Prostatitis

Prostatitis General Information

The prostate gland is an organ found just below the males’ bladder (where the urine is stored) and in front of the rectum and has the shape and size of a walnut. The fluid that helps transporting and nourishing the sperm, called semen is produced by the prostate gland. The prostate gland presents two regions (also called lobes) that surround the initial part of the urethra (a canal through which the semen and the urine are eliminated outside the body). When this gland is infected and has an inflammation, then the respective male suffers from a medical condition called Prostatitis. NIH (the National Institutes of Health) classified this medical disorder into four major types: nonbacterial type (that includes the chronic pelvic pain syndrome and prostatodynia), acute bacterial type, chronic bacterial type and the asymptomatic inflammatory type. This frequent painful medical condition affects mostly the middle-aged men and rarely the young men. Prostatitis can be difficult to diagnose because it does not trigger any specific signs and symptoms. Every patient may experience different symptoms than other male patients. Also, the manifestations of this medical disorder could be signs of other very different disorders. This type of inflammation of the prostate gland causes a large variety of signs and symptoms, such as sensations of burning and pain when urinating, urgent and frequent need to urinate, along with pain felt in the groin or pelvic area. Studies show that more than 10% of the men from all around the globe are suffering from Prostatitis.

Prostatitis Symptoms

The patients who suffer from Prostatitis experience a big variety of signs and symptoms that can sometimes be mild or extremely painful, interfering with the patient’s quality of life. The negative aspect concerning this type of inflammation is that the symptoms could indicate another medical condition and they may not be the same for every patient. Considering these aspects, diagnosing this disease may be extremely challenging for every health care provider. The signs of this medical disorder depend on what type of the disease the patient is suffering from. In the case that the patient is diagnosed with acute bacterial Prostatitis, the signs and symptoms will appear suddenly, and can include: symptoms similar to those of a simple flu, painful ejaculation, chills, pain in the groin, prostate gland and in the lower back, blood tinged urine, urinary problems (inability to empty completely the bladder, pain during urination, frequent or emergent need to urinate and fever. The second type of Prostatitis, the chronic bacterial form, presents signs and symptoms that are not as severe as the one mentioned before. They appear more slowly, and the mild signs tend to alternate with periods when the signs are worse. In this case, the main manifestations include the following: pain felt in the pelvic area, urgent or frequent need to urinate, slight fever, dysuria (meaning burning sensations and pain during urination), hematuria (the presence of blood in urine or semen), nocturia (excessive urination during the night, affecting the patient’s sleep), recurring infections of the bladder and pain in the genital and lower back area.

Prostatitis Treatment

Prostatitis is considered a serious medical condition that requires urgent specialized intervention, as soon as it is discovered. We strongly advise you to seek medical advice immediately as you start experiencing any of the signs and symptoms that we have listed above. If not diagnosed in time and treated properly with the best treatment option, this type of inflammation of the prostate gland may lead to severe complications. If it advances to more complicated stages, Prostatitis will affect the patient’s quality of life and puts him in danger of infertility or infections throughout the male’s body. If the signs and symptoms that may indicate a urinary infection appear suddenly, then you must call your health care provider and establish a date for the medical examination. It is very important to consult a doctor because he can rule out other possible medical conditions that present similar signs and symptoms, for example kidney or bladder damage. When seeing a doctor, you will first be asked about the symptoms you are experiencing and about your medical history. Then, the specialist will perform a physical examination that includes a digital rectal exam of the prostate gland and checking the pelvic and abdomen area for tenderness. During the digital rectal exam, the doctor will introduce a gloved lubricated finger inside your rectum and check the surface of the prostate gland. If this appears tender to touch and enlarged, then you have Prostatitis.

A semen and urine test may also be useful because it reveals the presence of white blood cells and bacteria in the semen or urine. A lab exam to determine the exact bacteria that causes the infection must be done. After establishing the exact diagnose and after the bacteria is identified, the doctor can proceed with applying the adequate treatment he considers the best for Prostatitis. A regular treatment for this disease includes, as a first choice, therapy with antibiotics to clear the infection. If the patient suffers from an acute form, then he needs to be hospitalized for a day or two so that he can receive IV (intravenous) antibiotics. The duration of the treatment depends on what stage of the infection the patient suffers from. The drug therapy may last a few weeks, but if the bacteria are stronger, the antibiotics must be taken for a longer period of time. There are cases when the bacteria can never be eliminated and if the drug is withdrawn, the patient may have a relapse. The most commonly used drugs that have the best effects are: Geocillin, Bactrim, Bethaprim, Biocef, Levaquin, Cotrim, Cipro, Floxin, Septra and Uroplus. Sometimes, over-the-counter pain relievers must be administrated, such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin (Advil, Motrin etc). In order to eliminate the difficulty while urinating, the doctor can prescribe you alpha blockers that help your bladder’ neck to relax, as well as the muscle fibers found at the junction between your bladder and prostate gland. This way, your bladder will empty more rapidly and completely and you will urinate more easily.