Prostatitis can affect potency or cause infertility. The success of treatment largely depends on how quickly treatment is started, so one must pay attention to the first signs on one's own. Consider how prostatitis manifests in acute and chronic forms, and also provide information on clinical manifestations and symptoms.
Signs of acute and chronic prostatitis
Acute prostatitis most often occurs in men of reproductive age who are sexually active. The first signs of the disease in this case appear unexpectedly, develop quickly and cannot go unnoticed.
In acute prostatitis, a man will feel:
- sharp, often throbbing pain in the perineum;
- temperature rise up to 39 ° C;
- pain when urinating.
With the disease, the focus of the inflammatory process in the prostate is extensive, so nearby organs may be involved in the pathological process. For example, prostatitis can affect the rectum, resulting in painful bowel movements.
Chronic prostatitis is more often diagnosed in men of retirement age. The disease can proceed without special symptoms. Sometimes patients complain to the doctor of burning or itching when urinating, notice a mucous or purulent discharge from the glans penis. The pain in chronic prostatitis is either absent or insignificant, and the temperature rises to 37 degrees.
Initial symptoms
Doctors identify a number of manifestations that are considered precursors of the disease. They are a signal for a man to visit a doctor in the near future. The six symptoms listed below indicate a problem in the genitourinary system and are therefore combined into one group - dysuric syndrome:
- Urine is excreted in drops, the man tries to do that.
- The jet is slow, the range is not more than 20 cm.
- Spraying urine, splitting or inadvertently interrupting the nozzle.
- Frequent need to use the toilet at night.
- Pain during urination.
- Feeling of an empty bladder.
If there is only one symptom - prostatitis, most likely, we are not talking. However, if a man may notice two or three signs in himself, that is a reason to see a doctor. The inflammatory process in the prostate has most likely begun.
The doctor will make a more accurate diagnosis after a rectal examination, TRUS, laboratory methods, which together make a comprehensive examination. Based on the results of these measures, treatment is also selected, so self-medication is strictly prohibited.
Problems with urination may indicate prostate cancer, then the tactics of therapy will be significantly different.
Certain manifestations are not always indicative of prostatitis, they can indicate any other inflammatory process in the genitourinary system. However, when they do occur, there is reason for caution. Consider how a man will feel if he has prostate inflammation.
Violation of urination
In patients with acute prostatitis, the urination process is disturbed. Normally, a man can feel up to 15 urges to alleviate a small need per day, this is due to the drinking regime. Average indicators - 4-5 times. However, with prostatitis, the picture changes. A man may feel the urge twice as often, but the volume of urine will not increase. This means that the kidneys work smoothly, but the walls of the bladder are pressed by the prostate.
Narrowing of the urethra of the prostate causes stranguria. This is a pathological condition in which a man feels severe pain when urinating. The development of ischuria is also possible (impossibility of going to the toilet).
Temperature increase
The first sign of acute prostatitis will be a rise in temperature to febrile levels (38-39 degrees). This symptom is especially characteristic of purulent prostatitis and is a precursor to septic shock. As a severe infectious process progresses, body temperature may drop to 35-36 ° C.
In some cases, this condition can be life threatening. It is especially dangerous for men with disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome (disseminated intravascular coagulation).
Occurrence of blood in urine
This symptom is more often detected in a laboratory study of urine, less often visually by the man himself. This is a dangerous manifestation of prostatitis, which is very difficult to fight. The cause of hematuria (scientific name of the trait) can be:
- the location of the blood vessel in the area of the purulent-inflammatory process;
- development of prostate cancer or adenoma;
- trauma to the urethra or prostate on examination.
Also, such a manifestation is possible in calculous prostatitis, when stones and sand damage the glandular tissue. Fortunately for men, hematuria with prostatitis is very rare.
Groin pain syndrome
Acute prostatitis, as well as cases of complications in the chronic form, can be accompanied by pain of various natures, from moderate to severe. This is not the first sign of prostatitis, but it cannot be ignored. The following types of discomfort are distinguished:
- shooting, sharp pains;
- feeling of pain or pressure;
- itching and tingling (more common in chlamydial prostatitis).
In some cases, men may also feel pain in the anus. It increases when the bowel is emptied, in a sitting position, and disappears if the man is at rest.
Laboratory signs of disease
It can be said that the man got prostatitis only after laboratory tests of blood and urine, as well as based on the results of ultrasound, CT, MRI and palpation. There are several known signs by which it is possible to establish inflammation in the organ:
- appearance of leukocytes in blood and urine;
- identification of pathogenic microflora in urine and prostate secretion;
- an increase in the number of leukocytes on the background of a decrease in the number of lecithin grains in the juice of the prostate;
- pain in the prostate area during rectal examination;
- increase in gland size on TRUS images, presence of areas with increased echogenicity.
Also, the presence of inflammation in the body can be judged by other parameters - an increase in ESR in blood tests, a shift in the leukogram, the presence of immobile sperm in the ejaculate.
Various bacteria can be found in the urine - Trichomonas, chlamydia, E. coli, etc.
Of the instrumental methods, in addition to TRUS, contrast-enhanced X-ray examination may be included. On the images of the prostate in different projections will be clearly visible signs of inflammation - areas with disorders of tissue structure.
Conclusion
From a practical point of view, the following first signs of prostatitis are important for a man - urination disorders and pain in the perineum. If the temperature rises at the same time, we can talk about acute bacterial prostatitis.
In any case, it is necessary to make an appointment with a doctor, perform an examination and only then start treatment. It is forbidden to choose your own therapy, focusing only on unpleasant manifestations.