In medicine, an infection is an infection of an organ or tissue with various microorganisms, as well as parasites and some insects. Therefore, infectious prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
The first group of microorganisms becomes the culprit more often. Think about what causes prostate infection can provoke, how the disease will manifest itself and how it can be treated in men.
Causes of infectious prostatitis
A healthy person has a defense mechanism against various foreign organisms - the immune system. If this mechanism fails or conditions are created in which the infections are stronger than the immunity, the prostate tissue becomes infected, which leads to an inflammatory process and unpleasant symptoms.
Infectious prostatitis can be caused by:
- Sex with an infected partner. Even if the woman has no visible symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease but has a pathogen, the man can become infected. As a rule, urethritis begins first, then a urinary tract infection enters the prostate and causes prostatitis there.
- The existing focus of infection in the body. The pathogen can be introduced into the prostate through the bloodstream from other organs in case of pneumonia, influenza, caries and other diseases.
- Lifestyle characteristics. Alcohol, nicotine, lack of physical activity weaken the immune system, as a result of which the bacteria that constantly inhabit the skin and mucous membranes of man, become the culprits of the disease.
- Injuries. In sports, battle or accident, it can have a mechanical effect on the perineum, which leads to damage to prostate tissue and can provoke an infectious form of the disease.
- Hypothermia. Due to the low ambient temperature and subsequent freezing, the immune system may not be able to deal with the bacteria that have entered the body.
Prostate infection is possible with some medical procedures and surgeries. For example, prostatitis can be caused by catheterization, which is done in violation of all rules and regulations. In this case, urethritis develops first and only then, as a complication, prostatitis. Also, the disease can be a complication of the biopsy.
Sexually transmitted infections are the most dangerous to men's health.
Symptoms of an infectious form
Infectious prostatitis always has an acute course, the symptoms appear unexpectedly for the patient, they quickly intensify and cause serious anxiety. It is impossible to ignore the signs of this disease.
Men come to doctors with the following complaints:
- Acute, often throbbing pain between the anus and eggs. It can "give" to the genitals, lower back or abdomen.
- Rise in body temperature to 38-39 degrees, fever, chills. The temperature in the rectum may rise, and in the armpits it may be kept within normal limits.
- Frequent urination and urges to urinate, especially at night.
- Pain when urinating, interruption of the urine stream, burning in the urethra.
- Weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle or joint pain.
- Stool disorders - constipation or pain during the act of defecation.
- Decreased sexual desire, slow erection, painful ejaculation.
If the man is not in a hurry to go to the doctor and feels pain or tries to treat himself with antibiotics and folk remedies, the pain and urinary disorders may pass after a while. The illusion of recovery appears. In fact, the infection has not gone away, and the acute form of prostatitis has become chronic. This means that from time to time the man will have exacerbations, and there is also a risk of developing infertility.
Infectious prostatitis can lead to blood poisoning and death of the patient, so there is no time to lose trying to deal with the pathology on their own.
Modern diagnostic methods
The clinical picture is so pronounced that the doctor can make the correct diagnosis based on the symptoms listed above. In addition to the typical complaints, the anamnesis received at the reception is taken into account - therefore it is important to contact a medical institution in a timely manner.
To choose the right treatment tactics, it is important to understand exactly what is happening in the body and what pathogen is causing the pathology. Therefore, a certain amount of expertise is needed for this case.
During the appointment, the doctor will perform the following activities:
- It will measure body temperature in the anus and armpit (in infectious acute prostatitis there will be a difference in readings up to 0, 5 ° C).
- Check the condition of the lymph nodes in the pelvic area.
- Palpate the lower abdomen, perineum, lower back.
Prostate massage with this form of the disease is not performed due to severe pain. Also, such manipulation can provoke the transmission of infection from the gland to other organs and systems, with subsequent probable death. Even the suspicion of infectious prostatitis is a contraindication to such procedures.
Laboratory tests of blood, urine, bacterial cultures are important. With their help you can determine the type of pathogen and confirm the inflammation.
From instrumental methods can be used TRUS, CT, MRI, uroflowmetry (to determine the rate of urine flow) and other methods, at the discretion of the attending physician. Most often, transrectal ultrasound is sufficient in combination with laboratory methods and history. CT or MRI is performed when a tumor is suspected or suspected.
Modern principles of treatment
If there are no obvious signs of intoxication of the body, treatment is permissible at home. Otherwise, hospitalization, intravenous infusions of antibacterial agents and increased monitoring by medical staff will be required. In both cases, the sick person needs to rest in bed - even light physical activity can provoke the spread of infection through the body through the bloodstream.
The treatment of patients is aimed at achieving two goals: combating pathogenic microflora and improving general well-being. Generally, moving in this direction is designed to prevent death or the development of complications.
Fighting the infection
If laboratory tests show that infectious prostatitis is caused by bacteria (which is the most common), the use of antibacterial agents should be the basis of therapy. If such treatment is started, then the improvement of well-being will come in 2-3 days. However, for this the drug must be chosen correctly. The duration of the drug is also important - it can be up to a month, depending on the specific drug and the degree of damage to the prostate. The treatment cannot be interrupted.
In addition to the type of pathogen, the doctor must take into account some other factors.
- Individual characteristics of the patient, the condition of the heart, liver and kidneys.
- If possible, make a choice in favor of a stronger drug, overshadowing such bacteriostatic agents.
- The effect of antibacterial therapy should be bactericidal, ie aimed at destroying the pathogen and not at stopping its development in the prostate tissue.
For these reasons, infectious prostatitis cannot be treated on its own. Without medical education and without the skills to interpret diagnostic measures, it is almost impossible to choose the right antibacterial agent. Delay, like the wrong treatment in this case, can cost a life.
Symptomatic treatment
The intensity of pain in infectious prostatitis is such that standard painkillers and antispasmodics may be useless. In such exceptional cases, to relieve pain, the doctor may prescribe narcotic drugs in a short course.
You can also assign:
- Diuretics (if there is no acute urinary retention) for the prevention of cystitis.
- Laxatives (for constipation) to relieve pressure on the prostate gland.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Alpha-blockers - to normalize the process of urination.
- Muscle relaxants to relieve pelvic floor muscle spasms.
If acute urinary retention has started during infectious prostatitis, a urinary catheter may be placed in the patient.
If it becomes apparent during therapy that the patient's well-being is not improving, this is a reason to do additional TRUS to rule out a possible prostate abscess. In suspected cases, a biopsy of the prostate tissue may be performed. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient undergoes emergency surgery to open and drain the abscess. In this case, antibiotic therapy will not be canceled.
Danger of infectious prostatitis
If a person has consulted a doctor in time and has not violated his prescriptions, recovery almost always occurs. In some scenarios, a transition to a chronic form or the onset of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is possible.
Other likely consequences:
- pyelonephritis or cystitis;
- blood poisoning;
- the formation of fistulas.
Infectious prostatitis responds well to treatment if started early. Therefore, one must listen to one's health. If the pain begins in the perineal area with a simultaneous increase in body temperature in the anus and impaired urination, you should immediately consult a doctor. Using folk remedies and following the advice of a friend or spouse can end in disaster.