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 aged 20-40 years.

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 immediate transition to the chronic stage (false improvement).

Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, otherwise called chronic pelvic pain syndrome, can be inflammatory (with an increased content of leukocytes in the 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;
staphylococci;
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 abuse and smoking;
promiscuity;
irregular sex life (long-term abstinence);
interrupted sexual intercourse;
irregular bladder emptying;
unsatisfied sexual desire;
chronic stress;
hypothermia;
the presence of carious teeth and other sources of chronic infection (for example, chronic tonsillitis).

Symptoms of prostatitis

Acute prostatitis is a very insidious disease.It is quite difficult to “catch” 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 often 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;
chills;
other signs of intoxication (weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, etc.).

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

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

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

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 apogee: sexual function disorders appear.For example:

insufficient erection or its absence;
painful erections, due to which the patient avoids sexual intercourse;
erasure of orgasm;
short sexual intercourse;
painful ejaculation.

Chronic abacterial prostatitis accounts for 95% of all prostatitis; it affects mainly men about 30 years old.It is characterized by constant or periodic pain in the pelvic area, prostate, and scrotum, with no signs of inflammation in laboratory tests.The causes of the disease have not been precisely established.

Diagnostics

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 analysis;
microscopic examination of prostate secretion and inoculation of it on a nutrient medium to identify the pathogen (the secretion is obtained after digital massaging of the prostate gland through the rectum);
cytological examination of urine;
Ultrasound of the prostate and pelvic organs;
computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI);
smear from the urethra for microflora.

Differential diagnosis is aimed at distinguishing 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 in the Federal Standard of Care of 2012.

Treatment of prostatitis

The same symptoms can be signs of different diseases, and the disease may not proceed according to the textbook.Do not try to treat yourself - consult a doctor. Treatment of prostatitis is carried out by a urologist 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 drugs are prescribed.The duration of therapy for acute prostatitis is 7-10 days, for a chronic process - 4-8 weeks.

To treat a bacterial infection, the following are used: