Inflammation of the prostate tissue is quite common, the causes of prostatitis in men are infections and congestion. According to statistics, after the age of 30, 30% of men already suffer from the disease and, with age, the numbers increase and the disease is getting younger. As you know, the best treatment is prevention, and if we know the causes of a particular condition, it will be easier to protect ourselves from it.
Where does prostatitis come from?
The clinical picture of the disease may include a different set of symptoms. The most common and significant are urinary disorders and sexual dysfunctions. In each case, the set of symptoms and the degree of their manifestation depend on a man's individual characteristics, in particular his lifestyle, general health and immune system functioning.
According to the reasons, it is customary to distinguish two forms of the disease:
- infectious
- stagnant.
The reasons for developing infectious prostatitis
In the infectious form of the disease, the causes of prostatitis are pathogenic microorganisms. In this case, the disease develops when a focus of infection forms in the prostate. It can occur in both the acute and chronic forms, but infectious prostatitis is more often acute. At the same time, a man's general well-being worsens, pain develops in the lower back and groin, the urination process is disturbed and body temperature rises.
Acute Prostatitis
The immediate causes of prostatitis in men are foci of infection, which can be located in completely different organs. Pathogens enter the prostate either ascending through the rectum or urethra, or descending through the blood and lymph.
The most common causative agents of acute prostatitis:
- Colibacillus,
- Staphylococcus aureus,
- Streptococcus,
- Gonococci.
What causes prostatitis, where are the foci of infection that lead to acute prostate inflammation? First of all, urological infections, sexually transmitted diseases, upper respiratory diseases, infections in the intestines can cause prostatitis. Even common tooth decay can lead to the development of prostatitis because an infection occurs in decayed teeth.
The upward pathway for the spread of pathogenic microorganisms is their entry into the tissues of the prostate from the rectum and urethra. When it happens? Most of the time, this phenomenon is due to urological infections: cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis. A possible cause of prostatitis is sexually transmitted diseases, and of these, gonorrhea is the most common. If a man falls ill with this disease, then a focus of infection forms in him, which is located in the vicinity of the prostate. This means that pathogenic microflora can easily spread to prostate tissue. Entry of gonococci or Trichomonas into the prostate can occur with unprotected sex if the partner is sick.
The downward route of dissemination of the infection means its penetration through the blood or lymph of organs located above the prostate. In this case, the causes of prostatitis lie in the negative effects on the body of infections in the throat, upper respiratory tract, or oral cavity. Among the diseases that cause prostatitis can be bronchitis, flu, tonsillitis, tuberculosis. Prostate inflammation resulting from these problems is often a complication, and the first symptoms appear a few weeks after the underlying infection.
An important role in the occurrence or not of inflammation is played by the state of immunity. Not all men with outbreaks of infection develop prostatitis. If the body is in a vigorous and active state, immunity deals with the infection and the pathological process is stopped. Deterioration in the state of defenses leads to the development of complications. They manifest themselves in various diseases, it all depends on individual characteristics and "weak points" in the body. The prostate is one of the most sensitive organs in the male body, so any negative impact can affect your condition.
Why does immunity drop? The reason for this is stress, malnutrition, sedentary lifestyle, hypothermia. Infections themselves, especially sexually transmitted ones, become a factor in reducing immunity and contributing to the development of complications.
chronic prostatitis
In the acute form of the disease, all symptoms are quite clear, it is impossible not to pay attention to them, so men with acute prostatitis, as a rule, consult a doctor immediately. The chronic form of the disease is slow, the symptoms are not very pronounced, the health status most of the time remains satisfactory and the temperature is normal. It is because of the symptomless nature of chronic prostatitis that it has become so widespread. Men don't tend to actively treat a problem that doesn't have clear, characteristic symptoms, so they usually don't rush to see a doctor with mild manifestations of prostatitis.
What Causes Chronic Prostatitis? The reasons may be the same as for acute prostatitis, but due to the work of the immune system or the weakness of the pathogenic microflora, the disease does not become acute but develops slowly. However, most of the time, the cause of chronic prostatitis is the acute form of this disease, which has not received sufficiently effective treatment.
Reasons for the transition from acute to chronic prostatitis:
- Late start of treatment,
- Wrong start of treatment
- lack of treatment
- Significant decrease in immunity.
In chronic prostatitis, the inflammatory process of the prostate tissues is not expressed, so symptoms may not be felt until an exacerbation occurs.
