Through prostatitis, urologists understand the inflammatory process in the prostate that occurs for a variety of reasons.The prostate belongs to the genitourinary system and is surrounded by other organs and tissues, so symptoms, especially early ones, do not identify the disease.Let's try to identify the first signs of prostatitis that may indicate the onset of the disease and tell you where to go for help.
Symptoms of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis
The disease occurs due to damage to prostate tissue or due to the influence of many other factors:
- Sedentary lifestyle and accompanying impairment of blood microcirculation;
- Reflux of urine into the prostate;
- Narrowing of the urethral lumen due to tumors, stones, or inflammatory processes;
- Sharp contraction of pelvic muscles;
- Hypothermia, smoking, alcohol abuse.
Symptoms of this form appear gradually and their severity increases over time.Initially, men may complain of frequent urges to urinate, along with a burning sensation in the urethra opening area.
At this stage, prostatitis may be confused with urethritis, so laboratory diagnosis is important.
As the inflammatory process in the prostate tissue progresses, other symptoms of the disease appear:
- The urge to urinate at night;
- Perineal pain (which may radiate to the glans penis, anus, thighs, and lower abdomen);
- Absent or weak erection;
- Pain during ejaculation;
- Body temperature rises to 37.5-37.8°C.
If the integrity of the prostate tissue or areas adjacent to the urethra is compromised, blood may appear in the urine or semen.The man will notice small patches of scarlet or brown color.
Symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis
Bacterial prostatitis is caused by pathogenic and opportunistic microbiota.Microorganisms can live in the human intestine or on the skin; if hygiene rules are not followed, they can enter the prostate through the urethra and develop rapidly in the glandular tissue.Another option is penetration of the pathogen into the urethra and further into the prostate during unprotected sexual intercourse.Infection is also possible if a prostate biopsy is not performed correctly.
Once reaching the prostate mucosa, the bacteria multiply rapidly, with colonies actually growing within 2-3 days.In this case, the first signs of prostatitis are:
- Chills, fever, elevated body temperature;
- Pain in the perineum, lower back, or lower abdomen;
- Urinary disturbances (pain, intermittent urinary flow, frequent urinary urgency).
Without treatment or incorrect treatment strategies, the disease can progress.After a few days, constipation, acute urinary retention, muscle, joint, and lymph node pain may occur.Symptoms of poisoning - nausea, vomiting, weakness - may also occur.
The interval between the first symptoms and the most overt clinical manifestations may be 3-4 days.
Symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis
The chronic form of bacterial prostatitis results from inadequate treatment of the acute course, bladder damage, and improper catheterization.It is possible for inflammatory processes in adjacent organs to spread to the prostate.
Men may miss the first signs of chronic prostatitis - this form of symptoms is characterized by mild severity, with the possibility of periods of remission.The disease may be suspected based on the following symptoms:
- urinary problems;
- Dull pain in perineum;
- Erection problems.
Periods of exacerbation alternate with periods of calm.A person may mistakenly think of a cure and not see a doctor.This attitude is dangerous - the inflammatory process intensifies, the prostate tissue degenerates, and the organ loses its function.As a result, prostatitis can lead to infertility and cause sepsis - blood poisoning.
Pathological and clinical manifestations
Prostatitis has no characteristic signs; it may be confused with other diseases with similar symptoms - cystitis, urethritis, chlamydia.
Knowing the first signs of a disease will not help make an accurate diagnosis.It is more effective to focus on clinical manifestations.
Acute bacterial prostatitis is characterized by the following signs, which are found in urine and blood tests and laboratory tests:
- The anal body temperature is 0.5°C higher than the armpit temperature;
- Increased number of white blood cells in urine;
- Decreased number of eosinophils;
- Increased C-reactive protein;
- Increased levels of PSA in the blood.
Testing of the PSA content in the blood is not mandatory, but it helps to understand the pathological process more clearly.
How to provide first aid and who to contact for treatment
Prostatitis refers to a disease that does not threaten the patient's life in the early stages.For severe pain, you can take painkillers, but this is an exception.It is best not to take such drugs, so as not to obscure the clinical situation and prevent doctors from making a correct diagnosis.To combat a high fever, you can take fever-reducing medications.
With appropriate methods, medical facilities can provide first aid.For this, men must contact a urologist at the place of their residence or stay.If for some reason you are unable to see a doctor on your own, you will need to call an ambulance.
Self-administration of antibiotics is strictly prohibited.
The prescription of these drugs should take into account the type of pathogen; uncontrolled use can increase bacterial resistance and worsen symptoms of poisoning.
The consequences of ignoring the first signs
Most men are reluctant to go to the doctor, especially when it comes to genitourinary problems.This attitude can be dangerous.Prostatitis is a serious disease that can have negative consequences:
- Conversion to a chronic form that is virtually untreatable;
- development of infertility;
- The infection spreads to nearby organs;
- decreased effectiveness;
- Occurrence of sepsis.
The latter situation directly threatens the patient's life.The probability of death is 30-50%, increasing by 8% for every hour of delay in medical care.
Let's summarize
Knowing the first signs of prostatitis in men can help you suspect something is wrong.A more accurate diagnosis can be made based on the results of instrumental examinations and blood and urine laboratory tests.Prostatitis can be life-threatening for men, so self-treatment is unacceptable.If you put off seeing a doctor, the disease can become chronic, which can be very difficult to deal with.