Prostatitis is a disease, which is based on an inflammatory lesion of the tissue of the prostate gland (prostate), manifested by a series of symptoms. The disease is observed only in a strong half of the population due to the fact that the prostate is located only in the male body.
Etiology (causes) of inflammation
There are many factors that lead to the development of the disease. The most common of them are:
- The presence of an infection focus in the body (tonsillitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, gonorrhea, tuberculosis, etc. )
- Trauma to the external genital organ.
- Damage to the soft tissues of the pelvic area.
- Frequent hypothermia of the body.
- Poor level of physical activity.
- Urinary retention.
- Stagnation of seminal secretion, due to the presence of an irregular sex life.
- Overweight.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Chronic inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system (pyelonephritis, urethritis, orchitis, cystitis, epididymitis)
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Intestinal disorders, manifested by a violation of the passage of food (constipation, diarrhea)
- The presence of an inflammatory process in the rectum (proctitis, anal fissure, hemorrhoids, paraproctitis)
- The presence of a history of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Stress.
- Smoking.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Avitaminosis.
- Too much work.
- Violent sexual activity.
- Lack of immunity.
causative agents of the disease
The most common microorganisms that cause the development of inflammation in the prostate gland are as follows:
- Escherichia coli (about 80%)
- Serratia Pseudomonas.
- Klebsiella Pseudomonas.
- Proteus Pseudomonas.
- enterococcus.
- Staphylococcus aureus.
Classification of pathological processes
In medicine, several classifications have been approved that describe the course of infection in the prostate gland.
Clinical-pathomorphological-etiological classification:
- Acute prostatitis.
- Prostate abscess.
- Prostatism.
- Chronic prostatitis.
- Granulomatous inflammation of the prostate.
- Congestive prostatitis.
- Sclerosis of the prostate.
- Prostatorrhea.
- Atypical forms of chronic prostatitis.
- Neurovegetative prostatopathy.
Also, the described disease is distinguished by classes:
- Grade 1 - acute prostatitis.
- Grade 2 - chronic bacterial prostatitis.
- Grade 3 a - chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome with signs of inflammation.
- Grade 3 b - chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome without signs of inflammation.
- Grade 4 - asymptomatic chronic prostatitis.
Types and forms of the disease
Based on the above classifications, it can be determined that the main types of prostatitis are:
- spicy.
- Chronic.
The acute inflammatory process, depending on the degree of damage to the prostate tissue, is divided into several forms:
- Catarrhal.
- Follicular.
- Parenchymal (diffuse).
The catarrhal form is characterized by a mild superficial inflammatory process that affects the acini of the prostate gland. Due to this, the patency of the excretory channels of the latter is disturbed. This leads to the accumulation of secretions within the prostate. The prostate gland increases in size and becomes edematous.
The follicular form of acute prostatitis is the next stage in the development of the pathological process. As a result, individual prostate lobules are affected and purulent contents are formed in them.
In the parenchymal form, the inflammation covers the entire tissue of the prostate gland. It becomes edematous and very painful. Against the background of parenchymal prostatitis, an abscess of the prostate gland can form.
Clearly expressed forms of chronic pathology are currently not found in the medical literature.
Stages of the disease
Despite the fact that there are no pronounced forms during the chronic process, this pathology is divided into several stages.
The first is the phase of alternative changes. It manifests itself with a slight inflammatory effect on the prostate tissue. If the treatment starts at the right time (at this stage), the disease stops very quickly. As a rule, relapses of the disease are not observed.
If the patient does not receive treatment, then the phase of proliferative changes begins. During it, prostate tissue grows in order to suppress inflammation. Later comes the third stage - fibrosclerotic changes.
There is a lot of tissue growth and it replaces healthy cells. But the resulting tissue does not have the same properties as healthy prostate tissue. Because of this, a person begins to return the disease and it takes a long course.
Symptoms
Acute pathology is manifested by the following clinical symptoms:
- Increase in body temperature up to 38 - 40 ° C.
- Deterioration of the general condition.
- Chills.
- Pain over the uterus, perineum, anus, penis.
- Discomfort during urination and/or defecation.
- Delayed bowel movements, gas.
- Increased desire to urinate.
- Urinary retention.
- Increased excitability.
Chronic prostatitis is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Discomfort in the lower abdomen.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Nervousness.
- White discharge from the penis.
- Increasing the duration of sexual intercourse.
- Weakening of the flow of urine.
- Incomplete emptying of the bladder.
Complications of the pathological process
In the absence of a timely start or an inadequate course of treatment, the development of acute pathology can have different directions.
In the first case, acute inflammation of the prostate gland flows into a chronic process. The latter is characterized by a change in periods of exacerbations and remissions. It is very difficult to cure chronic prostatitis, as a rule, you will have to accept it and be ready for the next irritation.
If the inflammatory process develops too quickly, then it can lead to the formation of a prostate abscess. In other words, a large abscess forms in the prostate tissue. The most common treatment for a prostate abscess is surgery.
Bacteria from the lesion can enter the bloodstream, as the prostate gland is very well supplied with blood. If this happens, a very scary complication is revealed in a person - sepsis. It is very difficult to defeat sepsis, therefore, the percentage of death, in the presence of this disease, is very high.
Untreated disease can lead to the development of male infertility due to the fact that the seminal vesicles are located near the prostate. Also, the gland is closely connected to the testicles, in which the formation of spermatozoa occurs.
Inflammation of the prostate can lead to a narrowing of the urethra. Due to the adaptation of the latter to the urethra, inflammation from the prostate can spread to the urethra. This leads to the formation of scar tissue in the urethra and a decrease in its diameter.
In addition to the spread of the inflammatory process in the urethra, it can also spread to the bladder. So the patient may experience recurrent (recurrent) cystitis. If there is an overflow of infected urine from the bladder back into the kidneys, then this leads to the development of pyelonephritis.
Treatment of the disease
It is worth paying attention to the fact that prostate therapy should be comprehensive. In the treatment of acute prostatitis, the following points must be observed:
- The fight against the inflammatory process in the prostate is impossible without the appointment of antibacterial drugs. The attending physician must determine the causative agent of the disease and prescribe a medicine to destroy it. It is better when the doctor prescribes taking several antibiotics at the same time.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They have a good analgesic effect and reduce inflammation. These drugs are recommended to be taken not only in the form of tablets, but also in the form of suppositories for rectal use.
- In severe general condition or elevated body temperature, detoxification therapy can be performed.
- When a prostate abscess is diagnosed in a patient, surgical intervention is necessary.
To recover from chronic inflammation in the prostate gland, it is necessary:
- Prostate massage (performed only by a urologist)
- Drugs that improve metabolism in the prostate.
- Taking NSAIDs.
- Immunomodulating drugs.
- Physiotherapy.
- Sedative drugs.