Prostatitis

It is an inflammation of the prostate: it can have several causes and is generally nothing to worry about.

What is it

The term prostatitis refers to an inflammation of the prostate, a gland that is part of the male reproductive system, located under the bladder.

Four types of prostatitis are known:

  • acute prostatitis of bacterial origin
  • chronic prostatitis of bacterial origin
  • chronic prostatitis of non-bacterial origin
  • asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis

Causes and risk factors

The different forms of prostatitis have some common causes. It is the overlap, the different intensities and the persistence times that give rise to one or the other form.

The main causes are:

  • pathogenic microorganisms.
  • intestinal dysfunction (especially irregular evacuation)
  • irregular and unbalanced diet (especially excess alcohol)
  • cigarette smoke
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • sexual abstinence for medium-long periods
  • stress and emotional tension
  • Pathologies of the urethra or foreskin
  • frequent use of interrupted coitus during sexual intercourse
  • immune dysfunction

Symptoms

Symptoms may vary, depending on the type of prostatitis. The most common are attributable to the following categories:

Painful symptoms Pain in the testicle, perineum, groin, bladder
Symptoms of the sexual sphere Reduced desire, traces of blood in semen, premature ejaculation
Urinary symptoms Difficulty urinating, poor urine, terminal drip, nocturia, decreased urinary jet, feeling emptying incomplete bladder

Symptoms concerning the sexual sphere are typical of chronic prostatitis.

Diagnosis

For the diagnosis of prostatitis, various investigations are used. Here are the most common:

  • digito-rectal examination
  • culture of prostate secretion
  • spermiogram
  • Trans-rectal ultrasound
  • PSA dosage

Therapy

There are numerous treatments for the treatment of prostatitis. The choice, made by the doctor, is made on the basis of type and severity.

In the case of bacterial infection, for example, antibiotics are used and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is usually also prescribed to relieve inflammation.

In some special situations, thermal therapies (transurethral microwave thermotherapy) and surgical therapies (transurethral resection of the prostate) are used. The latter option is considered dangerous, because it can have important repercussions on the sexual sphere.

Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.

The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.

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