Chronic inflammation of the prostate gland occurs in men of any age.In most cases, the catalyst is an infectious factor: Trichomonas, Staphylococci and Gonococci.Bacteria that enter the body cause inflammation of the urethral canal, the prostate gland itself.
Chronic forms of prostatitis are often asymptomatic.The disease itself is determined only after the transition to the acute form.Late diagnosis is also explained by the fact that the first symptoms of chronic prostatitis in men are often ignored.
Statistics show a constant "rejuvenation" of the disease.More and more patients over the age of 30 are turning to urologists.
Chronic prostatitis - what is it?
The prostate gland is located below the bladder.The main function is reduced to protect the urinaria vesica from the ingress of seminal fluid, as well as the production of prostate secretions, a necessary component of semen.Inflammation of glandular tissue, provoked by infection, congestion and other factors, gradually becomes permanent.
Chronic prostatitis leads to degenerative changes.The structure of the tissue gradually changes.Often, against the background of inflammation, stones appear in the channels.Some types of prostatitis lead to the development of cancer.
An international classification system has been developed to facilitate differentiation between different prostate diseases.
Chronic prostatitis - the cause
It is generally accepted that inflammation of the prostate gland is caused by two main factors: bacteria and abacteria.
The first is associated with the entry of pathogens and infections into the patient's body.Often, the catalyst is sexually transmitted bacteria.
The second cause of the incident was not linked to an infectious agent.Catalysts for inflammation can be:
- Body hypothermia.
- Hormonal imbalances associated with aging and an irregular sex life.
- Bad habits.
- Injury to the pelvic organs.
- Stagnation caused by metabolic disorders and an inactive lifestyle.
After diagnosing prostatitis, the main cause of chronic prostatitis must be determined.The course of therapy is determined based on what actually caused the inflammation.Bacterial and non-infectious prostatitis are treated differently.
Urology names several additional factors that worsen the situation and affect the severity of the disease:
- Sexual abstinence.
- Inferior ejaculation (choosing interrupted sexual intercourse as a method of contraception).
- Pressure.
- Bad Habits - Alcohol Abuse and Smoking.
- Poor nutrition.
- Inflammatory diseases experienced in the past.Often urethritis and cystitis act as the cause of prostatitis in chronic form.
Inflammation is accompanied by destructive changes in the prostate gland, which makes it possible to classify this disease into several categories.
Classification of chronic inflammation of the prostate
Varieties of prostatitis receive their own ICD-10 code - N41.In order to clarify the diagnosis and distinguish between infectious diseases, a separate classification B95-B97 is used.The symptom rating scale divides the disease into several groups and subgroups:
- I - Acute inflammation, accompanied by a sharp rise in temperature and fever.
- II - chronic prostatitis, provoked by infectious factors.
- III - Class includes diseases in which pelvic pain syndrome begins to manifest.It is customary to distinguish two subgroups:
- IIIA - There are signs of an inflammatory process.A low-grade fever is maintained.
- IIIB - No inflammation.
- IV - prostatitis in which there is no manifestation of symptoms.Deviations from the norm are detected exclusively by instrumental diagnostic methods.
According to the ICD code:
- N41.1 diagnosed with chronic prostatitis.
- N41.8 Inflammatory disease of the prostate gland.
- N41.9 An accurate diagnosis has not been made.
How chronic prostatitis manifests - its symptoms
The first signs of chronic prostatitis in men appear at an advanced stage of the disease.Often, early development has no clinical manifestations.Symptoms, even if present, are temporary, short-term and of low intensity.
According to clinical manifestations, three stages of the development of prostatitis are distinguished:
- Early indirect signs of chronic prostatitis - as already mentioned, the onset of the disease is not indicated by clearly distinguishable symptoms.Manifestations are subtle or absent at all.Signs you need to pay attention to: Burning sensation during ejaculation, decreased potency, painful urination.
