What is prostatitis? This is an inflammatory disease of the prostate gland. Only men have a prostate gland, so the disease at first glance is important only for them, but in fact it also affects the life of a regular sexual partner.
Causes of the disease
What causes prostatitis? There is a myth that prostatitis can occur either from bacteria or from hypothermia. In reality, things are a little different. There are always bacteria in the prostate gland, and hypothermia is only a predisposing factor that can cause the onset of inflammation.
When hypothermia occurs, a violation of blood microcirculation occurs, which worsens the blood supply to the pelvic organs. As a result, the amount of blood around the prostate changes. There are fewer bacteria-fighting blood cells and they can no longer handle the load. It turns out that hypothermia provokes the development of the inflammatory process and is an indirect cause of the development of prostatitis.
Chronic and acute diseases
How does acute and chronic prostatitis appear? Symptoms of prostatitis in acute form are felt by sharp pain, high temperature, painful urination with weak pressure. With chronic prostatitis it is more difficult. His symptoms can easily be confused with a simple disease, so the patient believes that nothing terrible is happening: he sat somewhere cold, was tired or ate something.
The following manifestations of chronic prostatitis symptoms are known:
- painful pain in the perineum;
- annoying pain that radiates to the scrotum;
- annoying pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the sacrum, coccyx and penis;
- impaired urination during prostatitis is characterized by weak or normal pressure, but sometimes this symptom is not expressed;
- Some patients experience erection problems, which are most often psychological in nature, since a direct link between inflammation in the prostate and potency disorders has not been identified.
Preventive measures
How often should you have sex to avoid prostatitis? What is prostatitis prevention?
The prostate gland produces the so-called prostatic secretion - a viscous fluid that contains components that are also present in sperm. The liquid part of the semen is the secretion of the prostate and the secretion of the seminal vesicles, which are located behind the prostate gland. At a young age, a man always has an erection in the morning, which is associated with the production of prostate secretion. If intercourse does not occur, it accumulates day after day. This leads to stagnation, which then causes a slight increase in the size of the prostate and pain - annoying pains occur in the perineum.
Nature intended that every erection should end in ejaculation. I woke up 30 times a month - 30 erections, which means 30 sexual intercourse! In urology there is a generally accepted opinion that an average of 22 ejaculations are needed to prevent prostatitis, but again these are only recommendations. In practice, this is sometimes very difficult to achieve and all people have different needs for sex.
What tests should be done?
What tests should be done if you have prostatitis or suspect it? First of all, this is a general blood test, as well as a general urine test.
During the consultation, the urologist performs a complete examination, during which a digital rectal examination is performed. The doctor examines the prostate, feels it, assesses pain, consistency and elasticity. In this case, the secretion of the prostate is collected for analysis.
Testing for prostatitis suggests:
- Evaluation of the number of leukocytes. The more there is, the more active the inflammatory process.
- Study of prostate secretion for bacterial culture. It allows you to identify which bacteria cause inflammation, in what quantity they are present and which drugs work against them and which are completely useless.
- Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections.
- Transrectal ultrasound examination. This is the most informative procedure that allows you to get information about the condition of the prostate, its structure and volume.
How long does it take to treat prostatitis?
It all depends on the type of prostatitis. For diseases caused by bacteria, an antibiotic should be prescribed. Due to the peculiarities of the porous structure of the prostate and the specific blood supply of this organ, treatment with antibiotics and other medications lasts 28 days.
The blood supply of the prostate is located in the periphery, so during the 20 days of taking the antibiotic there is a cumulative effect and only from the 20th to the 28th day the drug reaches the desired therapeutic concentration. For this reason, it is important to take the medicine during the entire period recommended by the doctor.
Other drugs
In addition to antibiotics, they also give prescriptionsthe following drugs:
- Probiotics that restore intestinal microflora.
- Antifungal drugs. When taking antibiotics, the activity of the immune system decreases and fungal diseases (most often candida albicans or thrush) begin to appear in men, even if they have only one sexual partner.
- Vitamins.
- Preparations for improving blood microcirculation.
- Antiplatelet agents that thin the blood. They are prescribed to ensure that the blood supplies the tissues well and delivers the prescribed medicine.
Non-drug treatment
- Prostate massage helps to overcome congestion.
- First, massage simply mechanically squeezes the mucus and bacteria accumulated in the prostate.
- Second, blood supply and lymphatic drainage are improved.
- Physiotherapy and hardware treatment. Vibrolaser magnetic therapy gives good results. The laser improves the permeability of cell membranes for drugs, they penetrate the prostate and under the influence of a magnet, lymphatic drainage improves, which is improved by vibration therapy.
What will happen if it is not treated?
If prostatitis is not treated, then:
- The risk of male infertility increases. Prostate secretion is an integral part of sperm, so bacteria and all bacterial waste products spoil its quality. Sperm become less active and there is a fight for nutrients (fructose, citric acid, zinc) between bacteria and sperm. As a result, spermatozoa weaken and lose their ability to fertilize.
- Various adhesive processes can form in the vas deferens. This leads to the fact that the sperm simply do not get released and do not enter the egg.
- Regular nagging pains may occur. Sometimes some patients are lucky and for some time nothing bothers them and they think that the disease has gone away by itself. But then the symptoms return and become more severe.
"Do's" and "don'ts" for prostatitis
What can you eat?
- Salt is possible, but without abuse (add a little salt to food).
- Alcohol - possible in minimal quantities (a glass of wine or 50 g of cognac, whiskey in the evening).
- Coffee - 1-2 cups per day is allowed, in large quantities it is prohibited, as coffee leads to vasoconstriction and deterioration of blood microcirculation.
Is it possible to have sex?
If ejaculation itself does not cause sharp painful sensations, then it is possible, even necessary, to have a sex life. If sexual contact causes pain or discomfort, it is best to refrain from sexual activity for the duration of treatment.
Is it possible to visit the baths, saunas, hammams?
Here everything will depend on the stage in which the prostatitis is located. If this is an acute process with fever, then there is no need to visit such places. If the treatment of prostatitis continues as usual and there are no alarming symptoms, visiting the bath or swimming pool in doses is not prohibited. But you should reduce your stay in the steam room, as well as in cold water, to a minimum.
Is physical activity necessary?
It is impossible to do without physical activity; feasible physical exercises are the best helper in the treatment of prostatitis. The main thing is not to expose the body to increased stress from training. You can walk, run, sit, etc.
As for the bike, not everything is clear. Doctors do not recommend this sport for men (unless only in the form of short walks). When a man sits on a bicycle, the blood vessels in the pelvic and perineal area are compressed and the blood supply is disrupted. There is no direct connection, but when it comes to prevention, we try to exclude all possible factors, even if they do not directly affect.
Should I treat my sexual partner?
Treatment is necessary for the partner only if a sexually transmitted infection is detected. In fact, prostatitis is not transmitted through sexual contact, so usually no treatment is required for the partner, although an examination by a gynecologist would not hurt.