The peculiarity of chronic prostatitis is also that primary inflammation of the prostate causes a deterioration in the innervation of the organ, which negatively affects its functioning and can cause autoimmune processes. During these processes, the immune system produces antibodies directed against prostate tissues. Even after the infection is cleared, prostatitis will progress.
Causes of non-infectious prostatitis
Non-infectious, ie, congestive, prostatitis occurs due to congestion in the pelvic region. Most of the time, it is chronic, it develops gradually, over time, increasing the symptoms. It is this form of prostate inflammation that occurs most frequently.
What causes prostatitis in men in most cases? The main reason is a violation of blood circulation, its stagnation. As a result, the organ does not receive enough nutrition, oxygen, there is no output of full secretion, that is, favorable conditions for the development of inflammation arise. This condition is usually found in men who are not very active; less often, it occurs in the context of trauma.
Reasons for stagnant prostatitis
- lack of physical activity
- Work associated with sitting at the table for a long time, driving a car,
- irregular sex life
- Constipation
- Overweight,
- unbalanced diet
- Often, repressed urge to urinate
- Smoking and alcohol abuse
- back injuries
- Characteristics of the structure of the organs of the genitourinary system.
All of these reasons have an adverse effect on blood circulation, both local and general. For example, smoking and regular alcohol consumption greatly weaken vascular tone, which impairs blood flow throughout the body. The prostate also suffers from it. The stagnation of the pelvic organs affects both men who have a sedentary job, and those who spend a lot of time driving or are used to passive rest on the couch. Sitting for a long time is generally not good for a man's health. One way or another, the vessels that supply blood to the pelvic region are compressed and, worse, supply blood to the prostate.
An unbalanced diet leads to a deterioration of the general condition of the body, excess weight and malfunction of the intestine. All of this also negatively affects the state of blood circulation, especially in the organs of the genitourinary system.
Sex life is very important for men's health, it must be regular. Sexual intercourse three times a week can be considered an average figure, but each one has its own characteristics, which depend on the man's constitution, desires and needs. Insufficient sexual activity leads to stagnation, as the inevitably built-up tension is not discharged. Not only does the blood stagnate, but also the secretion of the prostate, in which harmful substances accumulate.
Excessive sexual activity is also harmful, as it takes a lot of strength from the man, leads to physical and nervous exhaustion and hormonal imbalance. All of this becomes a factor that causes inflammation of the gland's tissues.
Sedentary lifestyle is one of the most common causes of prostatitis in men. Today we use transport a lot, take the elevator to the upper floors, a lot has been done to make our lives easier. However, the human body, especially the male one, is designed for high physical activity. For this, men should practice some kind of sport. You can always choose what you like, what brings you pleasure. Good results are obtained by daily gymnastics, which consists of simple exercises, a walk.
The anatomical characteristics of vessels or other structures located in the pelvic region can lead to prostate congestion. These characteristics can be due to anomalies or birth defects, as well as acquired by trauma or other diseases. The violation of tissue structure, the state of blood vessels, the formation of cysts or tumors often leads to significant changes in the functioning of the organ itself and the arteries and veins that supply its blood supply.
when to worry
If a man felt he had problems urinating, he started going to the bathroom more often, he is worried about pain in the lower back, in the groin, so you need to see a urologist. Even though the demonstrations are minor, they shouldn't be ignored. The appearance of such symptoms suggests that unfavorable changes have taken place in the body.
In case of problems with urination, pain in the groin and lower back, you should consult a urologist!
Diagnosis and treatment
The causes and treatment of prostatitis are closely related, therefore, to overcome the disease, a complete diagnosis is necessary.
diagnostic procedures
- Collecting anamnesis,
- Digital rectal exam,
- Ultrasound,
- Bacteriological analysis of prostate secretion,
- Blood and urine tests,
- Analysis to determine PSA level.
These procedures give an idea of the state of the prostate, allow you to identify inflammation and its causes. PSA levels are needed to rule out adenoma and prostate cancer. This repeated analysis is necessary to monitor treatment success.
It is necessary to treat prostatitis comprehensively, including the following methods:
- drug therapy,
- massage,
- physiotherapy,
- physiotherapy.
Depending on the causes of the disease, medications are prescribed that eliminate the infectious component, improve blood circulation, urine flow and gland secretions, and relieve spasms. The sooner treatment is started and the more responsible a man treats it, the better his results will be.
However, the ideal is to prevent the disease, so you won't have to treat it. Prevention for men is to avoid causes and provocative factors, lead a healthy lifestyle and be sexually active.