There are different stages of prostatitis.They differ from each other in clinical symptoms and characteristics of the course.The most effective treatment is the initial stage of development of inflammation of the prostate.At this stage, the disease does not have time to significantly affect the functioning of the genitourinary system.The later a man suffering from prostatitis seeks help from a doctor, the lower his chances of a complete recovery.
What is prostatitis
Prostatitis is an inflammatory process that appears in the prostate gland.More than half of the elderly male population is personally familiar with this disease.Doctors identify several forms of the disease, each of which manifests itself in its own way.When making the diagnosis, urologists specify the type of prostatitis found in the patient.The inflammation can be bacterial or non-bacterial.Both pathologies negatively affect the functioning of the gland and nearby organs.
The pathological process has 2 courses:
- spicy;
- Chronic.
The first symptoms of acute prostatitis appear from the first days of the disease.Their severity increases if a man does not try to cope with inflammation.The chronic course is characterized by the absence of obvious symptoms of malaise.Therefore, this form of prostatitis is usually detected during a routine examination by a urologist.
Acute prostatitis gives clear symptoms even in the initial phase, while chronic prostatitis does not manifest itself for a long time
Phases of chronic disease
Chronic prostatitis is divided into different stages, which follow one another if the man does not try to fight the disease.It can remain dormant for several years.At the same time, the pathology periodically worsens.Remission and relapse of the disease gradually replace each other.
It depends only on the patient's actions how long he will treat the disease, to what stage he can reach and whether he will be able to fully recover.
Phase 1
The early stage of the prostate is considered the safest for health.That is why doctors recommend starting treatment at this stage.But the difficulty is that at first the disease does not cause much discomfort.A man doesn't even always know that he is sick.If for a number of reasons the patient could not overcome the pathological process in the prostate gland, it will progress to a more severe stage.And this will happen until the infectious agent is stopped by therapy.
1st degree prostatitis is characterized by the following symptoms, which will be mild:
- The body temperature rises to 38 degrees.After some time it could increase up to 40 degrees;
- Severe pain is felt in the area of the hip joints;
- Discomfort occurs during bowel movements;
- The penis becomes more flaccid;
- During urination you may notice mucus that has no color;
- Pain appears during urination;
- The urethra becomes increasingly narrower, so you have to force yourself to empty the bladder;
- At night, the frequent urge to go to the bathroom starts to bother you;
- Sexual intercourse becomes less prolonged.
All these signs are a good reason to visit a specialist.They will bother a man for up to 3 years.It is during this period that the course of the first stage of the disease is usually observed.
Symptoms of inflammation of the prostate appear and disappear, since at this stage the disease occurs in waves.It will seem to a person that the disease has subsided, but after a while it manifests itself again.
Very often patients do not complete the initial stage of inflammation in the prostate gland.For this reason the disease becomes chronic.It is very difficult to fight this form of pathology.The treatment will take a long time and require the investment of large sums.However, there is no guarantee that the disease will regress at the end of the therapeutic cycle.
A urologist can identify the initial stage of prostatitis in a patient if he undergoes a series of diagnostic procedures.The disease is detected through the following studies:
- Palpation of the rectum;
- Collection of secretions and sperm;
- General analysis of urine and blood;
- Sperm analysis;
- Ultrasound of the prostate gland.
Analysis of the research results will allow the specialist to determine the disease and its cause.If prostatitis turns out to be infectious, the man will be offered to take antibiotics and other drugs that help restore the affected prostate tissue and normalize its performance.Even the non-infectious form of inflammation requires drug therapy.This treatment will be based on immunomodulatory drugs, dietary supplements and rectal suppositories with anti-inflammatory effects.
If the initial stage of the disease occurs in a non-aggravated form, the patient is additionally prescribed physiotherapy treatment along with a diet.
In an early stage, inflammation of the prostate responds well to treatment
Phase 2
2nd degree prostatitis is accompanied by a temporary weakening of symptoms.Many men perceive this condition as healing.They postpone visits to the doctor or stop paying due attention to therapy.But a decrease in the inflammatory process with such a diagnosis is a bad sign.While the first stage of the disease was underway, the size of the prostate increased due to the active division of its cells.As a result, scars form on the walls.Vascular ruptures lead to interruption of the blood supply to the prostate gland.
The second stage of prostatitis is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Violation of biological rhythms;
- Nervousness;
- Pain when urinating;
- Heart failure;
- Exacerbation of radiculitis;
- Disappearance of orgasm;
- Lack of sexual desire.
At this stage of prostatitis in men, it is difficult to correctly determine the specific location of the pain syndrome.Initially, pain is felt in the location of the prostate.It subsequently spreads to all areas of the pelvis.
Patients with stage 2 prostatitis are recommended to take immunostimulating drugs and attend physiotherapeutic procedures.To prevent the situation from becoming more complicated, they need to avoid hypothermia, abandon bad habits and normalize their diet.
