Inflammation of the tissues of the prostate gland is quite common, the causes of prostatitis in men are infections and congestion. According to statistics, after 30 years, 30% of men already suffer from this 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 pathology, then it will be easier to protect ourselves from it.
Where does prostatitis come from?
The clinical picture of the disease can 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 the individual characteristics of a man, in particular, on his lifestyle, general health, and the work of the immune system.
In accordance with the reasons, it is customary to distinguish two forms of the disease:
- infectious
- stagnant.
The reasons for the development of 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 acute and chronic forms, but infectious prostatitis is more often acute. At the same time, the man's general well-being worsens, pains in the lower back, groin appear, the process of urination is disturbed, and the 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 from 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 inflammation of the prostate gland? First of all, urological infections, sexually transmitted diseases, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, infections in the intestines can cause prostatitis. Even banal caries can provoke the development of prostatitis, because there is an infection in carious teeth.
The ascending path of the spread of pathogenic microorganisms is their entry into the tissues of the prostate gland from the rectum and urethra. When does this happen? Most often, 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 is formed in him, which is located in close proximity to the prostate gland. This means that pathogenic microflora can easily spread to prostate tissue. The entry of gonococci or Trichomonas into the prostate gland can occur with unprotected intercourse if the partner is sick.
The descending route of spread of infection means its penetration through the blood or lymph from the organs located above the prostate. In this case, the causes of prostatitis lie in the negative effects on the body of infections of the throat, upper respiratory tract or oral cavity. Among the diseases that cause prostatitis, there may be bronchitis, flu, tonsillitis, tuberculosis. Inflammation of the prostate resulting from these problems is usually a complication, and the first symptoms appear a couple of weeks after the underlying infection.
An important role in whether inflammation occurs or not is played by the state of immunity. Not all men with foci of infection develop prostatitis. If the body is in an active vigorous state, the immunity copes with the infection, and the pathological process stops. The deterioration of the state of the 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 gland is one of the most sensitive organs in the male body, so any negative impact can affect its condition.
Why does immunity fall? The reason for this is stress, malnutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, hypothermia. The infections themselves, especially sexually transmitted infections, become a factor in reducing immunity and contribute to the development of complications.
Chronic prostatitis
In the acute form of the disease, all the symptoms are quite bright, it is impossible not to pay attention to them, therefore, men with acute prostatitis, as a rule, immediately consult a doctor. The chronic form of the disease has a sluggish character, the symptoms are not very pronounced, the state of health most often remains satisfactory, and the temperature is normal. It is due to the low-symptom nature of chronic prostatitis that it has become so widespread. Men do not tend to actively treat a problem that does not have vivid, characteristic symptoms, so they usually do not rush to see a doctor with mild manifestations of prostatitis.
What causes chronic prostatitis? The reasons may be the same as in 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 sluggishly. However, most often 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 tissues of the prostate gland is not expressed, so the symptoms may not be felt until an exacerbation occurs.
The peculiarity of chronic prostatitis is also that the primary inflammation of the prostate causes a deterioration in the innervation of the organ, which negatively affects its work and can cause autoimmune processes. In such processes, the immune system produces antibodies directed against the tissues of the prostate gland. Even after the infection is cleared, such prostatitis will progress.
Causes of non-infectious prostatitis
Non-infectious, that is, congestive, prostatitis occurs due to congestion in the pelvic area. Most often it is chronic, develops gradually, over time, increasing symptoms. It is this form of inflammation of the prostate gland that occurs most often.
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 sufficient nutrition, oxygen, there is no full-fledged outflow of secretion, that is, favorable conditions appear for the development of inflammation. This condition usually occurs in men who are not very active, less often it occurs against the background of trauma.
Reasons for stagnant prostatitis
- Lack of physical activity
- Work associated with sitting at a table for a long time, driving a car,
- Irregular sex life
- Constipation
- Excess weight,
- Unbalanced diet
- Often restrained urge to urinate
- Smoking and alcohol abuse
- Lumbar injuries
- Features 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 the vascular tone, which impairs blood flow throughout the body. The prostate gland also suffers from this. Stagnation in the pelvic organs affects men who have a sedentary job, as well as those who spend a lot of time driving a car or are used to passive rest on the couch. Sitting for a long time, in general, is not at all good for men's health. One way or another, the vessels supplying blood to the pelvic region are pinched and worse supply blood to the prostate.
Unbalanced nutrition leads to a deterioration in the general condition of the body, excess weight, poor bowel function. All this also adversely affects the state of blood circulation, especially in the organs of the genitourinary system.
Sex life is very important for men's health, it should be regular. Sexual intercourse three times a week can be considered average figures, but each has its own characteristics, which depend on the constitution of a man, his desires and needs. Insufficient sexual activity leads to stagnation, since the inevitably accumulating tension does not receive discharge. Not only blood stagnation occurs, but also the secretion of the prostate, in which harmful substances accumulate.
Excessive sexual activity is also harmful, since it takes a lot of strength from a man, leads to physical and nervous exhaustion, and hormonal imbalance. All this becomes a factor provoking inflammation of the tissues of the gland.
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the most common causes of prostatitis in men. Today we move a lot by transport, go up to the upper floors by elevator, a lot has been done to make our life easier. However, the human body, especially the male, is designed for high physical activity. To get it, men should do some kind of sport. You can always choose what you like, what brings pleasure. Good results are obtained by daily gymnastics, consisting of simple exercises, a walk.
Anatomical features of the vessels or other structures located in the pelvic region can lead to congestion in the prostate. These features can be due to congenital anomalies or defects, as well as acquired from trauma or other diseases. Violation of the structure of tissues, the state of blood vessels, the formation of cysts or tumors very often leads to significant changes in the functioning of both the organ itself and the arteries and veins that provide its blood supply.
When to worry
If a man felt that he had problems with urination, he began to go to the toilet more often, he is worried about pain in the lumbar region, groin, then he needs to see a urologist. Even if the manifestations are minor, they should not be ignored. The appearance of such symptoms suggests that unfavorable changes have occurred in the body.
In case of problems with urination, pain in the groin and lower back, you should consult a urologist!
Diagnostics and treatment
The causes and treatment of prostatitis are closely related, therefore, in order to successfully overcome the disease, it is necessary to carry out a full diagnosis.
Diagnostic procedures
- Collecting anamnesis,
- Rectal digital examination,
- Ultrasound,
- Bacteriological analysis of prostate secretion,
- Blood and urine tests,
- Analysis to determine the level of PSA.
These procedures give an idea of the condition of the prostate gland, make it possible to identify inflammation and its causes. PSA levels are required to rule out adenoma and prostate cancer. Repeated such analysis is needed to monitor the success of treatment.
It is necessary to treat prostatitis in a comprehensive manner, 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, outflow of urine and gland secretions, and relieve spasms. The earlier treatment is started and the more responsible a man treats him, the better his results will be.
However, the most optimal thing is to prevent the disease, then you will not have to treat it. Prevention for a man is to avoid causes and provoking factors, lead a healthy lifestyle, and be sexually active.