Chronic Prostatitis
Introduction
Chronic prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate. The prostate is a gland that exists only in men.
What causes a chronic prostatitis?
Inflammation of the prostate can be caused by a long-standing infection. It is thought that repeated infections may lead to chronic prostatitis. More often than not, the cause of chronic prostatitis is not known.
What are the symptoms of chronic prostatitis?
The most common symptoms of chronic prostatitis include:
- Pain at the base of the penis, lower abdomen and lower back, between the penis and the anus. The pain ranges in severity from person to person. In some people, the pain in mild and allows them to live a normal life while others are debilitated from the pain.
- Urination problems include an urgent desire to urinate, frequent urination or painful urination.
What do you expect at the doctor’s visit:
Your doctor will perform the following test to assess you for chronic prostatitis:
- Urine tests for infections
- Finger examination of the prostate via the anus.
- Blood tests to check how your kidney is functioning or the indicators of previous infections
- PSA test to check for the risk of prostate cancer.
- Urine flow test to measure the exact speed of your urination
- Sonar of the prostate to check for any abnormalities in the prostate
What are the options of treatment for a chronic prostatitis?
Chronic prostatitis is a difficult condition for both you and your doctor. There is no single medication that treats chronic prostatitis for all patients. Treatment is often tailor-made according to the degree of bother that the patient suffers.
Successful treatment requires both patience from your self and your doctor.
Your doctor will often initiate you on antibiotic treatment and painkillers. You will get an follow up appointment to check your response to treatment.
Removal of the prostate can be done in very rare circumstances where the patient suffers intractable pain