What is prostatitis? This is an inflammatory disease of the prostate gland. Only men have a prostate, so the disease, at first glance, is relevant only to them, but in reality 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 due to bacteria or hypothermia. In reality, things are a little different. There are always bacteria in the prostate gland and hypothermia is only one predisposing factor that can trigger the appearance of inflammation.
When hypothermia occurs, blood microcirculation is disturbed, which impairs the blood supply to the pelvic organs. As a result, the amount of blood around the prostate changes. There are fewer bacteria-fighting blood cells and they can no longer handle 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 does acute and chronic prostatitis manifest? Symptoms of prostatitis in acute form are manifested by sharp pain, high fever and pain during urination with weak pressure. With chronic prostatitis it is more difficult. His symptoms can be easily confused with simple discomfort, so the patient believes that nothing terrible is happening: he sat in a cold place, was tired, or ate something.
The following manifestations of symptoms of chronic prostatitis are known:
- aching pain in the perineum;
- persistent pain radiating to the scrotum;
- persistent pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the sacrum, coccyx and penis;
- Difficulty urinating during prostatitis is characterized by weak or normal pressure, but sometimes this symptom is not expressed;
- Some patients experience erection problems, which are usually psychological in nature, since a direct relationship between prostate inflammation and potency disorders has not been identified.
Precautionary measures
How often should you have sex to avoid prostatitis? What is the prevention of prostatitis?
The prostate produces the so-called prostatic secretion, a viscous liquid that contains components that are also present in sperm. The liquid part of semen 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 sexual 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 - persistent pain occurs in the perineum.
Nature intended that every erection should end in ejaculation. I woke up 30 times in one month: 30 erections, which means 30 sexual relations! There is a generally accepted opinion in urology 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 everyone has different sexual needs.
What tests must be performed?
What tests should be done if you have or suspect prostatitis? First of all, this is a general blood test, as well as a general urine test.
During the consultation, the urologist performs a thorough examination, during which a rectal examination is performed. The doctor examines the prostate, touches it, assesses pain, consistency and elasticity. In this case, the prostate secretion is collected for analysis.
Prostatitis tests suggest:
- Evaluation of leukocyte count. The more there are, the more active the inflammatory process is.
- Study of prostate secretion for bacterial culture. It allows you to identify which bacteria cause inflammation, in what quantity they are present and which drugs act against them and which are completely useless.
- Take a smear to detect sexually transmitted infections.
- Transrectal ultrasound examination. This is the most informative procedure that allows you to obtain information about the condition of the prostate, its structure and volume.
How long does it take to treat prostatitis?
It all depends on the type of prostatitis. For diseases 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, treatment with antibiotics and other medications lasts 28 days.
The blood supply to the prostate is located on the periphery, so for 20 days of taking the antibiotic there is a cumulative effect, and only between the 20th and 28th day the drug reaches the desired therapeutic concentration. That is why it is important to take the medication for the entire period recommended by the doctor.
Other drugs
In addition to antibiotics, they also prescribe.the following medications:
- Probiotics that restore intestinal microflora.
- Antifungal medications. 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.
- Antiplatelet agents that thin the blood. They are prescribed to ensure that the blood supplies the tissues well and provides them with the prescribed medication.
Non-pharmacological treatment
- Prostate massage helps to overcome congestion.
- First of all, the massage purely mechanically squeezes out the mucus and bacteria accumulated in the prostate.
- Secondly, it improves blood supply and lymphatic drainage.
- Physiotherapy and hardware treatment. Magnetic therapy with vibrolaser gives good results. The laser improves the permeability of cell membranes to drugs, they penetrate the prostate and, under the influence of a magnet, improves lymphatic drainage, which is improved 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 become less active and there is a fight for nutrients (fructose, citric acid, zinc) between the bacteria and the sperm. As a result, the sperm weaken and lose their ability to fertilize.
- Various adhesive processes can form in the vas deferens. This leads to the fact that the sperm are simply not released and do not enter the egg.
- Persistent and regular pain may appear. Sometimes some patients are lucky and for some time nothing bothers them and they think that the disease has subsided on its own. But then the symptoms return and become more severe.
Prostatitis Dos and Don'ts
What can you eat?
- Salting is possible, but without overdoing it (add a little salt to the food).
- Alcohol – possible in minimal quantities (one glass of wine or 50 g of cognac, whiskey per night).
- Coffee: 1-2 cups per day are allowed, in large quantities it is prohibited, since coffee causes vasoconstriction and worsens blood microcirculation.
Is it possible to have sexual relations?
If ejaculation itself does not cause painful and sharp sensations, then it is possible, even necessary, to be sexually active. If sexual contact causes pain or discomfort, it is best to abstain from sexual activity during treatment.
Is it possible to visit baths, saunas, hammams?
Here everything will depend on what stage the prostatitis is in. If it is an acute process with fever, then it is not necessary to visit those places. If the treatment of prostatitis proceeds as usual and there are no alarming symptoms, it is not prohibited to visit the bathhouse or the pool in doses. But it is necessary to minimize the stay in the steam room, as well as in cold water.
Is physical activity necessary?
It is impossible to do without physical activity at all; Feasible physical exercise is the best assistant in the treatment of prostatitis. The main thing is not to expose the body to increased stress due to training. You can walk, run, crouch, etc.
As for the bicycle, not everything is clear. Doctors do not recommend this sport for men (unless it is in the form of short walks). When a man sits on a bicycle, the blood vessels in the pelvic and perineal area are pressed and the blood supply is interrupted. There is no direct relationship, but when it comes to prevention we try to exclude all possible factors, even if they do not have a direct influence.
Do I need to treat my sexual partner?
Treatment is necessary for the couple only if a sexually transmitted infection is detected. In reality, prostatitis is not transmitted through sexual contact, so the couple does not usually need treatment, although an examination by a gynecologist would not hurt.