Prostatitis causes a lot of discomfort even in the early stages of the disease. Painful burning sensation, nocturnal itching, urination problems, sexual dysfunction are inevitable companions of chronic prostatitis. It is much easier to prevent prostatitis than to treat it. Simple tips will help you avoid prostatitis at any age.
What to do to prevent prostatitis at home
Chronic prostatitis rarely bothers men under 30. At risk are men over 40: according to statistics, out of 10 men in this age group, four suffer from prostatitis. In men over 80 the picture is even worse: chronic inflammation of the prostate is detected in 9 out of 10 patients.
How is it possible that even men who do not have a hereditary tendency to prostatitis suffer from inflammation of the prostate in old age? A common misconception is related to the hormone testosterone. Prostatitis is believed to develop due to an age-related decrease in testosterone levels. This is fundamentally wrong: testosterone does affect the health of the prostate, but only in case of its deficiency does not prostatitis develop, but adenoma. This is an independent disease, and to prevent prostate adenoma the doctor may prescribe the regular use of the hormone testosterone.
Prostatitis requires appropriate conditions for the infection to develop. Age-related testosterone deficiency is not sufficient for the initiation of the inflammatory process. Several factors must coincide:
- Reduced blood circulation in the pelvic organs.It manifests itself with a sedentary lifestyle and lack of regular physical activity. The main risk factor is sedentary work: if at home a man gets up and stretches when he is tired of sitting, then at work it is not always possible to take the necessary break.
- Failure to respect the fundamental rules of sexual or intimate hygiene.Women can have an infection that causes prostatitis and not even know it. The best means of prevention in this case will be contraceptives. Also, it is possible to get an infection in the toilet of a public place, during a medical examination with non-sterile instruments, etc.
- Decreased immunity.Prostatitis, like any inflammation, often develops against the background of a weakened immune system. Deficiency of vitamins and microelements prevents prostate cells from coping with the inflammatory process early.
- Reduce the body's overall resistance to external threats.Chronic fatigue, stress, lack of sleep are the main factors that can trigger prostatitis at any age. The body needs rest to fight infections, so remember to relax. Training will also become an indirect cause of prostatitis if you do not give your muscles time to recover.
Prevention is always easier than cure: it is not necessary to take antibiotics or other drugs with serious side effects. If you can normalize your sleep, ensure daily exercise, healthy eating and low stress levels, prostatitis will not bother you. Naturally, sources of contagion must also be monitored: if possible, avoid using public toilets with unsanitary conditions; control your sex life.
These preventive measures may seem too simple, but preventing prostatitis in men without drugs is easier than treating it with drugs.
What to take for prevention
In such a matter as the prevention of prostatitis in men, drugs play a role if the patient has a predisposition to prostatitis. However, different types of prostatitis are not considered interchangeable. If your relatives suffer from bacterial prostatitis, you need to select specific preventive measures for this disease.
Acute bacterial prostatitis
This form of prostatitis always appears unexpectedly and even at the most inopportune moment. To avoid treating inflammation during the long-awaited vacation, take medications and biological supplements that strengthen your immune system. Treat colds and flu at the first symptoms of the disease: in young people, prostatitis often appears for the first time due to seasonal ailments.
Acute prostatitis can be caused by chlamydia, which occurs in men after casual sexual intercourse. If you suspect you have chlamydia, see your doctor about antibiotics. The specialist will check the organs to identify the first signs of prostatic damage: in its embryonic form, acute prostatitis is almost invisible to the patient and can easily be confused with general discomfort. To treat chlamydia, an antibiotic from the tetracycline group and other drugs from the same series are prescribed for 1-2 weeks. During treatment you will need to follow a diet with restrictions on calcium-containing foods.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis
Although the prevention of chronic prostatitis does not require prescription drugs, for men with a predisposition to chronic inflammation of the prostate, stimulants and dietary supplements will be useful. To avoid treating a slow inflammatory process, regularly use the following products:
- It means that it normalizes the functioning of the prostate gland.The purpose of these drugs is to restore active blood flow in the pelvic organs, initiate tissue healing processes and regulate secretion. Although they are usually used for treatment, with their help it is also possible to prevent prostatitis, especially given the male predisposition. Before using the medicines for the first time, consult your doctor.
