With the development of a typical clinical form of prostatitis, its symptoms can be different and at the same time appear simultaneously.However, even in this situation it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the organism, the type of pathogen, the stage of the disease, etc.
First of all, it is necessary to understand that there are several clinical forms of the disease, which, despite the common "target organ" - the prostate gland, proceed in completely different ways.And the symptoms characteristic of one form of the disease may be absent in another.
Classification approaches in the subdivision of disease forms
Based on the recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization) and sector protocols, the division of pathologies into the following types is generally accepted:
- Acute prostatitis without specifying the etiological factor;
- Chronic prostatitis, etiologically associated with bacteria;
- Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) with signs of prostate inflammation;
- Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) without signs of prostate inflammation;
- Chronic asymptomatic bacteriuria and leukocyturia in the absence of diseases of other organs of the genitourinary system;
- Granulomatous prostatitis with signs of fibrosis;
- A combination of any form of prostatitis with other lesions of the prostate, most often with BPH - benign prostatic hyperplasia.
This classification reflects all possible variants of organ pathology.And it is more correct to describe the most common symptoms of prostatitis from the point of view of describing each of the clinical forms.
Signs of prostatitis in the clinical picture of the acute form
In the acute form of the disease, its symptoms have the most pronounced clinical manifestations.
General manifestations:
- Increased body temperature as a response to the inflammatory process.It is always present and can reach significant values.The increase in the thermometer depends on the causative agent of the disease.
- General asthenia.It is manifested by severe weakness, malaise, fatigue and a sharp decrease in physical activity.
- Reduced performance.The body, tired of the inflammatory process, is unable to maintain its usual performance and solve problems that require high energy expenditure.
- Laboratory test data.Changes in blood and urine tests occur that indicate the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.Most often they are pronounced.But they are not specific, as they can be a sign of any inflammation.Therefore, tests must be compared with symptoms.
Local symptoms of prostatitis:
- Pain.It is the most obvious symptom of prostatitis.But its severity is a consequence of the intensity of the inflammatory process and has characteristics associated with a specific infectious agent.Most often, the pain is projected into the perineum with irradiation to the groin or testicles.
- Groin discomfort.Most often, one of the earliest and short-lived manifestations, as it quickly gives way to pain.Initially, the discomfort appears during physical or sexual activity and after a while it also recurs at rest.Usually accompanied by increased itching, burning, feeling of fullness in the groin or during urination.
- Mucus discharge.They are not always mandatory and appear in the early stages.Usually transparent, much less often whitish.They appear more often after urination or are present independently, appearing as stains on underwear.They are a reflection of severe inflammation and involvement of the initial part of the urethra.
- Hemorrhages or blood impurities.Most often they occur in the form of hematospermia: staining of the ejaculate with blood.In case of infection with hemolytic bacterial strains, spontaneous secretion of mucus mixed with blood is possible.
- Disorders in the defecation process.Inflammation of the prostate, due to its anatomical proximity, also affects the final part of the gastrointestinal tract.It manifests itself mainly with constipation.This is essentially a defensive reaction, since distension of the rectal ampulla leads to an increase in pain.
Basically, all local manifestations are symptoms of the initial stage of acute prostatitis.These include:
Prostate dysfunction with its symptoms:
- Difficulty urinating.It is a protective reaction of spasms in response to painful impulses.It is also associated with an increase in the volume of the gland and increased pressure on the urethra.It initially manifests as incomplete emptying of the bladder, which causes an effort to complete urination.Subsequently, weakness of urinary flow occurs, and with a pronounced inflammatory reaction, the development of paradoxical ischuria is possible - the inability to urinate independently when the bladder is full.
- Intimate violations.Initially they manifest themselves in the form of discomfort during sexual intercourse and ejaculation with alterations of the seminal fluid.The level of sexual desire and overall sexual activity decreases.There may be fear and active avoidance of intimacy due to pain.
