There are different stages of prostatitis.They differ from each other in clinical symptoms and course characteristics.The most effective treatment is the initial stage of development of prostate inflammation.At this stage, the disease does not have time to greatly affect the functioning of the genitourinary system.The later a man with prostatitis seeks help from a doctor, the lower his chances of a full recovery.
What is prostatitis
Prostatitis is an inflammatory process that appears in the prostate gland.More than half of the older male population is personally familiar with this disease.Doctors identify several forms of the disease, each of which occurs in its own way.When making a diagnosis, urologists specify the type of prostatitis found in the patient.Inflammation can be bacterial or non-bacterial.Both pathologies negatively affect the functioning of the gland and neighboring organs.
The pathological process has 2 course patterns:
- Spicy;
- Chronic.
The initial 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 even in the initial stage gives bright symptoms, while chronic prostatitis does not manifest itself for a long time
Stages of chronic disease
Chronic prostatitis is divided into several stages, which succeed each other if the man does not try to fight the disease.It can be latent 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 it will be able to reach and whether he will be able to fully recover.
Stage 1
The initial 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 the very beginning the disease does not cause much discomfort.A man does not even always know that he is sick.If for a number of reasons the patient was unable to overcome the pathological process in the prostate gland, he will move to a more severe stage.And this will happen until the infectious agent is stopped by therapy.
Prostatitis of the 1st degree is characterized by the following symptoms, which will be mild:
- Body temperature rises to 38 degrees.After some time, it may increase 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 more narrowed, so you have to strain to empty the bladder;
- At night, frequent urge to go to the toilet begins 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 time that the course of the first stage of the disease is usually observed.
Symptoms of prostate inflammation will arise and disappear, since at this stage the disease manifests itself in waves.It will seem to the man that the disease has subsided, but after a while it shows itself again.
Very often, patients do not complete the initial stage of inflammation in the prostate gland.Because of this, the disease becomes chronic.It is very difficult to fight this form of pathology.Treatment will take a long time and require the investment of large sums.However, there is no guarantee that upon completion of the therapeutic course the disease will recede.
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.The non-infectious form of inflammation also 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, then the patient is additionally prescribed physiotherapeutic treatment along with a diet.
At an early stage, prostate inflammation responds well to treatment
Stage 2
Prostatitis of the 2nd degree is accompanied by a temporary weakening of symptoms.Many men perceive this condition as recovery.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 in progress, 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 disruption of the blood supply to the prostate gland.
The second stage of prostatitis is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Disturbance of biological rhythms;
- Nervousness;
- Pain when urinating;
- Failure of the heart;
- 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 at the location of the prostate.Afterwards it spreads to all areas of the pelvis.
Patients with stage 2 prostatitis are recommended to take immunostimulating medications and attend physiotherapeutic procedures.To prevent the situation from becoming more complicated, they need to avoid hypothermia, give up bad habits and normalize their diet.
It is very important to ensure a healthy lifestyle
Stage 3
The third stage of development of inflammation in the prostate gland brings the most 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 off quickly.The scars formed in the previous stages greatly 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 whole danger is that they are irreversible.At this stage, men often complain of sciatica.
The last stage of the disease has the following symptoms:
- Frequent urge to urinate;
- Severe pain during urination;
- Weak urine pressure;
- Cutting in the kidney area;
- Lack of sensation of completely emptying the bladder after visiting the toilet.
The last stage of chronic prostatitis is considered the most dangerous.At this stage, the 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 system not functioning properly, a man develops cystic formations.He also develops impotence.
Since in the last stages of the disease its symptoms are very pronounced, the patient’s life becomes very complicated.Constant pain gives him no rest, day or night.Quite often, for the first time, men turn to a urologist precisely because of such obvious symptoms of prostatitis.But, since irreversible processes have occurred in the gland by this point, doctors do not guarantee getting rid of the pathology even if the patient fulfills all their requirements.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 is referred for surgery to partially or completely remove the prostate gland.
At stage 3, pain becomes severe, and changes in organs become irreversible.
Stages of acute illness
It is with acute inflammation in 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 could not cope with the acute form of the pathology.In this case, the man will not feel any special symptoms of the disease until it is in the acute stage.
