Effective Treatments for Prostate Inflammation

Prostate inflammation is classified as prostatitis and is caused by a variety of conditions. Bacterial infection of the prostate gland causes inflammation and must be treated immediately with antibiotics to remove the infection. Other causes of inflammation may be prostatic stones and a different treatment is needed to eliminate the stones and reduce inflammation.

Finding the Cause

• The examination that the doctor will give you is used to rule out conditions that may be responsible for your symptoms. The first step in finding the cause of inflammation of the prostate is with a questionnaire. The questions will help to identify your level of pain and discomfort during urination and at other points in the day.
  The next step is a digital examination that will determine if the prostate is enlarged or inflamed. The surface of the gland is felt through the exam and this will help in finding a cause and diagnosis of inflamed prostate.
  Other tests such as a urine and semen test along with an examination of the bladder and urethra with a cystoscope. The instrument is passed through the urethra with a small camera attached to give the doctor a look at the bladder and how the inflamed prostate is affecting bladder function.

Pain Relievers

• Pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen are prescribed to treat the discomfort of an inflamed prostate gland. Your doctor will be able to make recommendations on the best pain relievers to use with your health concerns.
  Pain medications may be used until the cause of inflamed prostate gland is discovered and treated effectively.

Medications

• Alpha blockers are the most common treatment for enlarged or inflamed prostate gland. The drugs work for enlarged prostate by relaxing the muscles and allowing urine to flow freely. The medication begins to work within a couple of days and urine output is dramatically improved.
  Enzyme inhibitors are used to shrink the prostate gland. This medication is used for those men with a very enlarged prostate.
  The doctor will determine the medication that will work best for your prostate inflammation or enlargement. In some cases, a combination of these medications is used to treat prostate enlargement.

  Surgery is a last resort for very enlarged prostate glands or those that are diseased. The treatment removes the prostate gland or the tissue that is preventing urination. An open prostatectomy is an invasive procedure that removes the gland while laser surgery is much less traumatic. The laser surgery option removes the tissue that may be interfering with urination and has a much lower recovery time.