What is calculous prostatitis and how to treat it

Calculous prostatitis is a complication of a chronic inflammatory process in the prostate gland. In this disease, tartar forms in the secretory ducts of the prostate and acinus. As a result of the development of the pathological process, the patient's desire to urinate becomes more frequent, there is pain in the perineum and lower abdomen and erectile dysfunction. You should not continue this disease, as it can eventually lead to a number of health problems.

What is calculous prostatitis

This disease is a form of chronic prostatitis. The disease is characterized by the formation of prostatolitis or stones, which is one of the most common consequences of prolonged inflammatory process observed in the prostate gland.

Prostate stones are most commonly found in routine checkups in about 9% of men of all ages.

There are three age peaks in the incidence of this form of prostatitis:

1. 30-39 years. As a rule, the disease is not detected in patients under 30 years of age. However, the disease is gradually rejuvenating. In individuals in this age group, the development of calculous prostatitis is associated with a prolonged course of chronic prostatitis caused by gonorrhea, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis or mycoplasmosis.
2. 40-59 years. In men of this age group, the disease most often causes prostate adenoma.
3. Over 60 years. In this case, calculous prostatitis most often develops against the background of the disappearance of sexual function.

Causes and risk factors

The formation of stones in the prostate gland can be due to two types of reasons:

1. True or primary, which are characterized by the direct development of the disease in the ducts of the gland or acini.
2. Secondary or false, in which there is a migration of stones from the upper urinary tract. The most common site of their formation is the bladder, kidneys or urethra. The reason for the development of calculous prostatitis may be urolithiasis.

Depending on the nature of the onset of the disease, the reasons for its development are divided into two groups:

1. Exogenous. In this case we are talking about those factors that are not related to the work of the body, but act on it from the outside. This includes drug addiction, smoking or alcohol abuse.
2. Endogenous. Concretions appear against the background of any disorders in the functioning of the body. We are talking about organ injuries or complications after surgery. Bacterial damage to the prostate is also associated with these factors.

Alcohol abuse can cause the development of calculous prostatitis in men.

Calculous prostatitis usually develops against the background of stagnant, inflammatory changes in the prostate. Such processes occur due to insufficient emptying of the prostate glands, due to which the following factors are the main causes of the disease:

• lack of regular sex life;
• the predominance of a sedentary lifestyle;
• replacing sex with masturbation;
• bad habits, such as alcoholism or smoking;
• inflammatory processes of the prostate gland caused by the penetration of microbes into the body.

Experts distinguish two main pathological mechanisms leading to the formation of stones in the body and its channels:

1. Impaired secretory function, resulting in significant stagnation of prostate secretion.
2. Discharge of urine into the cavity of the prostate gland. This can occur against the background of malfunction of the genitourinary system, the formation of fistulas and the influence of a number of other negative factors.

Symptoms

The signs of calculous prostatitis are in many respects similar to the development of chronic inflammation of the prostate gland, but are more pronounced. Most patients diagnosed with prostatitis of this form complain of difficulty and pain during urination.

The difference from chronic prostatitis in this case is the pain that the patient has around the clock, not just at night. The reason for such a clinical picture is most often a disturbed process of urine leakage and prostate secretion. This is due to the complete or partial blockage of the channel with stone.

A number of other symptoms of the disease should be emphasized:

1. The presence of pain in the pelvis and perineum. In addition, they can occur not only during urination. Patients have unpleasant sensations in the coccyx and lower abdomen, which do not depend on the specific time of day.
2. Pathological impurities appear in the semen. Bloody secretions are often found in it and only in extreme cases there may be pus.
3. Pain when urinating against the background of frequent false desires. Most patients excrete very little urine. However, it may be completely absent.
4. Erectile dysfunction. Due to the fact that the duct of the prostate gland is blocked, the normal outflow of semen from the organ is disrupted. All this leads to the inability to complete sexual intercourse.

In the most severe cases of the disease, the patient may completely lack an erection and significantly reduce libido.

Diagnosis

Magnetic resonance imaging gives good results for accurate identification of the disease.

Before treating calculous prostatitis, the patient should be carefully examined. The urologist deals with the diagnosis of this disease. He is obliged to make a preliminary diagnosis based on the patient's complaints, as well as the subsequent physical and instrumental examination. Includes the following procedures:

1. Digital rectal examination of the prostate gland. It is performed by palpation. In the presence of calculous prostatitis, the patient has the appearance of crepitus and uneven surface of stones.
2. Transrectal ultrasound of the prostate. This procedure identifies stones that have the appearance of hyperechoic formations with a clearly visible acoustic pathway. The number of such formations, their size, location and structure are studied.
3. Examination urography. The procedure allows you to identify the presence of prostalitis.
4. MRI and CT of the prostate. These techniques are highly effective and are used to confirm the results of previous studies.

As additional procedures are used: urethrography, pyelography and cystography.

In addition to instrumental techniques, the diagnosis of calculous prostatitis includes laboratory tests that include the following procedures:

1. Examination of prostate secretion.
2. Analysis for bacteriological culture of urine and urethral material.
3. A PCR test, during which a scraping is taken, is examined for the presence of genital infections.
4. Blood tests. Biochemical analysis is most often given.
5. Urine analysis.
6. Sperm analysis for biochemistry.
7. Bacteriological seeding of ejaculate.

If we talk about conducting a differential diagnosis, then its task is to distinguish calculous prostatitis from tuberculosis, prostate adenoma, prostate oncology, and different types of prostatitis.

Treatment

How to cure calculous prostatitis? Therapy for calculous prostatitis is prescribed by a doctor based on a thorough diagnosis. Depending on the stage of the disease, several treatment options are possible. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Drug therapy

The course of treatment is prescribed by the doctor strictly individually.

Treatment of chronic calculous prostatitis with pills can last from one to three months. This type of therapy is aimed primarily at achieving stable remission and preventing complications of the disease.

Regardless of the cause of the disease, the patient is prescribed antibacterial drugs. Antibiotics are prescribed based on the results of the analysis of urethral secretion and urine culture.

The most commonly used drugs for the treatment of calculous prostatitis are:

1. Fluoroquinolones. This is the most effective group of antibiotics used to treat calculous prostatitis. However, these agents can be used only after the presence of tuberculosis has been completely ruled out.
2. Tetracyclines. They are used less frequently as they often provoke side effects.
3. Penicillins. Classic antibiotics that have a wide range of effects on pathogenic microflora.
4. Cephalosporins.

Physiotherapy

The following physiotherapeutic techniques are used to improve the effect of drug therapy and improve prostate function:

1. Magnetic therapy. It is used to eliminate swelling and normalize blood circulation.
2. Laser therapy. Eliminates the pain syndrome and helps reduce the inflammatory process.
3. Prostate massage. It allows you to restore the patency of the ducts, improving blood circulation in the prostate gland.

In some cases, the treatment of calculous prostatitis requires a radical approach. In this case, various surgical techniques are used, the most popular of which is prostatectomy.

Possible complications

Sport is the best prevention of calculous prostatitis.

If the patient is not given timely treatment, the patient may develop chronic calculous prostatitis. This can be accomplished with the following dangerous complications:

• the development of an abscess;
• prostate fibrosis;
• potency problems;
• urinary incontinence;
• various forms of vesiculitis.

That is why it is very important to identify calculous prostatitis in time and start treating it. As a prevention of this disease should give up alcohol and smoking, exercise, treat infections in a timely manner and prevent hypothermia of the body.