Prostatitis

15 November 2026

Prostatitis is a disease of the prostate (prostate) that occurs as a result of inflammatory changes in it.According to statistics, the prevalence of the disease reaches 35-50% and is detected in men aged 20-40.

Species

There are 4 forms of prostatitis:

acute (bacterial);
chronic bacterial;
chronic non-bacterial;
asymptomatic chronic.

Acute prostatitis is very rare due to the rapid course of the inflammatory process and the immediate transition to the chronic phase (false improvement).

Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, otherwise known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome, can be inflammatory (with increased content of leukocytes in urine and ejaculate) and non-inflammatory.

Reasons

The causative agent of acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis are pathogenic microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi).The most common sources of inflammation are:

coli;
streptococci;
staphylococci;
Proteus;
Klebsiella;
Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
causative agents of sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, mycoplasma, gonococci, trichomonas, cytomegalovirus and others).

Most microorganisms are found in the intestines, on the skin, but when they enter the prostate tissue, they cause an inflammatory process.As a rule, the cause of the disease is not a single pathogen, but an association of several types of microbes.

The development of chronic prostatitis can be triggered by the following factors:

accompanying diseases of the urinary system (cystitis, pyelonephritis);
sedentary lifestyle ("sedentary" work);
penchant for prison;
weakening of the body's defenses;
injuries;
hormonal imbalance;
alcohol abuse and smoking;
promiscuity;
irregular sexual life (long-term abstinence);
stop sexual intercourse;
irregular emptying of the bladder;
unsatisfied sexual desire;
chronic stress;
hypothermia;
the presence of carious teeth and other sources of chronic infection (for example, chronic tonsillitis).

Symptoms of prostatitis

Acute prostatitis is a very insidious disease.It is quite difficult to "catch" it, because, firstly, the process very quickly becomes chronic, and secondly, most patients prefer to "stay out" of the manifestations of acute prostatitis at home.Patients with prostatitis often consult a doctor in advanced cases with erectile dysfunction and other consequences.

The acute form of the disease occurs in the background:

elevated temperature;
chills;
other signs of intoxication (weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, etc.).

Inflammation of the prostate is accompanied by pain in the perineum, groin and scrotum.

Painful and frequent urination is also typical.Sometimes a whitish purulent discharge can be seen in the urine.

In addition, the patient may notice the absence of night and morning erections, low-quality erections during intimacy and a sharp shortening of sexual intercourse.

Typical symptoms of urinary disorders appear: a weak stream of urine and frequent urges, although little urine is produced.

After that, in the absence of treatment, chronic prostatitis reaches its peak: disorders of sexual function appear.for example:

insufficient erection or its absence;
painful erections, due to which the patient avoids sexual intercourse;
erasing orgasm;
short sexual intercourse;
painful ejaculation.

Chronic abacterial prostatitis accounts for 95% of all prostatitis;it affects mostly men around 30 years old.It is characterized by constant or periodic pain in the area of the pelvis, prostate and scrotum, without signs of inflammation in laboratory tests.The causes of the disease have not been precisely determined.

Diagnostics

When diagnosing acute and chronic prostatitis, in addition to collecting complaints, anamnesis and examination of the patient, the following methods are used:

general analysis of blood and urine;
microscopic examination of prostate secretions and inoculation of the same on a nutrient medium in order to identify the causative agent (the secretion is obtained by digital massage of the prostate through the rectum);
cytological examination of urine;
Ultrasound of the prostate and pelvic organs;
computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI);
swab from the urethra for microflora.

Differential diagnosis aims to distinguish between prostatitis, prostate adenoma, prostate cancer and signs of prostate stones.

A complete list of diagnostic procedures and medications for the treatment of prostatitis can be found in the 2012 Federal Health Care Standard.

Treatment of prostatitis

The same symptoms can be signs of different diseases, and the disease may not proceed according to the textbook.Do not try to treat yourself - consult a doctor.Treatment of prostatitis is carried out by a urological surgeon.

The goal of etiotropic treatment aimed at eliminating the cause of prostatitis is to eliminate the pathogen.Depending on the determined cause, antibiotics, antiviral or antifungal drugs are prescribed.Duration of therapy for acute prostatitis is 7-10 days, for chronic process - 4-8 weeks.

The following are used to treat a bacterial infection: