Symptoms, treatment, and causes of bacterial prostatitis

Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of bacterial prostatitis

Almost every second man of various ages has prostatitis. This disease is associated with an inflammatory process in the prostate, which can be caused by stagnant processes in the pelvic area, various infections. If the result of the analysis showed the presence of pathogens in the secret of the prostate, the doctor diagnoses bacterial prostatitis. Why does the disease arise and how is it treated?

causes

From the name it becomes clear that the main reason for the development of the disease is the penetration of bacteria into the prostate. The pathogens can be:

  • Intestine and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Enterococci.
  • Klebsiella.
  • Enterobacter.
  • Proteus.
  • Sexually transmitted infections.

Many pathogenic microorganisms are always in the human body without harming it. But when favorable conditions appear, the infection begins to actively develop, causing the disease. These favorable conditions for bacteria include:

  1. Urinary tract diseases.
  2. Bacterial infections that develop in the body and can get to the prostate through the blood or lymphatic fluid.
  3. Phimosis of the prostate.
  4. Acute epididymitis.
  5. Catheterization of the urethra.
  6. Reflux (intraprostatic or urethroprostatic), when pathogenic organisms enter the prostate.
  7. Transurethral surgeries performed without prior antibiotic therapy.
  8. Violation of urination due to the abnormal structure of the bladder.
  9. Conditions associated with a decrease in the immune system (AIDS, diabetes, hemodialysis procedures).

When bacteria penetrate the area of the prostate, the pathogenic microflora begins to actively develop, and an inflammatory process occurs in the organ.

Risk factors that increase the chances of getting prostatitis include:

  • Common diseases of the genitourinary system of an infectious nature.
  • The presence of helminth and other parasites.
  • Genetic predisposition.
  • Incomplete or premature emptying of the bladder.
  • Hypothermia.
  • Irritation of the urethra with chemicals.
  • Promiscuous sex life, lack of contraception.

The main causes of the development of inflammation of the prostate

  • Prolonged sexual abstinence.
  • The presence of bad habits.
  • Weakened immunity.
  • Wrong diet.
  • Dehydration of the body.
  • A sedentary lifestyle, which leads to the appearance of stagnant processes in the pelvic area.
  • Frequent stressful situations.

Symptoms

It is simply impossible not to notice the symptoms of bacterial prostatitis, as this form of the disease begins acutely. The patient is concerned about:

  1. Increased body temperature, accompanied by chills.
  2. Painful sensations in the perineum, lower abdomen and lower back.
  3. Painful urination. The patient notices pain and burning sensation in the urethra, which are particularly felt at night.
  4. Difficulty urinating, feeling that your bladder is not emptying completely.
  5. Constipation is possible due to the squeezing of the anus by an inflamed prostate.
  6. Signs of body poisoning (headache, general weakness of the body, body aches and pains).
  7. Discharge from the urethra.

Symptoms of the disease also vary depending on the stage of bacterial prostatitis:

  • At the onset of the disease, the inflammation does not spread outside the prostate. A man is concerned about pain in the perineum that can radiate to the sacrum. Urination is quick and painful.
  • In the second stage, the inflammation spreads to the lobules of the prostate. In this case, the pain increases and can be given into the anus. Urination is significantly impaired until full retention.
  • In an advanced form of bacterial prostatitis, the inflammation spreads to all of the lobules of the prostate. The patient complains of signs of general intoxication of the body. The body temperature rises to 40 degrees. The delay in urination becomes acute. There are pulsating sensations in the perineum. Constipation often occurs.

Possible complications

In case of untimely or inferior treatment, acute bacterial prostatitis can seriously damage a man's health and life. The most dangerous of them is sepsis.

In addition, the infection can extend beyond the prostate and lead to pyelonephritis or cystitis.

Bacterial prostatitis can become a chronic form, the treatment of which is often difficult and leads to complications such as adenoma, infertility, impotence, etc.

diagnosis

Because bacterial prostatitis has characteristic symptoms, diagnosis is usually fairly straightforward. If the disease is not acute, the doctor will perform a rectal exam by examining the area of the gland and taking a sample of the secretion for analysis. The following studies help with the diagnosis:

  1. Clinical and bacterial analysis of the patient's blood and urine.
  2. Ultrasound of the prostate.
  3. PSA from blood.
  4. Analysis of scraping the epithelium from the urethra.

treatment

The danger of bacterial prostatitis is that it can become chronic in no time. This is why it is so important to start treatment when the first signs of the disease are detected. After all, the chronic form of the disease contributes to the spread of the inflammatory process to the surrounding tissues and organs. If you ignore treatment and do not take certain medications, the prostate can atrophy completely.