- Secondary signs of chronic inflammation of the prostate - At this stage, pathological changes occur in the tissue structure, the appearance of scar-like formations, and a decrease in genitourinary function.This stage is characterized by a sharp decline in potency and urination, increased sweating, severe pain in the pelvic area, lumbar spine, and scrotum.
- Signs of Advanced Disease - The prostate stops functioning normally.Healthy tissue begins metamorphosis.The gland increases in size.Blood and pus appear in the urine, there is a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder, and night trips to the toilet become more frequent.Erectile function is reduced until we can talk about complete sexual impotence.
In addition to the characteristic symptoms of each stage of development, there are general signs that appear throughout the entire course of the disease.
Pain Syndrome
Chronic prostatitis in the late stages of development has expressed symptoms.The characteristic clinical manifestation is pain of severe intensity that does not go away on its own and requires the use of analgesics and antispasmodics.
Pain syndrome accompanies the entire period of disease development.During the main signs of prostatitis, discomfort and burning in the urethral canal are of low intensity and therefore often ignored.Pain is often associated with radiculitis or fatigue.After relieving the pain or taking antispasmodics, the symptoms usually disappear.
Over time, the clinical picture becomes more intense.The pain syndrome manifests itself more strongly and remains after taking analgesics.An unpleasant sensation accompanies every act of urination, urination and ejaculation.
Pain radiates from the spine to the scrotum, sometimes to the limbs, and is accompanied by cramps and numbness.Skin rashes, itching and burning tissue in the prostate and genital area are normal body responses to internal inflammation.
Temperature rise
Chronic inflammation of the prostate gland in acute form accompanied by heat and fever.There is a sudden increase in temperature, reaching 39-40 °.Indicators are stable.Body temperature does not decrease even after taking antipyretics.
Slow prostatitis is characterized by a low-grade fever.Constant indicators of chronic inflammation, in 37-37.2 °.
Lowering the temperature and taking self-medication to reduce external manifestations is strictly prohibited!
Dysuria
The first signs of chronic prostatitis appear in various urinary disorders.Over time, the symptoms become more intense, which helps identify the disease.Manifestations of Dysuria:
- Frequent urges to go to the toilet at night.
- A feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder.
- Hematuria (blood in the urine), purulent discharge.
- Pain during urination.
Clinical signs and the intensity of their manifestations directly affect the diagnosis and require mandatory additional research.Symptoms may indicate other inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, hyperplasia and oncology.
Disorders of the genital organs
Chronic prostatitis leads to the appearance of scar formation that affects the blood supply.Nutrient deficiency leads to the following manifestations:
- Potential decrease - with chronic prostatitis, sexual disorders are observed.One of the characteristic symptoms is a normal erection, which decreases sharply during sexual intercourse.At an advanced stage, a stable potential occurs.
- Infertility - After the appearance of scarring in the seminal ducts, sperm viability decreases.Inflammation changes the structure and composition of ejaculate.In the advanced stages, the sperm thickens and lumps appear.
- Pain during intercourse - discharge from the urethra is observed.During sexual intercourse, discomfort and painful symptoms are felt, especially during ejaculation.Often psychosomatic reasons lead to the patient's continued impotence.
The main symptoms of chronic prostatitis: pain, increased body temperature, dysuria, genital dysfunction.When making a diagnosis, the intensity and duration of the period from the onset of clinical signs, as well as associated symptoms, are taken into account.
How can chronic inflammation of the prostate be detected?
Prostatitis does not have symptoms that can accurately distinguish the disease.Some disorders of the genitourinary system have similar symptoms.An accurate diagnosis can be made only after a complete examination of the patient, including laboratory tests and instrumental methods of disease detection.
Having suspected the presence of disorders in the function of the pelvic organs, the urologist will prescribe a mandatory rectal examination.If tissue changes are detected during palpation, some laboratory tests are prescribed.