Inflammation of the prostate, which is caused by an infectious pathogen, manifests itself from the first days of the disease.Therefore, this form of pathology is diagnosed earlier than chronic.Acute prostatitis is characterized by slightly different stages of development.Doctors distinguish 4 degrees of the disease, which follow each other.
Catarrhal stage
At this stage, the inflammatory process in the prostate begins.It spreads in 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 an infection in the gland.He will be bothered by other symptoms:
- Frequent urge to go to the toilet;
- 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 an 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 during palpation of the problem area.Special tests can confirm the specialist’s concerns.He must definitely refer the patient 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 medications 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 gland takes about 2 weeks.During this time, the patient completely gets rid of the disease.The positive outcome of therapy is due to the fact that it was started before the pathology had yet time to lead to the development of irreversible processes in the organs of the genitourinary system.
Follicular stage
With the development of this phase of prostatitis, swelling spreads to the follicles and excretory canals of the prostate.Its structures begin to compress neighboring tissues, causing serious suppuration.Symptoms of the disease intensify and become more pronounced and noticeable.In this condition, men complain of the following signs of illness:
- 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 area of the head of the penis;
- Defecation becomes more difficult;
- Producing a minimal amount of urine.
When you palpate the problem area, you can detect an asymmetrical increase in prostate tissue.When examining the results of a urine test, your doctor will detect the presence of excessive 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 therapy is ignored, there is a risk of developing cancer
Parenchymal stage
Prostate tissue is subject to constant damage.Because of this, a large number of small pustules form in them.The urinary tract is further compressed.As a result, acute urinary retention occurs.Other symptoms of the parenchymal stage are 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.
Impurities of abnormal mucus begin to appear in the stool, as inflammation affects the intestines.The gland becomes quite large, and its contours are blurred.
Abscessation stage
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 at 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.At 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 actions;
- Intense pain in the anus and genitals;
- Difficulty in defecation and urination.
If a man in this condition is not given adequate treatment, he may 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 sooner treatment for prostatitis is started, the less harm the inflammatory process will cause to the body.That is why it is best to fight the disease at an early stage.But not all men adhere to this recommendation, as many hope that the ailment will go away on its own.Because of this, the disease progresses and leads to the development of unpleasant complications.By 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 lack a normal erection.It is because of this 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 drop.If such deviations are detected, you need to visit a specialist to find out the nature of the violation and find ways to get rid of it.
We must not forget that the inflammatory process can actively spread to neighboring tissues and organs.That is why, against the background of prostatitis, men additionally develop cystitis and urethritis.These diseases lead to disruption of the outflow of urine.The occurrence of chronic incontinence cannot be ruled out.
Impotence is perceived by men as one of the most severe 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 cavernous bodies from being fully filled 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 called 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 acidity and viscosity level.All these abnormalities are detected during the examination of the semen sample that was submitted for analysis.
With the problem of infertility, men should contact an andrologist.He 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.
More than 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 for 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 full course of treatment.This period lasts different times for each person.If a man does not adhere to the doctor’s recommendations, then after a while an exacerbation of prostate inflammation will occur.And then the patient will have to be treated again.
Species
Remission from prostatitis can be complete or incomplete.In the first case, after complete therapy, the man ceases to be bothered by absolutely all the symptoms of the pathology.He forgets about them for a long period.Incomplete remission usually lasts no more than 3 months.During this time, the patient may complain of minor symptoms that characterize prostatitis.For example, many continue to experience painful urination and discomfort in the pelvic area.
Duration
Even experienced doctors sometimes find it very difficult to predict how long 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 conscientiously the patient follows the recommendations of the attending physician, which relate to the prevention of relapses of prostatitis.
If a man fulfills all the requirements of a specialist and carefully takes care of his own health, then his remission can last several decades.Sometimes the disease goes away 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 his doctor, and also takes medications to prevent relapse of prostate inflammation, then he will have a favorable prognosis for recovery.In this case, the disease may never bother the person again.
If a man does develop prostatitis, he should immediately begin therapy.To do this, you must contact a specialist.A full 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.