Antibiotics are prescribed to treat bacterial prostatitis. Only a doctor can recommend this or that medicine after an examination and receiving the result of microbiological tests.

Treatment with antibacterial drugs is believed to be most appropriate for the bacterial nature of the disease. Due to the fact that antibiotics are able to make organ tissues permeable, the drug can freely penetrate the site of inflammation.

In the treatment of bacterial prostatitis, the following antibiotics are prescribed:

  • Ampicillins.
  • Macrolide supplements are very effective in fighting many pathogens.
  • Drugs of the cephalosporin group are effective in the acute phase of the disease.
  • Fluoroquinolones are very susceptible to many bacteria. Due to the fact that these drugs have a large number of side effects, they are prescribed with caution.
  • Tetracyclines can be difficult to tolerate, so they have been prescribed very rarely recently.

The duration of antibiotic treatment must not be less than 10 days.

In addition, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for treatment. They are effective in relieving prostate pain and inflammation.

If urination problems are observed, the patient is shown the use of alpha blockers, which lead to a decrease in tension in the smooth muscles of the urethra and bladder.

Often, bacterial prostatitis is associated with a depressed state and frequent mood swings in the patient. In such cases, the doctor recommends taking medication with a calming effect.

With severe illness, the patient needs detoxification treatment, which consists of intravenous administration of glucose, saline solution with trace elements and vitamin complexes. It is important that a man adheres to the drinking regime and drinks at least 2 liters of clean water a day.

The treatment regimen for prostatitis with drugs should be aimed at normalizing blood circulation in the pelvic area and strengthening the body's defenses. To do this, use:

  1. Vitamin and mineral complexes.
  2. Antispasmodics.
  3. Immunomodulators.
  4. Biologics.

In addition to taking medication, the doctor will recommend using microclysters with a decoction of medicinal herbs (chamomile, calendula). The use of topical preparations for bacterial prostatitis should be strictly limited, as there is a high risk of various complications.

After eliminating the inflammatory process, the patient is prescribed physiotherapy treatment (electrical prostate stimulation, magnetic therapy, etc. ). They help speed recovery and are performed on an outpatient basis.

In extreme cases, when taking medication did not bring the desired result, the doctor may opt for surgical intervention. One such procedure is resection of the prostate and is usually performed on older men. Due to possible complications (enuresis, impotence, infertility), such treatment is not prescribed to young people.

When bacterial prostatitis becomes chronic, it is quite difficult to treat. It must be remembered that this is no longer possible at home.

Precautions

The best prevention against bacterial prostatitis is an active lifestyle. This is because the gland itself has poor blood supply. Therefore, those who have a sedentary job need to take regular breaks to walk a little or do special exercises (pulling in anus muscles).

A contrast shower gives a good effect. In this case, a jet of water is aimed directly at the dam area. The usage time of warm (hot) water is 30 seconds, cool - should not exceed 15 seconds. The average duration of the procedure should be 5 minutes.

Preventive measures also include:

  • Avoid hypothermia.
  • Fight constipation. If you cannot get rid of them yourself, you need to see a doctor who will recommend mild laxatives.
  • Normalization of sexual activity (choosing a steady partner, using a condom for questionable contact, avoiding prolonged absence or excessively active sex).
  • Regular check-ups by a urologist for all men over 40-45 years.

forecast

What are the consequences of bacterial prostatitis in men? The success of the treatment depends on how timely and how competently the therapy was prescribed. In addition, it is affected by the age of the patient, lifestyle, stage of the disease and the presence of other diseases in the body.

The acute phase responds well to drug treatment, which significantly improves the man's condition after a few days. However, with improper treatment or interruption, the prostatitis can relapse and transition into a chronic form, which turns out to be much more difficult to cure.

In order to avoid the unpleasant consequences of bacterial prostatitis, it is important for a man to monitor his health, take preventive measures and consult a doctor if there is any discomfort in the perineal area.