What is prostatitis?
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate, a gland located below a man’s urinary bladder that helps produce semen. It is one of the most common disorders of the male genitourinary system.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms vary depending on whether prostatitis is caused by bacteria or is non-bacterial in origin. The most frequent symptoms that may suggest prostate inflammation are related to urinary disorders.
- Burning, stinging or itching sensation when urinating
- Frequent need to urinate
- Blood in the urine
In addition, prostatitis can cause fever and chills.
In cases of chronic bacterial prostatitis, there may be other symptoms such as:
- Discomfort in the testicles.
- Painful ejaculation.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Loss of libido.
Causes of prostatitis or why it occurs.
The causes of prostatitis are diverse and depend on the type of pathogen that has provoked the inflammation of the prostate. These agents can be of bacterial or non-bacterial origin. In most cases it is caused by a bacterial infection, either chronic or acute. Other inflammatory conditions of the prostate can be chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, which produces perineal or pelvic pain; and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, where symptoms are not evident.
Can it be prevented?
Not all types of prostatitis can be prevented. Good personal hygiene is essential to prevent bacteria from spreading to the prostate and causing it to become inflamed.
What is the treatment?
When the cause is an infection, prostatitis is treated with antibiotics for several weeks to eliminate the bacteria in the prostate.
Generally the treatment lasts between four and six weeks, extending the time if necessary.
In cases of acute prostatitis the patient may need to be hospitalized and receive antibiotics by serum.
Specialists recommend patients to
- Frequent urination
- Take warm baths to relieve pain
- Avoiding spicy foods, alcohol and caffeinated beverages.
- Drinking two to four liters of water a day.