What is Prostatitis and How Do I Know If I Have it?

Highlights 

• What is prostatitis? It’s the inflammation of your prostate gland and differs from an enlarged prostate and prostate cancer.

• Symptoms of prostatitis include swelling of the prostate, problems urinating, and pain throughout the pelvic region.

• It can be caused by a bacterial infection or triggered by injuries, nerve damage, or stress.

• Acute bacterial prostatitis requires immediate medical attention and treatment to prevent it from becoming a life-threatening infection.

• If chronic prostatitis is left untreated, it can lead to sexual problems, including erectile dysfunction.

• Anyone experiencing symptoms of prostatitis should seek care from their doctor, who determines the cause and provides the proper treatment.

• Treatment depends on the type of prostatitis and may include antibiotics and over-the-counter pain relievers.

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Prostatitis is a painful medical condition that affects people with prostates. This condition can make it difficult to urinate or pass bowel movements and can cause painful ejaculations. Problems with your prostate health, including prostatitis, can lead to sexual dysfunction and infertility if left untreated.

What is Prostatitis?

Prostatitis is the inflammation and swelling of the prostate gland. This walnut-sized gland produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and supports sperm. The prostate is located directly between the bladder and penis. Prostatitis is not a form of cancer, and it’s different from having an enlarged prostate.

In the U.S., approximately 9% of men have prostatitis at some point in their lives. Men of any age can experience prostatitis, but it’s most commonly diagnosed in men aged 30 to 50.

Depending on the cause, symptoms of prostatitis may occur suddenly or more gradually. Some prostatitis cases can improve on their own, while others require treatment. There are two main types of prostatitis: chronic and acute.

Difference Between Acute and Chronic Prostatitis

In cases of acute prostatitis, the symptoms are more severe and come on suddenly. Some acute cases are caused by a bacterial infection and require treatment with antibiotics. Without treatment, acute bacterial prostatitis cases can become a life-threatening infection.

In people with chronic prostatitis, their symptoms may appear more gradually and come and go over time. Chronic prostatitis can last for months at a time and harm your quality of life and sex life.

In chronic bacterial prostatitis, a milder infection can linger for months and cause painful symptoms. Men can develop it after experiencing a case of acute bacterial prostatitis or after a urinary tract infection. Symptoms in these cases can range from mild to severe and occur sporadically.

Symptoms of Prostatitis

Prostatitis symptoms are similar in acute and chronic cases. The most common symptoms are pain during urination and difficulties urinating. This condition causes other symptoms such as:

• A more urgent need to urinate
• More frequent urination during the night
• Cloudy urine
• Pain in the area between the rectum and testicles
• Discomfort or pain in the testicles and penis
• Lower back and abdominal pain

Men with acute bacterial prostatitis may experience additional flu-like symptoms from the infection, including fever, chills, nausea, and general aches and pains. Men with chronic cases of prostatitis don’t experience these symptoms. However, chronic prostatitis can cause sexual problems over time, and men can experience erectile dysfunction.

It’s essential for anyone who experiences prostatitis symptoms to visit their doctor. They can determine the cause and prescribe an effective treatment. If left untreated, prostatitis can lead to worsening health problems.

Causes of Prostatitis

Acute bacterial prostatitis is caused by common bacteria, such as E. coli, Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, entering the prostate from the urinary tract. In cases of chronic prostatitis, doctors are unsure of the exact causes but have identified several triggers. This includes stress, nerve damage in the pelvic region, or injuries to the pelvis.

Risk Factors

Certain risk factors increase the chances of developing prostatitis. Acute and chronic prostatitis have different risk factors.

Acute Prostatitis

Men are more likely to get acute prostatitis if they:

• Recently suffered a urinary tract infection
• Injured their pelvis
• Required a urinary catheter
• Recently had a prostate biopsy
• Have HIV, AIDs, or a sexually transmitted disease
• Suffer from urinary tract problems
• Engage in anal sex

Chronic Prostatitis

Chronic prostatitis is more likely to develop in men who:

• Have previously been diagnosed with prostatitis
• Are older
• Suffer from other abdominal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Have been abused sexually

How Prostatitis is Diagnosed

Men who experience prostatitis symptoms have to visit their doctor for an accurate diagnosis. The doctor will request a urine sample to check for signs of a bacterial infection and perform a physical exam.

This includes a rectal exam, where a doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate and check for structural abnormalities. This internal exam may cause discomfort in men with swollen prostates.

A primary care doctor can diagnose prostatitis easily, but may refer patients to a specialist to rule out other conditions or causes. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment is administered.

Treatment for Prostatitis

The treatment for prostatitis depends on which type of the condition has been diagnosed. For men with acute bacterial prostatitis, a course of antibiotics and pain relievers are prescribed. Hospital stays are not required for acute cases unless patients cannot urinate or the infection is more severe.

In cases of chronic prostatitis, the goal of treatment is to reduce the symptoms and control the condition. The use of over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, can help reduce pain and inflammation caused by chronic prostatitis.

Doctors may prescribe alpha-blockers to men who have trouble urinating. This medication helps relax the muscles located at the base of the bladder and in the prostate gland. They can also recommend laxatives to men with prostatitis who have pain or difficulties with bowel movements.

Patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis will also need a course of antibiotics to treat their condition. While these infections are not life-threatening, eliminating the lingering infection can reduce prostatitis symptoms.

Understand the risk factors and consider regular screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to prevent prostatitis from occurring. Home test kits are now available that will test for multiple infections at once, including HIV and syphilis, so you can check your status anytime without having to see a doctor.

Maintain Your Health With eDrugstore

Leaving prostatitis untreated can lead to additional health problems, including developing erectile dysfunction. To avoid this outcome, take any symptoms of prostatitis seriously and visit a doctor immediately.

If you sexual side effects of prostatitis, erectile dysfunction medications can help. We carry all FDA-approved brand-name and generic ED medications along with a complimentary medical consultation with a U.S.-licensed physician, who will write your prescription. Virtual health visits and shipping are always free.