How chronic prostatitis is recognized and how to treat it

Chronic prostatitis in men can occur in any age group. Most often, the disease flares up due to the penetration of infection, viruses, fungi, harmful microorganisms, which are the cause of the inflammatory process in the urethral canal and prostate.

Signs of Chronic prostatitis in men practically do not appear, the disease makes itself felt when an exacerbation process occurs. The first symptoms of a chronic disease most often do not go away noticeably, which is the reason for the late diagnosis of the disease. Pathology occurs in men over the age of 32.

Definition of chronic disease of the glandular organ

What is chronic prostatitis? The male glandular organ is located under the ureter, the main work of the gland is to produce secretory fluid, which is part of the sperm and provides sperm with activity and further, safe movement to the egg for fertilization. If an infection enters the organ or stagnation accumulates, an inflammatory process begins.

Chronic prostatitis provokes degenerative disorders in men. The tissues of the organ are deformed, stone deposits are formed in the ducts, some inflammatory processes of the prostate are reborn into a malignant formation.

Factors in the development of chronic pathology

The inflammatory process in the glandular organ of a man can be bacterial and abacterial.

Bacterial pathology of the inflammatory process in the prostate occurs against the background of the penetration of harmful organisms. Basically, infection occurs through intercourse.

Abacterial disease flares up for a number of other reasons:

• freezing;
• hormonal imbalance associated with age-related changes, irregular sex;
• addiction to alcohol, smoking, drug use;
• injuries in the organs located in the small pelvis;
• stagnant secretory fluid in the prostate due to a sedentary lifestyle, impaired metabolism.

If prostatitis is diagnosed, then the specialist determines the root cause of the development of a chronic disease. This is necessary in order to select an effective treatment regimen. Bacterial and non-infectious diseases are treated differently.

How is chronic inflammation classified

Prostatitis is determined by the ICD code 10 - 041. A more refined diagnosis with the differentiation of infection of catalysts is classified as B95-B97.

On a scale of symptoms, pathology is subdivided into subgroups:

• an acute inflammatory process with a sharply elevated temperature, fever;
• chronic course against the background of infection;
• manifestations of pelvic pain.

The three classes are divided into:

• symptoms of chronic prostatitis with low-grade fever;
• pathology without inflammatory signs.

There is also a fourth class of prostatitis, which is asymptomatic; it is possible to diagnose the disease only after an instrumental examination.

By ICD codes:

• 41-1- chronic course of prostatitis;
• 41-8- inflammation in the prostate;
• 41-9- no precise diagnostics available.

Recognizable manifestations of the chronic course of inflammation of the prostate: symptoms

Signs of chronic prostatitis are recognized with an old process, since at the initial stage there were no clinical manifestations, and if symptoms did occur, then it was temporary, short-term in nature, without recognizable intensity.

Clinical manifestations are distributed in three stages of prostate inflammation:

• At the first stage of the disease, prostatitis has no pronounced symptoms at all or there are minor discomfort sensations. Ejaculation with a slight burning sensation, decreased potency, painful emptying of urea may occur.
• Patients experience a sharp deterioration in potency, increased sweating, severe pain in the lower abdomen, lower back, pain in the scrotum, impaired urination.
• When the prostate gland is in disrepair, it ceases to function normally. Healthy tissue metamorphoses, the organ grows, there is an admixture of blood or pus in the urine, patients always feel incomplete emptying of urea. Toilet trips are becoming more frequent, especially at night, and men experience complete sexual impotence.

Pain symptoms

With chronic prostatitis of a late course, pronounced symptoms develop. The characteristic of clinical manifestations: severe pain with increasing intensity, which does not disappear by itself, analgesic and antispasmodic drugs are needed.

Painful sensations haunt, do not leave patients.With the primary signs of prostatitis, unpleasant symptoms with a burning sensation in the urethra are not pronounced, therefore, patients often ignore the disease. And painful discomfort is associated with false sciatica, fatigue, relieving symptoms by taking painkillers.

After a while, the clinic takes on a richer picture. The soreness becomes intense, does not go away even after taking anesthetic medication. With each emptying of urea and rectum, patients feel discomfort and pain. Pain syndrome accompanies ejaculation. Soreness is felt in the lower back, scrotum, limbs of the legs (cramps, numbness). In the area of the prostate gland on the genitals, there are itchy symptoms with burning and rash.

High temperature

When a patient is diagnosed with chronic prostate pathology in an aggravated form, the patient has a fever and fever. Sharp increases in body temperature (up to 40 degrees) are observed almost constantly, while antipyretic drugs practically do not help.

With sluggish prostatitis of the subfebrile course of the chronic stage, the body temperature does not exceed 37.2 degrees.

