About Prostatitis

Prostatitis is a relatively common urological condition among men, yet there's relatively little knowledge of how to treat the condition fully. Working out the causes of your prostate condition and changing parts of your lifestyle that might worsen prostatitis can help you control symptoms.

Identification

• Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is a walnut-sized gland that is located below a man's bladder. This gland has a singular purpose--it produces semen. There's no one cause for prostatitis--there can be many underlying causes, and sometimes doctors can't pinpoint a specific reason for inflammation. Yet prostatitis remains a common condition, with 10 to 12% of men experiencing symptoms over their lifetimes. The condition mostly affects younger and middle-aged men.

Causes

• One cause of prostatitis is bacterial infection. A bacterial infection can be acute (it lasts for a short time) or chronic (long-lasting). Urine can leak from the urethra into the prostate gland, and any bacteria in the urine can establish itself in the prostate, causing an infection. Chronic infection occurs when the bacteria isn't entirely eliminated with treatment. Acute bacterial prostatitis can be dangerous; however, any sort of bacterial prostatitis is uncommon compared to chronic prostatitis, where there is evidence of inflammation of the prostate and there is pain but no clear cause. Some possible causes of chronic prostatitis include stress, injury and a nervous or immune system disorder.

Symptoms

• Some symptoms are common to all forms of prostatitis, such as pain and burning when urinating, difficulty urinating, urgent urination (especially at night), and pain in the abdomen, genitals and perineum. Ejaculation may also be painful. Symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis also include chills, fever and all-over body aches. Chronic bacterial prostatitis usually manifests in a series of urinary infections. Patients may experience some common prostatitis symptoms between urinary infections.

Treatment

• Prostatitis treatment differs depending on its type. Bacterial prostatitis is treated with antibiotics; in the case of an acute infection, the patient may have to stay in the hospital so that these medications can be administered intravenously. After discharge, the patient will have to take antibiotics for two to four more weeks. Chronic bacterial prostatitis can also be treated with low doses of antibiotics. Men with chronic non-bacterial prostatitis can be prescribed alpha blockers, a type of medication that helps urination, take painkillers or undergo prostate massage.

Lifestyle Changes

• Lifestyle changes and home remedies can help ease the symptoms of prostatitis. Urinating frequently and fully can help prevent symptoms, as can avoiding foods that irritate the bladder, such as citrus or caffeinated drinks and spicy foods. Warm sitz baths can ease pain at home, along with sitting on a soft cushion or pillow. Bicyclists can use a split bicycle seat. Sex won't worsen prostatitis, although painful ejaculation can make the act unpleasant.