In medicine, infection is understood to be the infection of an organ or tissue by various microorganisms, in addition to parasites and some insects. Therefore, infectious prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
The first group of microorganisms becomes the culprit most often. Consider what causes can lead to a prostate infection, how the disease will manifest itself, and how it can be treated in men.
Causes of infectious prostatitis
A healthy man has a defense mechanism against various foreign organisms: the immune system. If this mechanism fails or conditions are created under which infections are stronger than immunity, the prostate tissue becomes infected, leading to an inflammatory process and unpleasant symptoms.
Infectious prostatitis can be caused by:
- Sex with an infected partner. Even if a woman does not have visible symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, but there is a pathogen, a man can become infected. As a general rule, urethritis begins first, then an infection along the urinary tract enters the prostate and causes prostatitis there.
- The focus of infection existing in the body. The pathogen can enter the prostate with the bloodstream of other organs in the event of pneumonia, flu, tooth decay, and other diseases.
- Lifestyle features. Alcohol, nicotine and lack of physical activity weaken the immune system, as a result, bacteria that constantly inhabit a person's skin and mucous membranes become the culprits of the disease.
- Injuries: During sports, fighting, or an accident, a mechanical effect can be exerted on the perineum, leading to damage to the tissues of the prostate and can lead to an infectious form of the disease.
- Hypothermia. Due to the low ambient temperature and subsequent freezing, the immune system may not be able to cope with the bacteria that have entered the body.
Infection of the prostate gland is possible with some medical procedures and operations. For example, prostatitis can be triggered by catheterization, which was performed in violation of all rules and regulations. In this case, urethritis develops first, and only then, as a complication, prostatitis. Also, the disease can be a complication of the biopsy.
Sexually transmitted infections are the most dangerous for men's health.
Symptoms of the infectious form.
Infectious prostatitis always has an acute course, symptoms appear unexpectedly for the patient, rapidly intensify and cause great concern. It is impossible to ignore the signs of this disease.
Men go to doctors with the following complaints:
- Sharp pain, often stabbing, between the anus and the eggs. It can "give in" to the genitals, lower back, or abdomen.
- Increased body temperature up to 38-39 degrees, fever, chills. The temperature in the rectum can be increased and in the armpits it can be kept within the normal range.
- Frequent urination and the urge to urinate, especially at night.
- Painful urination, intermittent stream of urine, burning in the urethra.
- Weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle or joint pain.
- Stool disorder: constipation develops or pain occurs during the act of defecation.
- Decreased sexual desire, slow erection, painful ejaculation.
If a man is not in a hurry to go to the doctor and is in pain or tries to be treated with antibiotics and home remedies on his own, pain and urinary disorders can pass after a certain time. The illusion of recovery arises. In fact, the infection has not gone away and the acute form of prostatitis has become chronic. This means that from time to time a man will have exacerbations and there is also a risk of developing infertility.
Infectious prostatitis can result in blood poisoning and death of the patient, so there is no time to waste trying to cope with the pathology on your own.
Modern diagnostic methods
The clinical picture is so pronounced that the doctor can make the correct diagnosis based on the symptoms listed above. In addition to typical complaints, the anamnesis received at the reception is also taken into account; therefore, it is important to contact a medical institution in a timely manner.
In order to select the correct treatment tactics, it is important to understand more precisely what is happening in the body and which pathogen is causing the pathology. Therefore, a certain amount of examination is required for this case.
During the appointment, the doctor will perform the following activities:
- It will measure the body temperature in the anus and in the armpit (with infectious acute prostatitis, there will be a difference in the readings of up to 0. 5 ° C).
- Check the status of the lymph nodes in the pelvic region.
- Feel the lower abdomen, perineum, and lower back.
Prostate massage with this form of the disease is not performed due to pronounced pain. Furthermore, such manipulation can lead to transmission of the infection from the gland to other organs and systems, with possible subsequent death. Even the suspicion of infectious prostatitis is a contraindication for such procedures.
Laboratory tests of blood, urine, and bacterial cultures are important. With their help, you can determine the type of pathogen and confirm the inflammation.
From instrumental methods, TRUS, CT, MRI, uroflowmetry (to determine the rate of urine output) and other methods can be used, at the discretion of the treating physician. Most often, transrectal ultrasound examination in combination with laboratory methods and anamnesis data is sufficient. A CT or MRI is done if a tumor is suspected or in doubtful cases.
Modern principles of treatment.
If there are no pronounced signs of intoxication of the body, treatment is allowed at home. Otherwise, hospitalization, intravenous infusions of antibacterial agents, and increased monitoring by medical personnel will be required. In both cases, a sick man needs bed rest; even light physical activity can cause the infection to spread through the body through the bloodstream.
Treatment of patients is aimed at achieving two goals: combat pathogenic microflora and improve general well-being. In general, movement in this direction is designed to prevent death or the development of complications.
Fight infection
If in the course of laboratory tests it is established that infectious prostatitis is caused by bacteria (which occurs most often), the use of antibacterial agents should become the basis of therapy. If only one such treatment is started, after 2-3 days there will be an improvement in well-being. However, for this, the drug must be selected correctly. The duration of taking the drug is also important: it can go up to a month, depending on the specific drug and the degree of prostate damage. Treatment cannot be stopped.
In addition to the type of pathogen, the doctor must take into account a few other factors.
- Individual characteristics of the patient, state of the heart, liver and kidneys.
- If possible, choose a stronger drug, overshadowing such bacteriostatic agents.
- The effect of antibacterial drug therapy should be bactericidal, that is, aimed at destroying the pathogen and not stopping its development in the tissues of the prostate gland.
It is for these reasons that infectious prostatitis cannot be treated on its own. Without a medical education and without the skills to interpret diagnostic measures, it is almost impossible to choose the right antibacterial substance. Delay, like incorrect treatment in this case, can cost your life.
Symptomatic treatment
The intensity of pain in infectious prostatitis is such that standard analgesics and antispasmodics may be useless. In such exceptional cases, to relieve pain, the doctor may prescribe narcotics in a short course.
It can also be assigned:
- Diuretics (if there is no acute urinary retention) for the prevention of cystitis.
- Laxatives (if you are constipated) to relieve pressure on the prostate gland.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Alpha blockers: to normalize the urination process.
- Muscle relaxants to relieve spasms of the pelvic floor muscles.
If acute urinary retention has begun during infectious prostatitis, a urinary catheter may be placed in the patient.
If it is obvious during therapy that the patient's well-being is not improving, this is a reason for additional TRUS to exclude a possible prostate abscess. In doubtful cases, a biopsy of the prostate tissue may also be performed. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient undergoes an emergency operation to open and drain the abscess. In this case, antibiotic therapy will not be canceled.
Danger of infectious prostatitis
If a man saw a doctor in a timely manner and did not violate his prescriptions, recovery almost always occurs. In some variants of the development of events, a transition to a chronic form or the appearance of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is possible.
Other possible consequences:
- pyelonephritis or cystitis;
- blood poisoning;
- the formation of fistulas.
Infectious prostatitis responds well to treatment if it is started in a timely manner. To do this, a man must listen to the state of his health. If the pain begins in the perineal region with a simultaneous increase in body temperature in the anus and difficulty urinating, he should immediately consult a doctor. Using home remedies and following the advice of a friend or wife can end in disaster.