It is very important to ensure a healthy lifestyle
Phase 3
The third stage of development of inflammation in the prostate gland is the one that causes the greatest problems.In this case, the man is diagnosed with a chronic form of prostatitis.At this stage, a major change occurs in the prostate tissue.They begin to die rapidly.The scars formed in the previous stages significantly compress the bladder.This provokes the development of urinary retention, which is an extremely dangerous complication.
Prostatitis at the 3rd stage of development leads to the appearance of pathological changes in the kidneys and bladder.The danger is that they are irreversible.At this stage, men often complain of sciatica.
The last stage of the disease presents the following symptoms:
- Frequent urge to urinate;
- Severe pain when urinating;
- Weak urinary pressure;
- Cut in the kidney area;
- Lack of sensation of complete emptying of the bladder after going to the toilet.
The last stage of chronic prostatitis is considered the most dangerous.At this stage, dying cells are replaced by connective tissue.This change leads to a decrease in the size of the prostate gland and a narrowing of the urinary tract.Due to the malfunction of the system, humans develop cystic formations.It also develops impotence.
Since in the last stages of the disease the symptoms are very pronounced, the patient's life becomes very complicated.The constant pain does not give him rest, day or night.Very often, for the first time, men turn to a urologist precisely because of such obvious symptoms of prostatitis.But since by this time irreversible processes have occurred in the gland, doctors do not guarantee the elimination of the pathology even if the patient meets all his needs.It is difficult for them to predict how inflammation will behave at a given stage of development.
If the case is severe and antibiotics do not provide significant relief, the patient undergoes surgery to partially or completely remove the prostate gland.
At stage 3, the pain becomes severe and the changes in the organs become irreversible.
Phases of the acute disease
It is with acute inflammation of the glandular organ that prostatitis begins.It is gradually getting worse.The prostate gland is affected by an infection that successfully develops in it with a weakened immune system.Chronic prostatitis is observed in those who have failed to cope with the acute form of the pathology.In this case, the man will not feel any particular symptoms of the disease until he is in the acute phase.
Inflammation of the prostate, caused by an infectious pathogen, manifests itself from the first days of the disease.Therefore, this form of pathology is diagnosed earlier than the chronic one.Acute prostatitis is characterized by slightly different stages of development.Doctors distinguish 4 degrees of the disease, which follow one another.
Catarrhal phase
At this stage the inflammatory process begins in the prostate.It spreads into the ductal tissues of the glandular lobules.Swelling of the prostate occurs, which continues to progress.At this stage, the man has no purulent discharge that could indicate a gland infection.He will be bothered by other symptoms:
- Frequent urge to go to the bathroom;
- Painful urge to urinate;
- General weakness in the body;
- Variable psycho-emotional state;
- Apathetic mood;
- Irritability.
Another distinctive feature of acute prostatitis at stage 1 of development is the enlargement of the prostate gland.Although this symptom is also characteristic of the chronic course of the pathology.The doctor will be able to notice this feature when palpating the problem area.Special tests can confirm the specialist's concerns.The patient must absolutely be directed to donate prostatic secretion to study its composition.With prostatitis, an increased number of leukocytes will be detected in the fluid.The doctor will also detect impurities of pus and mucus in the sample.
Treatment of the catarrhal stage of acute prostatitis consists of taking a group of drugs that suppress inflammation and reduce the severity of the main symptoms of the disease.
Massage with this course of pathology is strictly prohibited, like many other similar physiotherapeutic procedures.
On average, treatment of the initial stage of acute inflammation of the prostate lasts about 2 weeks.During this period, the patient completely gets rid of the disease.The positive outcome of the therapy is due to the fact that it was started before the pathology still had time to lead to the development of irreversible processes in the organs of the genitourinary system.
Follicular stage
As this stage of prostatitis develops, the swelling spreads to the follicles and excretory channels of the prostate.Its structures begin to compress nearby tissues, causing severe suppuration.The symptoms of the disease intensify and become more pronounced and noticeable.In this condition, men complain of the following signs of illness:
- The body temperature rises to 38 degrees and does not fall;
- Apathetic mood;
- The appearance of pain in the groin area;
- Spread of pain to the genitals, anal area and hip joint;
- Painful urination;
- Pain in the head area of the penis;
- Defecation becomes more difficult;
- Produce a minimal amount of urine.
When palpating the problem area, an asymmetric increase in prostate tissue can be detected.When examining the results of a urinalysis, your doctor will detect the presence of excess pus and white blood cells in the sample.
It is very important to begin urgent treatment of the follicular stage of acute prostatitis, since otherwise a malignant process may develop in the structures of the glandular organ.
If treatment is ignored, there is a risk of developing cancer
Parenchymal stage
Prostate tissue is subject to constant damage.For this reason, a large number of small pustules form inside them.The urinary tract is further compressed.As a result, acute urinary retention occurs.Other symptoms of the parenchymal stage include the following conditions:
- Painful bowel movements;
- Increase in body temperature to 39 degrees or more;
- Constant feeling of extreme thirst;
- Loss of appetite;
- Severe weakness;
- Chronic fatigue;
- Difficulty urinating;
- Severe pain in the pelvis, anus and lower back;
- Flatulence and constipation.
Abnormal mucus impurities begin to appear in the stool, as inflammation affects the intestines.The gland becomes quite large and its outlines are blurry.
Abscess phase
This stage of acute prostatitis is accompanied by a number of painful signs that prevent a man from leading a full life.They are more pronounced than in the initial stage of development of the inflammatory process.At this stage, small pustules merge into a whole formation.Purulent masses quickly accumulate inside it.When it gets too big, it bursts.As a result, the accumulated pus is released through the urethra.In the stage of abscess formation, the patient suffers from the following symptoms:
- Severe malaise;
- Increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees;
- Passivity to any action;
- Intense pain in the anus and genitals;
- Difficulty in defecation and urination.
If a man in this condition does not receive proper treatment, he could die.It is very important to eliminate the abscess so that the patient's well-being improves.Only after this the main signs of the disease will begin to subside.
Complications
The earlier treatment of prostatitis is started, the less damage the inflammatory process will cause to the body.That is why it is better to fight the disease at an early stage.But not all men adhere to this recommendation, as many hope that the disease will disappear on its own.Because of this, the disease progresses and leads to the development of unpleasant complications.Neglecting the help of a specialist, a person faces the following consequences of untreated prostatitis:
- The appearance of various inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system;
- Decreased sexual desire;
- Psychological disorders;
- Infertility;
- Impotence.
It is not uncommon for men who have had prostatitis to not have a normal erection.It is for this reason that the patient's sexual activity is significantly reduced.In some cases, the absence of ejaculation is considered a complication.A man's penis may suddenly fall off.If such deviations are detected, it is necessary to visit a specialist to find out the nature of the violation and find ways to eliminate it.
We must not forget that the inflammatory process can actively spread to nearby tissues and organs.That is why, against the background of prostatitis, men additionally develop cystitis and urethritis.These diseases lead to disruption of urine outflow.The occurrence of chronic incontinence cannot be ruled out.
Impotence is perceived by men as one of the most serious complications of acute or chronic prostatitis.With such a deviation, the ability to excite disappears.This is due to inflammation, which interferes with the process of tissue nutrition.Edema prevents the corpora cavernosa from filling completely with blood.Medicine has learned to treat this complication with long-term drug therapy.However, not all patients who have completed this course are satisfied with the result.
It is prostatitis that is defined as the main cause of the development of 1st degree infertility.In this case we consider a variant of the disease in which the composition of the seminal fluid changes.The secretion changes its level of acidity and viscosity.All these anomalies are detected during the examination of the semen sample submitted for analysis.
With the problem of infertility, men should contact an andrologist.It will help you choose the optimal treatment.
If prostatitis is severe, it will lead to grade 2 infertility. This condition is not amenable to therapeutic treatment.
A man's psycho-emotional mood suffers greatly due to inflammation of the prostate.Frequent failures in the intimate sphere make him worry.Against this background, depression appears, which further worsens the general condition of the patient.
Over 30% of patients diagnosed with prostatitis experience psycho-emotional experiences.A psychologist helps them restore male libido, which has been reduced due to stress.
Impotence and infertility are common complications of the disease
Remission of chronic prostatitis
If treatment for prostatitis has been started, the patient can achieve remission.This is the name of a condition in which there is a significant weakening of the symptoms of the disease or their complete disappearance.Prostatitis in remission is recorded in the majority of patients who have completed the entire treatment cycle.This period lasts different times for each person.If a man does not adhere to the doctor's recommendations, then after a while there will be an exacerbation of inflammation of the prostate.And then the patient will have to be treated again.
Species
Remission of prostatitis can be complete or incomplete.In the first case, after full therapy, the man ceases to be bothered by all the symptoms of the pathology.He forgets about it for a long time.Incomplete remission usually lasts no more than 3 months.During this period, the patient may complain of minor symptoms that characterize prostatitis.For example, many continue to experience pain when urinating and discomfort in the pelvic area.
Duration
Even experienced doctors sometimes find it very difficult to predict how long the remission will last for a particular person who has been treated for prostatitis.This indicator is individual.The duration of this period directly depends on a number of factors:
- The causative agent of the disease;
- General condition of the body;
- Quality of treatment;
- Severity of the disease;
- Stage of the disease.
Also taken into account is how the patient conscientiously follows the recommendations of the attending physician, which concern the prevention of relapses of prostatitis.
If a man meets all the requirements of a specialist and carefully takes care of his health, his remission can last several decades.Sometimes the disease disappears completely.
Forecast
If a patient who had to undergo treatment for chronic prostatitis begins to lead a correct lifestyle, takes control tests and regularly visits the doctor, and also takes medications to prevent the recurrence of inflammation of the prostate, then he will have a favorable prognosis for recovery.In this case, the disease may never bother the person again.
If a man develops prostatitis, he should begin therapy immediately.To do this, you need to contact a specialist.A comprehensive examination of the genitourinary system will help the urologist select an adequate treatment that will stop the disease and eliminate any complications that may arise.