Symptoms and signs of prostatitis in the clinical picture of the chronic form
As the disease becomes chronic, the clinical picture also changes.Due to changes in the organ itself and the formation of protective reactions by the body, some symptoms appear more clearly, while others practically do not bother the patient.Furthermore, regardless of the cause of chronicity, a fairly clear division appears in the clinical picture of the disease.In the exacerbation phase, the symptoms of the acute phase of the disease prevail;in the remission phase there are disorders of varying severity.Since the clinical picture of an acute disease is described above, manifestations in the remission phase will be considered here.
General manifestations of prostatitis that has gone into remission:
General decrease in vitality and performance.Manifested by weakness and decreased physical activity.Over time, tolerance to stress, shock and vibrations is lost and an intolerance to low ambient temperatures develops.
Local or regional symptoms of prostatitis:
- Groin discomfort.Most often it is constantly present and is an analogue of pain during an acute process.For each patient, the degree of discomfort can vary, from mild to maximum.It is the discomfort that causes a radical change in the patient's quality of life, since to avoid it, the patient often prefers to refuse intimacy.
- Physiological secretions.During the remission phase, these changes are often detected only in the laboratory, but physiological changes also occur: a decrease in the volume of seminal fluid, a change in its color or consistency.
- Disorders in the defecation process.In this case, as a defensive reaction, a state of chronic constipation develops.
Prostate dysfunction:
- Difficulty urinating.It is a reflection of changes that gradually develop in the tissues of the prostate gland.The most common symptoms also include a decrease in the speed and volume of urinary flow, as well as a sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder.To overcome this feeling, the patient tries harder.
- Violations of the intimate sphere.Inflammation and the resulting fear of pain lead to a gradual decrease in the man's sexual activity and a weakening of libido.Psychological barriers quickly lead to the formation of persistent erectile dysfunction.
The main symptoms of clinical prostatitis, CPPS
The main symptom of chronic pelvic pain syndrome is constantly present pain of varying intensity.For each man, the severity of painful manifestations and their frequency are individual: from mild pain to significant pain and burning at rest, which intensifies even more during urination or defecation.Against this background, a man's lifestyle changes, general and sexual activity decreases, and depressive states develop.
It is important to note that with CPPS the first symptoms of prostatitis can appear precisely in this erased form, without a previous acute period.
Asymptomatic or asymptomatic form of the disease
There are cases when the pain of prostatitis, like other symptoms, is absent.This is how the asymptomatic form of the disease occurs.This is an accidental finding during preventive investigations and examinations.It often happens that such an asymptomatic course of the disease is temporary.When the immune system is weakened, an acute process with a characteristic clinical picture may develop.
Rare forms of prostatitis
We are talking about the granulomatous form and combined with other alterations.What symptoms of prostatitis in men in this case indicate the disease?Initially, the clinic is most often similar to the chronic form, but after careful examination by specialists, changes characteristic of these rare forms are revealed, which serve as the basis for an accurate diagnosis.
Features of prostatitis treatment depending on the clinical form
Each clinical form requires its own therapy.Only a doctor can prescribe it;self-medication can lead to complications and worsening of the disease.The selection of therapy is carried out individually, based on an accurate diagnosis.The standards of the relevant mandatory industrial protocols are used.
In the acute form of the disease, the main objective of therapy is to prevent chronicity and complete recovery.
For all chronic forms, it is important to achieve the highest quality and longest remission and prevent or significantly reduce the frequency of exacerbation of the process.
Prevention of prostatitis as an integral part of treatment
Treatment includes not only the fight against clinical forms of the disease, but also their prevention.Prevention of prostatitis is important for both health maintenance and treatment.The preventive measures themselves are selected by the doctor individually for each patient.In summary they look like this:
- Lifestyle changes in the form of abandoning bad habits and improving overall health;
- Normalization of physiological functions, including bowel movements;
- Stabilization of a man's intimate life;
- Continuous or current use of symptomatic medications;
- The use of organotropic drugs.
In terms of clinical and preventive effectiveness, one of the best remedies is a drug derived from an extract of the prostate glands in the form of ampoules and suppositories for prostatitis.The presence of a complex of specific biologically active compounds allows it to act directly on the glandular tissue.As a result, a chain of physiological changes is launched, aimed at increasing the intensity of recovery processes, as well as significantly reducing the frequency and severity of exacerbations of the chronic form of the disease.