According to statistics, one in three men of working age suffer from prostatitis at different times in their lives. Constant pain, impotence, infertility - this is not a complete list of problems that threaten patients in the absence of treatment. Due to the high urgency and danger of the disease, its symptoms and initial manifestations must be known by all men. In this article, you will learn about all the signs and diagnostic methods that allow you to recognize prostatitis.
The clinical picture in the early stages of development
Prostatitis is an inflammatory lesion of the male prostate. The following forms of the disease are distinguished: acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, asymptomatic prostatitis. Each form manifests itself in different ways, has signs and features characteristic of the course.
It is difficult to say how the disease will progress in each individual man. The presence of certain signs depends on several external and internal factors. For the convenience of characterizing the pathology, it is customary to divide all symptoms of prostatitis into 3 major groups: those associated with urinary disorders, sexual dysfunctions, mental problems. The first and most significant symptoms of prostatitis (except for the asymptomatic form) may be the following signs in a man:
- Pain in the pelvis, in the back, in the groin area.
- Pain and burning during urination.
- Difficulty urinating.
- Sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder and a false urge to urinate.
Pain in the pelvis, in the back, in the groin area, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder and a false urge to urinate are signs of prostatitis.
The symptoms listed are due to impaired urinary function, which is due to the anatomical characteristics of the structure and location of the bladder and prostate. The signs of prostatitis associated with sexual dysfunction are also significant and pronounced. Men often make the following complaints:
- Weak erection.
- Rapid onset of ejaculation during sexual intercourse.
- Lack of orgasm or decreased sensitivity.
- Pain in the urethra and rectum in ejaculation.
Problems with urination and difficulties in intimate life due to inflammation of the prostate disturb man a lot. Prostatitis patients are forced to change their way of life, deny habits, family relationships become more complicated. Obsession with your problem causes increased nervousness, anxiety, decreased libido, which can be called indirect signs of prostatitis, belonging to the third group of the above symptoms (mental disorders).
Prostatitis in men can often be confused with adenoma or prostate cancer, a pathology of the bladder. All of these diseases appear in a similar way, especially in the early stages. It is very difficult to distinguish them for an unprepared person, so the differential diagnosis is made by analyzing all existing objective symptoms, laboratory data and instrumental research. As each form of prostatitis has specific signs and characteristics, it is prudent to consider them separately.
Characteristics of certain forms of the disease
Acute prostatitis is an inflammation of the male prostate caused by an infectious agent entering the organ through the blood, lymph or urethra. The disease starts abruptly and is characterized by the severity of all clinical signs. The main symptoms of acute prostatitis:
- The increase in body temperature to 39-40 degrees.
- Symptoms of general intoxication (headache, weakness, fatigue, decreased performance, etc. ).
- Severe pain in the perineum, sacrum, above a man's pubic joint.
- Frequent and painful urination.
- Sometimes, men have urinary retention.
Temperature 39-40 is a clear sign of inflammation of the prostate.
Acute inflammation of the prostate usually ends with the recovery or timing of the process (symptoms can be troublesome for several months). However, more often, this form of prostatitis is primary and is a consequence of the presence of bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking and so on), a sedentary lifestyle, a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, prolonged sexual withdrawal or appearsof a lack of - aggressive sexually transmitted infection or ingestion of microflora from normal agents. The clinical picture of chronic prostatitis seems to be scarcer in relation to the acute form, the symptoms of the disease are inconsistent, which greatly complicates the diagnosis. For the chronic form of prostatitis, the following symptoms are more typical:
- Increased urge to urinate, even at night.
- Pain when urinating and also when ejaculating.
- Dull pain in the lower back, pelvis, above the breast, etc.
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) in a man combines recurrent pain in the prostate area, temporary disorders of the urinary and reproductive systems. CPPS in medicine is a broader concept, because pathogenetically, the pathology can be based on a tumor or ischemic process, disorders of the nervous system, and not just inflammation. The inconsistency of the presence of signs of prostatitis in chronic pelvic pain syndrome significantly complicates the diagnosis, but it is much more difficult to do in the asymptomatic form. In these cases, the main and decisive role is played by data from laboratory and instrumental research methods.
Diagnostic techniques
Based only on the symptoms of prostatitis, a definitive diagnosis cannot be made. In addition, doctors must collect anamnesis: information about the time of onset of symptoms, their relationship to major and significant events in life, physical and mental shocks, all possible predisposing factors are clarified, and so on. A physiological examination is always performed - a digital rectal examination at the position of the elbow of a sick man, lying on his side with his legs bent or standing with his body leaning forward. During this study, you can find characteristic signs of prostatitis (the presence of everyone is not necessary):
- Increased size of the male sex gland.
- The shape of the organ is correct or flat with a depression.
- Temperate or pasty consistency.
- Softness of the edges of the prostate.
- Increased pain with pressure.
The additional examination of a patient with symptoms of prostatitis is complemented by laboratory methods. General and biochemical blood tests are prescribed - there are no specific changes in the indicators, only indirect signs that allow to judge the presence of an inflammatory process in the man's body (increase in the number of leukocytes, acute phase proteins, accelerated ESR). The results of urine tests will be valuable, which will allow to judge the presence of an infectious process in the genital tract, will help to determine the pathogen to start the etiological treatment. In addition, urologists can prescribe an analysis of prostate secretion, spermogram.
Among the instrumental methods for diagnosing prostate diseases, the most informative is TRUS - transrectal ultrasound. In this case, a special sensor is used, which the doctor inserts into the rectum. This causes discomfort to the patient, but it is compensated by the informative content of this method. With the help of TRUS, it is possible to evaluate the organ structure, judge the presence of tissue inflammation, the degree of narrowing of the urinary tract and exclude the presence of stones. The main signs of echo of prostatitis: increased organ size, edema, fibrosis, changes in sclerotic tissue, granular and heterogeneous structure.
In addition, patients with symptoms of prostatitis undergo urofluxometry - a special diagnostic manipulation in which the man's urination rate is measured. Based on the data from this study, conclusions can be drawn about the degree of narrowing of the urethra, the detrusor activity. Urofluxometry should not replace TRUS, but should confirm your findings and signs of existing prostatitis.
The plan for a diagnostic examination of prostatitis can be expanded if indicated in a man. To clarify individual points about the diagnosis, cystoscopy, computed tomography of the pelvis can be performed. In unclear cases, a biopsy is performed to differentiate with tumor processes.
What to do when the first symptoms appear
The biggest and most common mistake that many men make when they have signs and symptoms of prostatitis is to wait. Each patient expects the unpleasant symptoms to be temporary and soon to disappear. Untreated prostatitis is dangerous to health, leads to irreversible changes in the body, which are fraught with impaired erection mechanism, infertility or, even worse - malignancy of the process (transition to cancer).
To prevent serious complications, every man at the first signs of prostatitis should consult a urologist who will prescribe the treatment. First, men receive etiotropic therapy - anti-inflammatories, antibiotics are used, measures are taken to strengthen the immune system. There is no need for operation in the absence of complications. Men who have had prostatitis in the past are at risk, and there is a high likelihood of recurrence, so after recovery, a large role is given to prevention.