are effective, they are not harmful and some people experience relief from prostate symptoms while using them.
Prostatitis is a treatable disease. Even if the problem cannot be cured, you can usually get relief from your prostate symptoms by following the recommended treatment.
Prostatitis is a contagious disease. You need to adjust your life style and continue sexual relations with protection and caution.
You should keep in mind the following ideas:
* Correct diagnosis is key to cure of prostatitis.
* Treatment must be followed even if you have no prostate symptoms.
Having prostatitis does not increase your risk of getting any other prostate disease. But remember, even if your prostatitis is cured, there are other prostate conditions, such as prostate cancer, that require prostate checkups at least once a year after age 40.
An American body, the National Institutes of Health, has recently produced the following classification of prostatitis:
Category I: acute bacterial prostatitis
Category II: chronic bacterial prostatitis
Category III: chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome
Category IIIA: inflammatory
Category IIIB: non-inflammatory
Category IV: asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis.
As to which category you belong, the important considerations are whether the prostatitis problem is acute (comes on quickly) or chronic and relapsing (where you have the symptoms for a long time or have regular bouts), and whether it is caused by a specific infection. In order to answer this second question, a sample of prostatic secretions obtained by massaging the prostate may be sent to the laboratory for analysis (the lower tract localization test or LTLT). Occasionally, in patients with acute prostatitis, an abscess can develop within the gland. Usually this responds to antibiotics but occasionally the pus may need to be drained surgically, usually through the urethra (the tube through which urine passes from the body).
In many prostatitis cases it is. In practice, prostatitis results from sexual activity, so there is a need in treating your partner. Ano-rectal sex could certainly cause prostatitis, as can categorization.
Prostatitis is often described as an infection of the prostate, but it can also be an inflammation with no sign of infection. More than 90 percent of cases are caused by bacterial infection.
Prostatitis can affect men of all ages. An estimated 50 percent of all men experience prostatitis-like symptoms at some point during their lifetime. In fact, chronic prostatitis is the number one reason men under the age of 50 visit a urologist. In some cases, chronic prostatitis follows an attack of acute prostatitis. Chronic prostatitis might also be associated with other urinary tract infections.
The primary symptom of chronic bacterial prostatitis is usually repeated bladder infections. Prostatitis is considered chronic if it lasts more than three months.
Acute bacterial prostatitis — This is a sudden bacterial infection that is characterized by inflammation of the prostate. It is the least common form of prostatitis, but the symptoms are usually severe. Patients with this condition have an acute urinary tract infection with increased urinary frequency and urgency, a need to urinate a lot at night, and pain in the pelvis and genital area. They often have fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and burning when urinating. Acute bacterial prostatitis requires prompt treatment, as the condition can lead to bladder infections, abscesses in the prostate or — in extreme cases — completely blocked urine flow. Left untreated, the condition can cause confusion and low blood pressure, and might be fatal. The condition is usually treated in the hospital with intravenous antibiotics, pain relievers, and fluids.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis — This condition is the result of recurrent urinary tract infections that have entered the prostate gland. The prostate symptoms are similar to acute bacterial prostatitis, but are less severe and can fluctuate in intensity. The diagnosis of this condition is often challenging. It’s often difficult to find the bacteria in the urine. Treatment includes antibiotics for 4 to 12 weeks and other treatment for pain. Sometimes men are given suppressive low-dose, long-duration antibiotic therapy.
Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome — This is the most common form of the disease, accounting for 90 percent of the cases. The condition is characterized by urinary and genital pain for at least three of the past six months. Patients have no bacteria in their urine, but might have other signs of inflammation. The condition can be confused with another called interstitial cystitis (a chronic infection of the bladder)
Correct diagnosis is the key to the management of prostatitis.
Prostatitis cannot always be cured but can be managed.
Treatment should be followed even if prostate symptoms have improved.
Patients with prostatitis are not at higher risk for developing prostate cancer.
There is no reason to discontinue normal sexual relations unless they are uncomfortable, usually during an acute phase.
One can live a reasonably normal life with prostatitis but some may have severe prostate pain and symptoms that could hinder normal life.
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