What is prostatitis? It is an inflammatory disease of the prostate. Only men have a prostate, so at first glance the disease only affects them, but in fact it also affects the life of a regular sexual partner.
Causes of disease
What causes prostatitis? There is a myth that prostatitis can result from either bacteria or hypothermia. In reality, things are a little different. There are always bacteria in the prostate and hypothermia is just a predisposing factor that can trigger the appearance of inflammation.
In case of hypothermia, a violation of blood microcirculation occurs, which deteriorates the blood supply to the pelvic organs. As a result, the amount of blood around the prostate changes. There are fewer bacteria-fighting blood cells and they can no longer cope with the load. It turns out that hypothermia provokes the development of the inflammatory process and is an indirect cause of the development of prostatitis.
Chronic and acute illness
How does acute and chronic prostatitis manifest? Symptoms of prostatitis in acute form are manifested by sharp pain, high fever, painful urination with low pressure. With chronic prostatitis, it is more difficult. Its symptoms can easily be confused with simple discomfort, so the patient thinks that nothing serious is happening: he sat in a cold place, was tired or ate something.
The following manifestations of symptoms of prostatitis in chronic form are known:
- aching pain in the perineum;
- stabbing pain radiating to the scrotum;
- stabbing pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the sacrum, coccyx, and penis;
- urination disorders during prostatitis are characterized by low or normal pressure, but sometimes this symptom is not expressed;
- Some patients experience erection problems, which are most often of a psychological nature, since no direct relationship between prostate inflammation and potency disorders has been identified.
Preventive measures
How often should you have sex to avoid prostatitis? What is the prevention of prostatitis?
The prostate produces what is called prostatic secretion, a viscous fluid that contains components also found in sperm. The liquid part of semen is the secretion of the prostate and the secretion of the seminal vesicles, located behind the prostate. At a young age, a man always has a morning erection, which is accompanied by the production of prostate secretions. If sex doesn't happen, it builds up day after day. This leads to stagnation, which then causes a slight increase in the size of the prostate and pain - shooting pains occur in the perineum.
Nature intended that every erection ends in ejaculation. I woke up 30 times a month - 30 erections, that's 30 times of intercourse! There is a generally accepted opinion in urology that an average of 22 ejaculations are needed to prevent prostatitis, but again, these are only recommendations. In practice, this is sometimes very difficult to achieve and each person has different sexual needs.
What tests should you take?
What tests should you take if you have or suspect prostatitis? First of all, this is a general blood test, as well as a general urine test.
During the consultation, the urologist carries out a thorough examination, during which a rectal exam is performed. The doctor examines the prostate, touches it, assesses pain, consistency and elasticity. In this case, the prostate secretion is collected for analysis.
Prostatitis test suggests:
- Assessment of leukocyte count. The more there are, the more active the inflammatory process is.
- Study of prostate secretion for bacterial culture. Allows you to identify which bacteria cause inflammation, in what quantity they are present, which drugs work against them and which are completely useless.
- Take a smear for sexually transmitted infections.
- Transrectal ultrasound. This is the most informative procedure that allows you to obtain information about the condition of the prostate, its structure and volume.
How long does it take to treat prostatitis?
It all depends on the type of prostatitis. In case of illness caused by bacteria, an antibiotic should be prescribed. Due to the peculiarities of the porous structure of the prostate and the specific blood supply to this organ, treatment with antibiotics and other drugs lasts 28 days.
The blood supply to the prostate is located peripherally. Therefore, for 20 days of taking the antibiotic, there is a cumulative effect and only between 20 and 28 days does the drug reach the desired therapeutic concentration. This is why it is important to take the medication for the full duration recommended by the doctor.
Other medications
In addition to antibiotics, they also prescribethe following medications:
- Probiotics that restore the intestinal microflora.
- Antifungal medications. When taking antibiotics, the activity of the immune system decreases and fungal diseases (most often candida albicans or thrush) begin to appear in men, even if they have only one sexual partner.
- Vitamins.
- Preparations to improve blood microcirculation.
- Antiplatelet agents that thin the blood. They are prescribed to ensure that the blood supplies the tissues with prescribed medications.
Non-drug treatment
- Prostate massage helps overcome congestion.
- First, massage purely mechanically removes mucus and bacteria accumulated in the prostate.
- Second, blood supply and lymphatic drainage improve.
- Physiotherapy and hardware treatment. Vibrolaser magnetic therapy gives good results. The laser improves the permeability of cell membranes to drugs, they penetrate into the prostate, and under the influence of a magnet, lymphatic drainage improves, which is enhanced by vibration therapy.
What will happen if we don't treat it?
If prostatitis is not treated, then:
- The risk of male infertility increases. Prostate secretion is an integral part of semen, so bacteria and all bacteria waste spoil its quality. The sperm become less active and there is a struggle for nutrients (fructose, citric acid, zinc) between the bacteria and the sperm. As a result, sperm weaken and lose their ability to fertilize.
- Various adhesive processes can form in the vas deferens. This leads to the fact that sperm are simply not released and do not penetrate the egg.
- Regular shooting pains may appear. Sometimes some patients are lucky and for a while nothing bothers them and they think the disease has receded on its own. But then the symptoms return and get worse.
"Do’s" and "don’ts" for prostatitis
What can you eat?
- Salty is possible, but without excess (add a little salt to food).
- Alcohol – possible in minimal quantities (a glass of wine or 50 g of cognac, whiskey per evening).
- Coffee - 1-2 cups per day are allowed, in large quantities it is prohibited, because coffee leads to vasoconstriction and worsening of blood microcirculation.
Is it possible to have sex?
If ejaculation itself does not cause painful and sharp sensations, then it is possible, even necessary, to have a sex life. If sexual contact causes pain or discomfort, it is best to refrain from sexual activity for the duration of treatment.
Is it possible to visit baths, saunas, hammams?
Here, everything will depend on the stage at which the prostatitis is. If it is an acute process accompanied by fever, there is no need to visit such places. If the treatment of prostatitis proceeds as usual and there are no alarming symptoms, it is not forbidden to visit the bathhouse or swimming pool in doses. But you should minimize your stay in the hammam, as well as in cold water.
Is physical activity necessary?
It is impossible to do without physical activity, achievable physical exercise is the best assistant in the treatment of prostatitis. The main thing is not to expose the body to increased stress from training. You can walk, run, squat, etc.
As for the bike, everything is not clear. Doctors do not recommend this sport for men (except only in the form of short walks). When a man sits on a bicycle, the blood vessels in the pelvic and perineal region are compressed and blood supply is disrupted. There is no direct relationship, but when it comes to prevention we try to exclude all possible factors, even if they do not directly influence.
Should I medicate my sexual partner?
Treatment is only necessary for the partner if a sexually transmitted infection is detected. In fact, prostatitis is not transmitted through sexual contact, so no treatment is usually necessary for the partner, although an examination by a gynecologist would not hurt.