Laboratory research methods
Clinical blood and urine tests distinguish the presence of inflammatory processes and can often explain the catalyst for the development of the disease.When making a diagnosis, additional information is required from the results of the following laboratory tests:
- Cytological and Bacteriological Analysis of Urine.PSA levels are established.Protein levels increase significantly with inflammation of glandular tissue.
- Take a smear from the urethra.
- Prostate secretion microscopy - Based on the results, damage in the prostate gland is determined.Differentiate cancer from chronic tissue inflammation.Sowing prostate secretions is prohibited during the acute period of the disease, accompanied by high body temperature, aggravated hemorrhoids, or fissures in the anus.
- Test for STI (sexual infection) - One of the common catalysts for inflammation of the prostate gland is pathogenic microorganisms.Trichomonas, Staphylococci and Gonococci can all cause this disease.Prostatitis develops during the active phase of bacterial proliferation, and after the infection has been cured.
Laboratory tests are a mandatory component of the diagnosis of prostatitis and the choice of subsequent treatment methods.
Instrumental detection of disease
There are three main methods of testing for prostatitis.Each instrumental diagnostic method provides information about changes in the structure of glandular tissue and has its own indications and contraindications:
- Tomography - MRI is often prescribed to diagnose chronic prostatitis.This study allows you to get a layer-by-layer image of the prostate.MRI signs accurately indicate chronic inflammation, and also indicate the beginning of tissue degeneration into malignant formation.Magnetic resonance technology is not dangerous, but has contraindications due to the inability to study patients with pacemakers, metal staples and shunts (left during surgical operations).
- Transrectal TRUS is an informative method that can reliably show the presence of inflammation.Sonographic signs of structural changes in the prostate gland according to the type of chronic prostatitis include: deviations from the norm in volume and size, structure, and the presence of pathological formations.The ultrasound technique is not prescribed for acute inflammation of the rectum, the presence of cracks in the anus, or hemorrhoids.
- Ultrasound - Transabdominal technique has no contraindications.This method is less informative than TRUS and MRI.Sonographic signs make it difficult to determine the space of the abdominal cavity.Diagnostic results are often controversial and require clarification.The advantage of ultrasound is the simplicity and speed of the study.
The accuracy of echographic images largely depends on the experience of the doctor conducting the study.
Different Search Diseases
After receiving the results of clinical and biochemical studies, symptoms of chronic inflammation of the prostate gland are evaluated.Common diagnostic standards have been developed that are valid worldwide.
To facilitate the urologist's task, the NIH-CPSI symptom index was created, made in the form of a questionnaire or questionnaire.The doctor fills in the fields in the document and then makes a diagnosis.
There are computer programs based on the NIH-CPSI index.Doctors are required to fill out a questionnaire, and the system will independently conduct a summary assessment of symptoms for chronic prostatitis.The effectiveness of this technique has been proven all over the world.
After calculating the results of the questionnaire, when making a diagnosis, additional evaluation of instrumental and clinical studies is taken into account: the presence of Echo signs of chronic prostatitis, increased PSA levels, identification of infectious markers by secretion microscopy.The more urological data, the more accurate the results.
What is dangerous about chronic prostatitis - its consequences
The consequence of chronic prostatitis in men is a disturbance in the function of the genitourinary system.These include:
- Impotence.
- Acute urinary retention.
- Infertility.
Fibrous changes that accompany advanced disease lead to the development of oncology.Normal tissue degenerates into malignancy.Therefore, preventing functional changes in the prostate gland to prevent the development of cancer is a very important task faced by urologists.
When making a diagnosis, the presence of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, oncological passengers and fibrous changes are taken into account.Advanced disease often leads to the need for surgery: prostatectomy.
Diagnosis of prostatitis and differentiation of the disease from disorders related to the pelvic organs is an important task for doctors and patients.The detection of the first symptoms depends entirely on the man himself.If you experience any discomfort when urinating, a decrease in erection, or a low-grade fever, this is a reason to immediately seek professional medical help.Delay is dangerous!