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Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate that may be caused by an infection. It's the most common prostate problem for men under 50—so common that about half of adult men in will be treated for it in their lifetime. |
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There are three major types of prostatitis: |
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Bacterial prostatitis |
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Nonbacterial prostatitis |
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Prostatodynia |
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Bacterial prostatitis. There are actually two types of bacterial prostatitis: acute (meaning it develops suddenly) and chronic (meaning it develops slowly over several years). Both types can be treated with antibiotics. Each type affects about 1 in 10 men with prostatitis. Symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis are often severe, and therefore are usually quickly diagnosed. These symptoms include: |
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Fever |
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Chills |
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Pain in lower back |
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Aching muscles |
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Fatigue |
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Frequent or painful urination |
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Chronic bacterial prostatitis may involve few symptoms other than those of a recurring urinary tract infection, and the condition keeps returning even after the initial infection has been treated and symptoms have disappeared.
Nonbacterial prostatitis occurs in about 6 out of 10 men with this condition. Although the causes are unknown, the inflammation may be related to organisms other than bacteria, like a reaction to the urine of substances in the urine. For example, men with a history of allergies and asthma sometimes develop nonbacterial prostatitis. However, doctors cannot be sure exactly how these conditions are related. Doctors do know that nonbacterial prostatitis is not found in men with recurrent bladder infections. Symptoms include: |
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Occasional discomfort in the testicles, urethra, lower abdomen, and back |
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Discharge from the urethra, especially during first bowel movement of the day |
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Blood or urine in ejaculate |
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Low sperm count |
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Sexual difficulties |
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Frequent urination |
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Prostatodynia (pain in the area of the prostate gland) occurs in about 3 out of 10 men with prostate irritation. Unfortunately, tests used to diagnose infection and other problems affecting the prostate gland are not useful in detecting the cause of this pain. In some instances, the pain may be caused by a muscle spasm (an involuntary sudden movement or contraction) in the bladder or the urethra. Usually, though, the cause of prostatodynia is unknown. Symptoms include pain and discomfort in the prostate gland, testicles, penis, and urethra, and may include difficulty in urinating.
Certain activities increase your risk of developing prostatitis. These include: |
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Having had a recent bladder infection |
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Having BPH (see below) |
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Having gonorrhea, chlamydia, or other sexually transmitted disease |
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Having frequent, unprotected sex, or unprotected sex with multiple partners |
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Excessive alcohol consumption |
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Eating a lot of spicy, marinated foods |
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Injury to the lower pelvis (often as a result of cycling, lifting weights, etc) |
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Diagnosing Prostatitis
Diagnosis is usually made during a DRE (digital rectal exam), where the physician inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate, or by examining fluid from the prostate under a microscope. Some doctors use a symptom index questionnaire developed by the National Institutes of Health. Still, diagnosing prostatitis isn’t easy, so the most important diagnostic tool your doctor has is you and your detailed descriptions of your symptoms.
Prostatitis is not considered a serious disease, and it doesn’t lead to cancer. But it’s painful, extremely inconvenient, and sometimes difficult to cure. There are a number of treatment options that usually provide relief. These include antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and surgery. |
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