Prostatitis

15 November 2026

Prostatitis is a disease of the prostate (prostate) which develops as a result of inflammatory changes therein.According to statistics, the prevalence of the disease reaches 35-50% and is detected in men aged 20-40 years.

Species

There are 4 forms of prostatitis:

acute (bacterial);
chronic bacterial;
chronic non-bacterial;
chronic asymptomatic.

Acute prostatitis is very rare due to the rapid progression of the inflammatory process and the immediate transition to the chronic stage (false improvement).

Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, otherwise called chronic pelvic pain syndrome, can be inflammatory (with an increased content of leukocytes in urine and ejaculate) and non-inflammatory in nature.

Reasons

The cause of acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis is pathogenic microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi).The most common sources of ignition are:

coli;
streptococci;
staphylococci;
Proteus;
Klebsiella;
Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
causative agents of sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, mycoplasma, gonococci, trichomonas, cytomegalovirus and others).

Most of the microorganisms are found in the intestines, on the skin, but when they penetrate the prostate tissue, they cause an inflammatory process.As a rule, the cause of the disease is not a single pathogen, but a combination of several types of microbes.

The development of chronic prostatitis can be triggered by the following factors:

concomitant diseases of the urinary system (cystitis, pyelonephritis);
sedentary lifestyle (“sedentary” work);
tendency to constipation;
weakening of the body's defenses;
injuries;
hormonal imbalance;
alcohol abuse and smoking;
promiscuity;
irregular sex life (long-term abstinence);
interrupted sexual intercourse;
irregular bladder emptying;
unsatisfied sexual desire;
chronic stress;
hypothermia;
the presence of decayed teeth and other sources of chronic infection (for example, chronic tonsillitis).

Symptoms of prostatitis

Acute prostatitis is a very insidious disease.It is quite difficult to “catch” it, because, on the one hand, the process very quickly becomes chronic, and on the other hand, most patients prefer to “sit out” on the manifestations of acute prostatitis at home.Patients suffering from prostate inflammation often consult a doctor in advanced cases of erectile dysfunction and other consequences.

The acute form of the disease occurs against the background of:

high temperature;
chills;
other signs of intoxication (weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, etc.).

Inflammation of the prostate is accompanied by pain in the perineum, groin and scrotum.

Painful and frequent urination are also typical.Sometimes whitish purulent discharge can be observed in the urine.

In addition, the patient may notice the absence of night and morning erections, poor-quality erections during intimacy and a sharp shortening of sexual intercourse.

Typical symptoms of a urinary disorder appear: a weak stream of urine and frequent urges, although little urine is produced.

Subsequently, in the absence of treatment, chronic prostatitis reaches its peak: sexual function disorders appear.For example :

insufficient erection or its absence;
painful erections, because of which the patient avoids sexual intercourse;
fading of orgasm;
short sexual intercourse;
painful ejaculation.

Chronic abacterial prostatitis accounts for 95% of all prostatitis;it mainly affects men aged around 30.It is characterized by constant or periodic pain in the pelvic region, prostate and scrotum, without any signs of inflammation in laboratory tests.The causes of the disease have not been precisely established.

Diagnosis

When diagnosing acute and chronic prostatitis, in addition to collecting complaints, anamnesis and examination of the patient, the following methods are used:

general blood and urine analysis;
microscopic examination of the prostate secretion and inoculation of it on a nutrient medium to identify the pathogenic agent (the secretion is obtained after digital massage of the prostate through the rectum);
cytological examination of urine;
Ultrasound of the prostate and pelvic organs;
computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI);
smear from the urethra for microflora.

Differential diagnosis aims to distinguish between prostatitis, prostate adenoma, prostate cancer and signs of stones in the prostate.

A complete list of diagnostic procedures and medications for the treatment of prostatitis is contained in the 2012 Federal Standard of Care.

Treatment of prostatitis

The same symptoms may be signs of different diseases, and the disease may not progress according to the manual.Do not try to self-medicate - consult a doctor.Treatment of prostatitis is carried out by a urological surgeon.

The goal of etiotropic treatment aimed at eliminating the cause of prostatitis is to eliminate the pathogen.Depending on the identified cause, antibiotics, antiviral or antifungal drugs are prescribed.The duration of treatment for acute prostatitis is 7-10 days, for a chronic process - 4-8 weeks.

To treat a bacterial infection, the following products are used: