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, you need to understand that there are several clinical forms of the disease, which, despite the common “target organ” - the prostate, proceed in completely different ways.And symptoms characteristic of one form of the disease may be absent in another.
Classification approaches in dividing disease forms
Based on WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations and industry protocols, it is generally accepted to divide into the following types of pathology:
- Acute prostatitis without specification of 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;
- Asymptomatic chronic 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 prostate lesions, 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 present more pronounced clinical manifestations.
General manifestations:
- Increased body temperature in response to the inflammatory process.It is always present and can reach significant values.The height of the thermometer depends on the causative agent of the disease.
- General asthenia.It manifests as severe weakness, malaise, fatigue and a marked decrease in physical activity.
- Decreased 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 occur in blood and urine tests, indicating the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.Most often they are pronounced.But they are nonspecific, as they may be a sign of inflammation.Therefore, tests must be compared with symptoms.
Local symptoms of prostatitis:
- Pain.It is the most striking symptom of prostatitis.But its severity is a consequence of the intensity of the inflammatory process and presents characteristics associated with a specific infectious agent.Most of the time, the pain is projected into the perineum and radiates to the groin or testicles.
- Groin discomfort.Most of the time, it is one of the first manifestations and is short-lived, as it quickly gives way to pain.Initially, the discomfort appears during physical or sexual activity and after a while it recurs at rest.Usually accompanied by increased itching, burning, sensation 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 most often appear 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.
- Bleeding or blood impurities.Most often they occur in the form of hematospermia - staining of ejaculate with blood.When infected with hemolytic strains of bacteria, spontaneous mucous secretion mixed with blood is possible.
- Disturbances in the defecation process.Due to its anatomical proximity, prostate inflammation also affects the final part of the gastrointestinal tract.Manifested mainly by constipation.In essence, it is a defensive reaction, as distension of the rectal ampulla leads to increased pain.
In essence, 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 increased gland volume and increased pressure in the urethra.Initially, it manifests as incomplete emptying of the bladder, which causes 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.They initially manifest themselves in the form of discomfort during sexual intercourse and ejaculation with changes in seminal fluid.The level of sexual desire and overall sexual activity decrease.There may be fear and active avoidance of intimacy due to pain.
Symptoms and signs of prostatitis in the clinical picture of 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 on the part of 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, disorders of varying degrees of severity are present.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, agitation and vibration is lost, and intolerance to low ambient temperatures develops.
Local or regional symptoms of prostatitis:
- Discomfort in the groin.Most often it is constantly present and is an analogue of pain during an acute process.For each patient, the degree of discomfort may vary - from minor to maximum.It is the discomfort that causes a radical change in the patient's quality of life, because to avoid it, the patient often prefers to refuse intimacy.
- Physiological secretions.During the remission phase, these changes are most 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.
- Disturbances in the defecation process.In this case, a state of chronic constipation develops as a defensive reaction.
Prostate dysfunction:
- Difficulty urinating.It is a reflection of the gradual development of changes in prostate tissues.The most common symptoms also include a decrease in the speed and volume of urinary flow, as well as a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder.To overcome this feeling, the patient makes additional efforts.
- Violations of the intimate sphere.Inflammation and the fear of pain that arises with it lead to a gradual decrease in a 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 pain that is constantly present and 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.In this context, the man's lifestyle changes, general and sexual activity decreases and depressive states develop.
It is important to emphasize that with CPPS the first symptoms of prostatitis may only appear in this dull form, without a prior acute period.
Asymptomatic or asymptomatic form of the disease
There are cases when prostatitis pain, like other symptoms, is absent.This is how the asymptomatic form of the disease occurs.It is an accidental finding during preventive examinations and exams.It often happens that this 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 changes.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 the treatment of prostatitis 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 made individually, based on an accurate diagnosis.The standards of relevant mandatory industrial protocols are used.
In the acute form of the disease, the main objective of therapy is to prevent chronification and complete cure.
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 combating clinical forms of the disease, but also preventing it.Preventing prostatitis is important for both health maintenance and treatment.The preventive measures themselves are selected by the doctor for each patient individually.In summary they look like this:
- Lifestyle changes in the form of giving up bad habits and improving overall health;
- Normalization of physiological functions, including bowel movements;
- Stabilization of a man's intimate life;
- Continuous or ongoing use of symptomatic medications;
- The use of organotropic drugs.
In terms of clinical and preventive effectiveness, one of the best remedies is a medicine obtained from prostate extract 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 that are 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.