Dysuric manifestation

What is dysuria? This is a disturbed process of urine outflow. With any type of prostatitis, impaired emission of fluid is noted, with aggravation of the disease, the symptoms become brighter.

How is dysuria manifested?

Based on clinical signs and their intensity, the initial diagnosis is established, after a thorough examination, the specialist confirms and corrects the previously prescribed treatment for the pathology of the genitourinary system. Some patients may develop another disease (hyperplasia, oncology).

Sexual dysfunction

With a lack of nutrients, the following manifestations occur:

• Decreased potency - Chronic prostatitis leads to sexual dysfunctions that begin with a poor erection that gets worse over time. The advanced course of the disease is marked by persistent impotence.
• With advanced prostatitis, a dense composition of sperm with lumps is noted.
• Painful intercourse - there are rejections from the urethra, during sexual intercourse, a feeling of discomfort with pain, which is aggravated by the eruption of semen. Persistent impotence comes with psychosomatic causes.
• The main symptoms of chronic prostatitis include: pain with fever, impaired sexual functionality, dysuria. Diagnostics is established taking into account the duration of the pathological process, clinical picture and related symptoms.

Identifying chronic inflammation in the prostate

Inflammation of the prostate cannot be accurately identified by symptoms. Signs of prostatitis are similar to those in other diseases. Accurate diagnosis is carried out according to the results of a number of patient studies, namely laboratory tests, instrumental examinations.

If there is a suspicion of violations in the organs located in the small pelvis, a rectal examination with a finger is performed. Such an examination helps to recognize the tissue change, after which some laboratory tests are prescribed.

Laboratory research

According to clinical blood and urine tests, an inflammatory process with a catalyst for the onset of a disease is recognized.

However, in order to make a diagnosis, additional information is needed from the results of the following studies:

• Cytological and bacteriological study of urine, PSA testing (the protein is elevated in an inflamed gland).
• Urethral swab.
• Microscopic examination of secretory fluid (determination of malfunctioning of the prostate, cancer or chronic inflammation). Secretory seeding is not performed for hemorrhoids, exacerbation of the disease with fever, cracks in the anus.
• STI testing is the most frequent catalyst for the inflammatory process in the prostate; it is a harmful microflora (trichomoniasis, staphylococcus, gonococcus). With the active reproduction of the infection, an outbreak of prostatitis occurs. The disease can occur even after the infection has been cleared.

Without laboratory testing, it is impossible to establish the exact cause and stage of the disease, which means it is impossible to find an effective therapy regimen.

Disease recognition by instrumental method

There are several important research methods for detecting inflammation of the prostate.

With each instrumental method of diagnosis, it is possible to collect information about structural changes in the tissues of the glandular organ with certain indications and contraindications:

• Tomographic examination - diagnosis of chronic stage of prostatitis MRI. After the examination, a snapshot of the prostate gland is obtained (layered).With the help of MRI, it is possible to accurately diagnose chronic pathology with indicators of the initial transition of a neoplasm to a malignant tumor.
• Transrectal testing (TRUS) is the most informative examination of the glandular organ.
• Magnetic resonance imaging is a safe study that has no contraindications for examining patients with a pacemaker, metal braces, shunts (after surgical manipulations).
• Echographic study of changes in the structure of the glandular organ: size, volume, structure, presence of tumors. The ultrasound method is not recommended for exacerbation of inflammation of the rectum, cracks, hemorrhoids.
• Ultrasound is a transabdominal study that has no contraindications.
• Sonography is a controversial test requiring clarification.

What are the dangers of chronic inflammation of the prostate

Prostatitis of a chronic course, needs effective treatment. The most frequent consequence of the disease is a violation in the processes of urine outflow and the efficiency of the urinary and genital tract, namely:

• the onset of impotence;
• acute urinary retention;
• development of infertility.

With fibrotic changes that have arisen during the advanced course of the disease, an oncological process may develop. The tissue of the glandular organ degenerates into a malignant tumor. It is very important to prevent functional changes in the prostate - this will help prevent the occurrence of cancer. Urologists warn patients about the severity of the disease.

If the disease has passed to an advanced course, then experts most often recommend surgical assistance to remove part of the organ or its complete excision. Prostate cancer in men is the most dangerous form of male gland pathology, which is most often diagnosed far from at the initial stage. This is due to the men themselves, because of the irresponsibility in relation to their health.

In order to avoid incidental situations, men should conduct regular, annual examinations with a urologist, then specialists will be able to identify the slightest changes in the prostate at the initial stage of their development. Diseases respond better to treatment at the beginning of their development, the chronic stage of pathology is treated much longer, sometimes it takes years.