Prostatitis Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Prostatitis is an inflammatory condition in the prostate and surrounding tissue. The prostate is located below the bladder and is a gland in the male reproductive system.
The prostate gland functions to produce fluids that will be released in the form of semen. Inflammation of the prostate can cause several problems in men, such as impaired urination or disturbances during ejaculation.
Symptom
The main symptom of chronic prostatitis (chronic pelvic pain syndrome) is pain or discomfort that lasts for at least three months or more and does not show signs of relief. Pain occurs in the area around the testicles and anus, penis, lower abdomen, and back.
In addition, symptoms may also appear:
- Pain during ejaculation
- Pain in the urethra when urinating
- Pain in the penis when urinating
- Frequent urination too much (more than eight times per day)
- Can’t hold back urination
- Weak stream of urine
Symptoms of bacterial prostatitis are somewhat different. In recent (acute) bacterial prostatitis, symptoms usually occur suddenly and are severe, in the form of fever, chills, urinating very frequently, a burning sensation when urinating, straining when urinating, nausea, vomiting, and joint pain. The symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis are the same but the symptoms are milder.
If not treated properly, bacterial prostatitis can cause:
- Severe bacterial infection in the blood
- Prostate abscess (a cavity filled with pus in the prostate)
- sexual dysfunction
- Inflammation of the reproductive organs around the prostate
Reason
There are two types of prostatitis, namely chronic prostatitis (also called chronic pelvic pain syndrome) and bacterial prostatitis. The cause of chronic prostatitis is not known with certainty.
It is suspected that exposure to chemicals, immune system disorders, or nerve disorders in the pelvic area are several factors that play a role in causing this disorder. Meanwhile, bacterial prostatitis is caused by a bacterial infection. These bacteria usually come from the urethra into the urinary tract to the prostate.
Diagnosis
In the early stages of examining the prostate, the doctor will conduct interviews and physical examinations. If the symptoms you are experiencing lead to prostatitis, the doctor will examine the prostate gland through a digital rectal examination.
This examination is carried out by inserting a doctor’s gloved finger into the patient’s anus. Through the anus, the doctor can feel the prostate. Usually in prostatitis, the prostate will feel warm and lumpy.
After that, several supporting examinations will be carried out, which usually include:
- Examination of urine (urinalysis)
- Uroflowmetry examination to see the patient’s urine stream
- Cystoscopy (a binocular examination of the urinary tract to the bladder)
- ultrasound
- Prostate biopsy
Treatment
Treatment for chronic prostatitis and bacterial prostatitis will be different. In chronic prostatitis, treatment aims to reduce pain and discomfort that is felt. The drugs used include 5-alpha reductase inhibitor drugs ( finasteride or dutasteride ), anti-pain drugs ( ibuprofen ), muscle relaxants, or neuromodulator drugs (amitriptyline, pregabalin). In addition, taking a warm bath and doing Kegel exercises can help reduce pain.
In bacterial prostatitis, the main treatment is with antibiotics. Usually, the doctor will give antibiotics for at least two weeks. If the symptoms experienced by the sufferer are severe enough, sometimes the patient needs to be hospitalized first in the hospital to get an injection of antibiotics. In addition, sufferers will be advised to drink at least 2–2.5 liters per day to help flush bacteria out of the urethra.
Prevention
Until now, there is no action that can be done to prevent prostatitis. Maintaining the cleanliness of the penis and surrounding organs will greatly help prevent harmful bacteria from entering the prostate.