Prostatitis

Prostatitis is the general term for inflammation of the prostate. The inflammation can be acute and is normally caused by an infection. There are three main types of prostatitis; acute prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and chronic non-bacterial prostatitis.

Prostatitis Symptoms

Symptoms of prostatitis depend on the type of prostatitis which you are experiencing, but in general will include:

  • Pelvic pain
  • Pain when urinating
  • Pain when ejaculating semen
  • Heavy, aching full feeling in the pelvic area

Acute Prostatitis

This is caused by a bacterial infection which may have started in the bladder or urethra and spread to the prostate. Without prompt treatment using antibiotics, the prostate and surrounding tissues can become damaged.

Chronic (Long Lasting) Prostatitis

This is becoming more common. Symptoms include persistent genital or pelvic pain and a heavy, aching, full feeling in the area. Pain during or after ejaculation can be very distressing and does not help sexual relationships. Often it can be tracked back to an inflammation of the prostate. It can also lead to an increase in urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Chronic Non-Bacterial Prostatitis

This is a poorly understood condition of unknown origin. It shares many of the symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis, except that when it is diagnosed there is no trace of a bacterial infection (or any other type of infection).

Prostitis Diagnosis

Diagnosing the cause of prostatitis can be quite difficult and finding the most successful treatment may take time. Firstly, your doctor will need to examine your prostate. He does this by inserting a gloved fingers into the rectum and feeling the prostate through the wall of your rectum. Though this may feel uncomfortable, it can tell the doctor a lot.

Either your GP or the hospital Consultant Urologist will test a specimen of urine to check for infections, and take a blood sample to check for the presence of chemical markers that can help identify the cause of the problem.

Depending on the result of these tests, you may be asked to provide a specimen of semen to see if that shows signs of infection. Producing this sample may well be the very last thing you feel like doing but it can make a big difference to your diagnosis so it is well worth persevering.

A consultant may decide that they need a closer look at the gland itself. This can be done by imaging technology; either ultrasound scanning, CT or MRI, depending precisely on what they suspect might be the problem.

如果这些研究显示不寻常的变化，那么顾问可能会想要对腺体进行活检。这是在使用长针的局部麻醉和超声引导下完成的。你会感到轻微的疼痛，可能会注意到带血的精液持续一两天，但这项测试是安全的，也是确保你的问题得到充分了解的好方法。

Further Information

If you are concerned about your problem and it is starting to affect your day-to-day life make an appointment to see your doctor, continence nurse or specialist physiotherapist. A continence nurse and specialist physiotherapist are healthcare professionals who specialise in bladder and bowel problems.

Prostatitis Treatments