Prostatitis is a disease that is based on an inflammatory lesion of the tissue of the prostate gland (prostate), manifested by a variety of symptoms. The disease is observed only in a strong half of the population due to the fact that the prostate is found only in the male body.
Etiology (causes) of inflammation
There are many factors that lead to the development of the disease. The most common are:
- The presence of a focus of infection in the body (tonsillitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, gonorrhea, tuberculosis, etc. )
- Trauma to the external genitalia.
- Soft tissue damage in the pelvic area.
- Frequent hypothermia of the body.
- Low level of physical activity.
- Urinary retention.
- Stagnation of seminal secretion, due to the presence of an irregular sexual life.
- Overweight.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Chronic inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system (pyelonephritis, urethritis, orchitis, cystitis, epididymitis)
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Disturbances of the intestine, 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)
- Presence of a history of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Fatigue.
- To smoke.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Avitaminosis.
- Overwork.
- Violent sexual activity.
- Immunodeficiency.
causative agents of the disease
The most common microorganisms that cause the development of inflammation in the prostate gland are the following:
- Escherichia coli (about 80%)
- Serratia Pseudomonas.
- Klebsiella Pseudomonas.
- Proteus Pseudomonas.
- enterococcus.
- Staphylococcus aureus.
Classifications of pathological processes
In medicine, several classifications have been adopted 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.
- Prostate sclerosis.
- Prostatorrea.
- Atypical forms of chronic prostatitis.
- Neurovegetative prostatitis.
In addition, the described disease is differentiated by classes:
- Grade 1 - acute prostatitis.
- Grade 2 - chronic bacterial prostatitis.
- Grade 3a - chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome with signs of inflammation.
- Grade 3 b - chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome with no 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 affecting the acini of the prostate gland. Because of this, the patency of the excretory ducts of the latter is disturbed. This leads to the accumulation of secretion 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 lobules of the prostate are affected and purulent contents are formed in them.
In the parenchymal form, 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 not currently found in the medical literature.
Stages of the disease
Despite the fact that there are no pronounced forms in the course of the chronic process, this pathology is divided into several stages.
The first is the phase of alternative changes. It is manifested by a slight inflammatory effect on the prostate tissue. If the treatment is started in a timely manner (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, the stage of proliferative changes begins. During this, the prostate tissue grows 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 doesn't have the same properties as healthy prostate tissue. Because of this, a person begins to relapse into the disease and acquires a long course.
Symptoms
Acute pathology manifests itself with the following clinical symptoms:
- An increase in body temperature up to 38 - 40 ° C.
- Deterioration of the general condition.
- Chills.
- Pain above the uterus, in the perineum, in the anus, in the glans.
- Discomfort when urinating and / or defecating.
- Delayed stool, gas.
- Increased urge to urinate.
- Urinary retention.
- Increased excitability.
Chronic prostatitis is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Discomfort in the lower abdomen.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Irritability.
- Whitish discharge from the penis.
- Increase the duration of sexual intercourse.
- Weakening of the urinary flow.
- 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 results in a chronic process. The latter is characterized by a change in the periods of exacerbations and remissions. It is very difficult to cure chronic prostatitis, as a rule you will have to deal with it and be ready for the next exacerbation.
If the inflammatory process develops very quickly, it can lead to the formation of an abscess of the prostate. 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 formidable complication is revealed in a person - sepsis. It is very difficult to defeat sepsis, so the death rate 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. In addition, the gland is closely related to the testicles, where sperm formation occurs.
Inflammation of the prostate can lead to narrowing of the urethra. Due to the adaptation of the latter to the urethra, inflammation of 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 spreading the inflammatory process to the urethra, it can spread to the bladder. Then the patient may experience recurrent (recurrent) cystitis. If there is a throw of infected urine from the bladder to the kidney, this leads to the development of pyelonephritis.
Treatment of the disease
It is worth paying close attention to the fact that therapy for prostatitis must be comprehensive. In the treatment of acute prostatitis it is necessary to comply with the following points:
- 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 drug to destroy it. It is best when the doctor prescribes taking several antibiotics at the same time.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. They have a good analgesic effect and reduce inflammation. It is recommended to take these drugs not only in the form of tablets, but also in the form of suppositories for rectal use.
- In severe general conditions or elevated body temperature, detoxification therapy may be performed.
- When diagnosing a prostate abscess in a patient, surgery is required.
To recover from chronic inflammation in the prostate gland, you need the following:
- Prostate massage (performed by a urologist only)
- Drugs that improve metabolism in the prostate.
- Taking NSAIDs.
- Immunomodulatory drugs.
- Physiotherapy.
- Sedative drugs.