- Medicines with a pronounced antibacterial effecttaken against the background of vulnerability to bacterial infections. These funds are also primarily intended for treatment. Get checked out to find out whether it is necessary to deal with the prevention of bacterial inflammation or whether general restorative medications are sufficient.
- Vitamin complexes and food supplements.Such preparations should contain vitamins C and E: they prevent inflammation by destroying bacteria and forming new cells. Products with lycopene are also effective for preventive purposes: it is a natural antioxidant that regulates the fundamental processes of the prostate.
Herbal remedies
Prevention of prostatitis with herbs is widely used to prevent inflammation at home. Pay attention to natural components that increase the body's resistance to infections:
- pink radiola;
- echinacea;
- ginseng.
Note: Treatment with herbal remedies with similar properties is unacceptable if a man suffers from hypertension. Taking active substances in the context of high blood pressure is dangerous, since one of the effects of such drugs is an immediate increase in blood pressure.
To prevent prostatitis in men, products based on extracts are also used - natural stimulants of venous tone:
- Japanese sophora;
- horse chestnut;
- ginkgo;
- eucalyptus;
- grape seeds;
- red vine leaves.
Their action is similar to pharmaceutical drugs - phlebotonics. A side effect of the treatment of venous tone disorders is the elimination of stagnation of blood circulation in the pelvic organs. Restoring blood flow contributes to overall prostate health.
Preventive measures in men should not be accompanied by the use of diuretic herbs: bearberry, cranberry, etc. If you are predisposed to prostatitis, they have the opposite effect: a sharp increase in urine volume increases pressure on the prostate gland and can cause inflammation. Treatment of difficulty urinating with a tendency to prostatitis is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.
Prevention of chronic prostatitis in men
In order not to face the difficulties of treating prostatitis in adulthood and old age, men should take care of their health from youth.
Unlike prostate adenoma, the choice of drug for treatment is not difficult: it is enough to undergo laboratory tests. The disease becomes chronic when the body is so weakened that after treating a bacterial infection, a new infection manages to break through the defenses - and everything repeats again. To avoid the return of prostatitis, men need to strengthen the body in advance: in the intervals between infections it will be more difficult to strengthen the immune system.
Effective preventive measures:
- Dress appropriately for the climate.Avoid hypothermia, do not get completely wet, and if this happens, take a warm bath. Showering is not suitable: the body must receive uniform warming for at least 15-20 minutes. If you have already had prostatitis, the infection can persist in the tissues and remain behind the scenes even after treatment with antibiotics. Be vigilant and the disease will not return.
- Limit alcohol consumption to 1-2 drinks per week.Do not combine alcoholic beverages with the treatment of colds - this is one of the common factors that provoke inflammation of the prostate gland.
- Eat more fibrous foods.Coarse dietary fiber is the foundation for prostate health. To treat constipation, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is prescribed. Since constipation is another possible cause of inflammation of the prostate tissue, you should try to avoid it. If it is not possible to radically change your diet, add bran to your diet. 2-3 tablespoons before each meal have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive tract.
Moderate sexual activity is another factor for prostate health. Regular sexual life normalizes the secretion of the organ and relieves excess pressure, which can lead to inflammation. Don't forget about contraception: if you are predisposed to inflammation of the prostate, you need to protect yourself not from sexual intercourse, but from a common bacterial infection.
Perform the male version of Kegel exercises daily: contract the pubococcygeus muscle for 3 to 5 seconds, then release. Repeat different approaches 10-15 times. It may be difficult to find the muscle the first time because it is used unconsciously. You can feel the work of this muscle yourself if you try to stop while urinating. You have to train the very muscle that is tense. Regular exercises normalize the functioning of internal organs.