Prostatitis. What is it? And How is it treated?
Did you know that half of all men will experience the symptoms of prostatitis at some point in their lives? In fact, prostatitis is the most common urinary tract issue in men under 50, and it is estimated that more than two million men seek treatment for prostatitis symptoms every year. So what is prostatitis?
Prostatitis is the term given to inflammation or infection of the prostate gland. It is often detected due to urinary symptoms caused by the inflamed prostate, which surrounds the urethra. Though there are several different types of prostatitis, the common symptoms associated with it are:
Pain or burning sensation when urinating. Difficulty urinating. Frequent urination, particularly at night. Urgent need to urinate. Cloudy urine. Blood in the urine. Pain in the abdomen, groin, or lower back. Pain in the area between the scrotum and rectum. Pain or discomfort of the penis or testicles. Painful ejaculation. Fever, chills, muscle aches, and other flu-like symptoms.
Prostatitis is not contagious and is not transmitted during sex. And diagnosing it can be tricky because other problems such as prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate need to be ruled out before an accurate diagnosis can be made. In order to determine this, the doctor performs a physical exam, including a rectal exam. Depending on the symptoms, the doctor may also test the patient’s urine and semen for infection.
There are four classifications of prostatitis: acute bacterial, chronic bacterial, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, and asymptomatic.
Though the exact cause of prostatitis and its corresponding pelvic pain is not always known, there are several things that can raise the risk of developing it. These include a bacterial infection such as a bladder infection, an infection caused by a catheter, an infection from sex, or an issue within the urinary tract. Prostatitis can also be caused by non-bacterial sources. These include stress, injury, prior urinary tract infections, and nerve irritation or inflammation.
Fortunately, prostatitis is treatable and curable. Your physician will usually treat it with a few weeks of antibiotics. However, in the case of chronic prostatitis, your doctor might also treat the infection with ibuprofen, an alpha-blocker- to help relax the muscles in the prostate making urination easier, as well as antibiotics.
The bottom line: If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of prostatitis, it’s important to make an appointment with a physician. During your visit, you can discuss your symptoms, and your doctor can rule out if there are any other conditions, such as an enlarged prostate with could be contributing to the problem. If the problem is connected to an enlarged prostate, call us up at MidAtlantic Vascular and Interventional, and we can go over treatment options, such as Prostate Artery Embolization, which we offer here at our office.
