Prostatitis

15 November 2026

Prostatitis is a disease of the prostate gland (prostate) 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 between 20 and 40 years old.

Species

There are 4 forms of prostatitis:

acute (bacterial);
chronic bacterial;
chronic nonbacterial;
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 nonbacterial prostatitis, also called chronic pelvic pain syndrome, can be inflammatory (with an increased content of leukocytes in urine and ejaculate) and non-inflammatory in nature.

Reasons

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

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

Most microorganisms are found in the intestines, 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 and smoking abuse;
promiscuity;
irregular sexual life (prolonged abstinence);
interrupted sexual relations;
irregular emptying of the bladder;
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 quite difficult to "get it", since, firstly, the process very quickly becomes chronic, and secondly, most patients prefer to "sit out" the manifestations of acute prostatitis at home.Patients with prostate inflammation usually consult a doctor in advanced cases with erectile dysfunction and other consequences.

The acute form of the disease occurs against the background of:

elevated temperature;
shivers;
other signs of poisoning (weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, etc.).

Inflammation of the prostate is accompanied by pain in the perineum, groin and scrotum.

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

In addition, the patient may notice the absence of night and morning erections, poor quality erections during intimacy and a sharp reduction in sexual intercourse.

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

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

insufficient erection or its absence;
painful erections, so the patient avoids sexual relations;
orgasm erasure;
short sexual relations;
painful ejaculation.

Chronic abacterial prostatitis represents 95% of all prostatitis;It mainly affects men in their 30s.It is characterized by constant or periodic pain in the pelvic area, 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 tests;
microscopic examination of prostate secretion and inoculation of it into a nutrient medium to identify the pathogen (the secretion is obtained after massaging the prostate gland with the fingers through the rectum);
urine cytological examination;
Ultrasound of the prostate and pelvic organs;
computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
smear from the urethra to detect microflora.

The differential diagnosis aims to distinguish between prostatitis, prostate adenoma, prostate cancer and signs of stones in the prostate gland.

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

Prostatitis treatment

The same symptoms can be signs of different diseases and the disease may not develop according to the textbook.Don't try to self-medicate;consult a doctor.Prostatitis treatment is performed by a urological surgeon.

The goal 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 treatment for acute prostatitis is 7-10 days, for a chronic process - 4-8 weeks.

To treat a bacterial infection, the following are used: