Prostatitis

15 November 2026

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

Species

There are 4 forms of prostatitis:

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

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

Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, also called chronic pelvic pain syndrome, can be inflammatory in nature (with increased leukocyte content in urine and ejaculate) and non-inflammatory.

Reasons

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

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

Most microorganisms are found in the intestine, on the skin, but when they enter the prostate tissue they cause an inflammatory process.As a rule, the cause of the disease is not a single pathogen, but an association 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 (prolonged 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).

Prostatitis symptoms

Acute prostatitis is a very insidious disease.It is very difficult to “catch” it, since, firstly, the process quickly becomes chronic, and secondly, most patients prefer to “sit out” of the manifestations of acute prostatitis at home.Patients with prostate inflammation often consult a doctor in advanced cases with 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 gland is accompanied by pain in the perineum, groin area and scrotum.

Painful and frequent urination is also typical.Sometimes a whitish purulent discharge can be seen in the urine.

In addition, the patient may notice the absence of nocturnal and morning erections, low-quality erections during intimacy and a marked shortening of sexual intercourse.

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

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

insufficient erection or its absence;
painful erections, due to which the patient avoids sexual intercourse;
orgasm erasure;
short sexual intercourse;
painful ejaculation.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis accounts for 95% of all prostatitis;It mainly affects men around the age of 30.It is characterized by constant or periodic pain in the pelvic region, prostate and scrotum, without 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 examining the patient, the following methods are used:

general blood and urine analysis;
microscopic examination of the prostate secretion and its inoculation in a nutrient medium to identify the pathogen (the secretion is obtained after digital massage of the prostate gland through the rectum);
urine cytological examination;
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 prostate stones.

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

Prostatitis treatment

The same symptoms may be signs of different diseases, and the disease may not proceed according to the textbook.Do not try to treat yourself - consult a doctor.Prostatitis treatment is carried out by a urologist surgeon.

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

To treat a bacterial infection, the following are used: