What is prostatitis? It is an inflammatory disease of the prostate gland. Only men have a prostate gland, so the disease at first glance is only relevant for them, but in fact it also affects the life of a regular sexual partner.
Causes of the disease
What causes prostatitis? There is a myth that prostatitis can occur either from bacteria or from hypothermia. In reality, things are a little different. There are always bacteria in the prostate gland, and hypothermia is only a predisposing factor that can trigger the appearance of inflammation.
In case of hypothermia, a violation of blood microcirculation occurs, which worsens the blood supply to the pelvic organs. As a result, the amount of blood around the prostate changes. There are fewer blood cells to fight the bacteria, and they can no longer keep up 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 is acute and chronic prostatitis manifested? Symptoms of prostatitis in an acute form are felt by sharp pain, high fever, painful urination with weak pressure. With chronic prostatitis, it is more difficult. His symptoms can easily be confused with a simple malaise, so the patient believes that nothing terrible is happening: he sat in a cold place, he is tired or he ate something.
The following manifestations of prostatitis symptoms in chronic form are known:
- aching pain in perineum;
- nagging pain radiating to scrotum;
- nagging pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the sacrum, coccyx and penis;
- impaired urination during prostatitis is characterized by weak or normal pressure, but sometimes this symptom is not expressed;
- Some patients experience erection problems, which are mostly psychological, since no direct link has been established between inflammation of the prostate and potency disorders.
Precautions
How often should you have intercourse to avoid prostatitis? What is prostatitis prevention?
The prostate gland produces the so-called prostatic secretion - a viscous liquid that contains components that are also present in semen. The liquid part of the seminal fluid is the secretion of the prostate and the secretion of the seminal vesicles, which are located behind the prostate gland. At a young age, a man always has a morning erection, which is accompanied by the production of prostate secretion. If intercourse does not occur, it accumulates day after day. This leads to stagnation, which then causes a slight increase in the size of the prostate and pain - a nagging pain appears in the perineum.
Nature has designed every erection to end in ejaculation. I woke up 30 times in a month - 30 erections, which means 30 intercourse! In urology, it is generally accepted 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 all people have different needs for sex.
What tests should be taken?
What tests should be taken if you have or suspect prostatitis? First of all, it is a general blood test as well as a general urine test.
During the consultation, the urologist performs a thorough examination, during which a digital rectal examination is performed. The doctor examines the prostate, touches it, assesses soreness, consistency and elasticity. In this case, the prostate secretion is collected for analysis.
Tests for prostatitis show:
- Evaluation of the number of leukocytes. The more they are, the more active the inflammatory process.
- Examination of prostate secretion for bacterial culture. It allows you to determine which bacteria cause inflammation, in what quantity they are present and which drugs work against them and which are completely useless.
- Taking a pap smear for sexually transmitted infections.
- Transrectal ultrasound examination. This is the most informative procedure that allows you to get information about the state of the prostate, its structure and volume.
How long does prostatitis treatment take?
It all depends on the type of prostatitis. If the disease is caused by bacteria, an antibiotic should be prescribed. Due to the peculiarities of the porous structure of the prostate and the specific blood supply of this organ, the treatment with antibiotics and other medications lasts 28 days.
The blood supply of the prostate is located in the periphery, so during 20 days of taking the antibiotic there is a cumulative effect, and only from 20 to 28 days the drug reaches the desired therapeutic concentration. Therefore, it is important to take the medicine for the entire period recommended by the doctor.
Other medicines
In addition to antibiotics, they also prescribethe following medicines:
- Probiotics that restore intestinal microflora.
- Antifungal drugs. 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.
- Antiplatelets that thin the blood. They are prescribed to ensure that the blood supplies the tissues well and carries the prescribed medicine to them.
Non-drug treatment
- Prostate massage helps to overcome congestion.
- First, the massage purely mechanically drains the mucus and bacteria accumulated in the prostate.
- Second, blood supply and lymphatic drainage are improved.
- Physiotherapy and apparatus treatment. Vibrolaser magnetic therapy gives good results. The laser improves the permeability of cell membranes for drugs, they penetrate the prostate, and under the influence of a magnet, lymphatic drainage is improved, which is enhanced by vibration therapy.
What will happen if it is not treated?
If prostatitis is not treated, then:
- The risk of male infertility increases. Prostate secretion is an integral part of sperm, so bacteria and all the waste products of bacteria spoil its quality. The sperm becomes less active and there is a struggle for nutrients (fructose, citric acid, zinc) between the bacteria and the sperm. As a result, the sperm becomes weak and loses its ability to fertilize.
- Different adhesive processes can form in the vas deferens. This leads to the fact that sperm are simply not released and do not enter the egg.
- Regular pain may occur. Sometimes some patients are lucky and for a while nothing bothers them and they think that the disease has gone away by itself. But then the symptoms return and become more severe.
Prostatitis dos and don'ts
What can you eat?
- Salty is possible, but without abuse (add a little salt to food).
- Alcohol - possible in minimal quantities (a glass of wine or 50 g of cognac, whiskey in the evening).
- Coffee - 1-2 cups per day are allowed, in large quantities it is prohibited, as coffee leads to constriction of vessels and deterioration of blood microcirculation.
Is it possible to have intercourse?
If ejaculation itself does not cause painful sharp sensations, then it is possible, even necessary, to be sexually active. If sexual intercourse causes pain or discomfort, it is better to refrain from sexual activity during treatment.
Is it possible to visit baths, saunas, hammams?
Here everything will depend on what stage the prostatitis is. If it is an acute process with high fever, then there is no need to visit such places. If the treatment of prostatitis proceeds as usual and there are no alarming symptoms, visiting a bath or swimming pool in doses is not prohibited. But you should reduce your stay in the steam bath, as well as in cold water, to a minimum.
Is physical activity necessary?
It is impossible to do without physical activity at all, achievable physical exercises are 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, not everything is clear. Doctors do not recommend this sport for men (except only in the form of short walks). When a person sits on a bicycle, the blood vessels in the pelvis and perineum are compressed and the blood supply is disrupted. There is no direct connection, but when it comes to prevention, we try to exclude all possible factors, even if they do not directly affect.
Should I treat my sexual partner?
Treatment is necessary for the partner only if a sexually transmitted infection is detected. In fact, prostatitis is not transmitted through sexual contact, so treatment of the partner is usually not required, although an examination by a gynecologist would not hurt.