There are different stages of prostatitis. They differ in clinical symptoms and course characteristics. The most effective is the treatment of the initial stages of the development of inflammation of the prostate. At this stage, the disease does not have time to severely 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 has occurred in the prostate. More than half of the older male population is personally familiar with this disease. Doctors distinguish several forms of the disease, each of which proceeds in its own way. When diagnosing, urologists indicate the type of prostatitis found in a patient. Inflammation can be bacterial or nonbacterial. Both pathologies adversely affect the functioning of the gland and neighboring organs.
The pathological process has 2 types of currents:
- Spicy;
- Chronic.
The first symptoms of acute prostatitis appear from the first days of the disease. Its 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 the urologist.
Already at the initial stage, acute prostatitis shows vivid symptoms, while chronic prostatitis does not manifest itself for a long time.
Stages of a chronic disease
Chronic prostatitis is divided into several stages that follow each other if a man does not try to fight the disease. It can be latent for several years. In this case, the pathology is periodically aggravated. 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, what stage it can reach and whether he can fully recover.
1st stage
The initial stage of the prostate is considered the safest for health. For this reason, doctors recommend starting treatment at this stage. But the difficulty lies in the fact that at the beginning the disease does not cause much discomfort. A man doesn't even always know he's sick. If for a number of reasons the patient could not overcome the pathological process in the prostate, then he will go to a more difficult stage. And so it will continue until the causative agent of the infection is stopped by therapy.
Prostatitis of the 1st degree is characterized by such symptoms, which will be mild:
- The body temperature rises to 38 degrees. After some time it can rise to 40 degrees;
- Severe pain is felt in the area of \u200b\u200bthe hip joints;
- There is discomfort with bowel movements;
- limb becomes sluggish;
- When urinating, you may notice mucus that has no color;
- pain occurs when urinating;
- The urethra narrows, making it difficult for you to empty your bladder;
- At night, the frequent urge to go to the toilet begins to bother;
- Sexual intercourse becomes shorter.
All these signs are a good reason to see a specialist. They will bother a man up to 3 years. During this period, the course of the first stage of the disease is usually observed.
Symptoms of prostatitis come and go as the disease manifests itself in waves at this stage. It will seem to a man that the disease has receded, but after a while it betrays itself again.
Very often, patients do not end the initial stage of inflammation in the prostate gland. Because of this, the disease becomes chronic. It is very difficult to deal with this form of pathology. The treatment will take a long time and will require large sums of money to be invested. At the same time, there is no guarantee that after the completion of the course of therapy the disease will recede.
A urologist can detect the initial stage of prostatitis in a patient if he undergoes a number of diagnostic procedures. The disease is recognized by such studies:
- palpation of the rectum;
- collection of secretions and semen;
- General analysis of urine and blood;
- sperm analysis;
- Ultrasound of the prostate.
Analysis of the research results allows the specialist to determine the disease and its cause. If prostatitis turns out to be contagious, the man is offered to drink antibiotics and other drugs that will help restore the affected prostate tissue and normalize its performance. Even a non-infectious form of inflammation requires drug therapy. Such treatment is based on immunomodulatory drugs, dietary supplements and rectal suppositories with anti-inflammatory effects.
If the initial stage of the disease proceeds in a non-exacerbated form, then in addition to diet, the patient is prescribed physical therapy.
At an early stage, inflammation of the prostate responds well to treatment.
2 steps
Second degree prostatitis is accompanied by a temporary weakening of symptoms. Many men find this condition a recovery. They postpone visits to the doctor or no longer pay attention to the therapy. However, a decrease in the inflammatory process with such a diagnosis is a bad sign. During the first stage of the disease, the size of the prostate increased due to the active division of its cells. As a result, scars form on the walls. Ruptured blood vessels cut off the blood supply to the prostate.
The second stage of prostatitis is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:
- violation of biological rhythms;
- Nervousness;
- pain when urinating;
- heart failure;
- aggravation of sciatica;
- The disappearance of the orgasm;
- lack of sexual desire.
At this stage of prostatitis in men, it is difficult to correctly determine the specific localization of the pain syndrome. Initially, pain is felt at the site of the prostate. After that, it spreads to all areas of the small pelvis.
Patients with stage 2 prostatitis are recommended to take immunostimulating drugs and participate in physiotherapy procedures. So that the situation does not become more complicated, they need to avoid hypothermia, give up bad habits and normalize the diet.
It is very important to have a healthy lifestyle
3 steps
The third stage of the development of inflammation in the prostate brings with it the most problems. In this case, a man is diagnosed with a chronic form of prostatitis. At this stage there is a serious change in the tissues of the prostate. They begin to die off quickly. The scars formed in the previous stages strongly compress the bladder. This provokes the development of urinary retention, which is an extremely dangerous complication.
Prostatitis at 3 degrees 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 development of the disease has the following symptoms:
- frequent urge to urinate;
- Severe pain when urinating;
- weak flow of urine;
- cutting in the area of the kidneys;
- Lack of feeling 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, the dying cells are replaced by connective tissue. This change leads to a reduction in the size of the prostate and a narrowing of the urinary tract. Due to the fact that the system is not working 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 is very complicated. Constant pain haunts him day and night. It is not uncommon for men to turn to a urologist for the first time precisely because of such obvious symptoms of prostatitis. However, since irreversible processes have occurred in the gland by this time, doctors do not guarantee that the pathology will be eliminated even if the patient meets all its 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 remove part or all of the prostate.
In stage 3, the pain becomes severe and the organ changes become irreversible.
Stages of the acute illness
Prostatitis begins with acute inflammation in the glandular organ. It's gradually escalating. The prostate is affected by an infection that will certainly develop 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 feels the peculiar symptoms of the disease only in the acute stage.
Inflammation of the prostate caused by an infectious agent manifests itself from the first days of the disease. Therefore, this form of pathology is diagnosed earlier as 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 duct tissues of the gland lobules. The prostate becomes swollen and progressive. At this stage, the man does not have purulent discharge, which may indicate infection of the gland. He is disturbed by other symptoms:
- Frequent urge to go to the toilet;
- painful urination;
- General weakness in the body;
- Variable psycho-emotional state;
- apathetic mood;
- Irritability.
Another distinguishing feature of acute prostatitis in stage 1 development is an enlargement of the prostate. Although this symptom is also characteristic of the chronic course of the pathology. The doctor will be able to identify this feature by palpating the problem area. Special analyzes make it possible to confirm the fears of a specialist. He must necessarily refer the patient to the delivery of prostate secretion in order to examine its composition. In the case of prostatitis, there are increased numbers of leukocytes in the fluid. The doctor will also find impurities of pus and mucus in the sample.
Treatment of the catarrhal stage of acute prostatitis consists in taking a group of drugs that suppress inflammation and reduce the severity of the main symptoms of the disease.
Massage with such a course of pathology, like many other similar physiotherapeutic procedures, is strictly prohibited.
On average, treatment of the initial stages of acute prostatitis takes about 2 weeks. During this period, the patient completely gets rid of the disease. The positive result of therapy is due to the fact that it was started before the moment when the pathology had not yet led 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 ducts of the prostate. Its structures begin to compress adjacent tissues, causing severe suppuration. Symptoms of the disease intensify, becoming more pronounced and noticeable. In this state, men complain of the following signs of malaise:
- 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 of the penis;
- stool becomes more difficult;
- The excretion of a minimal amount of urine.
When probing the problem area, you can find an asymmetric increase in prostate tissue. When examining the results of a urinalysis, the doctor will determine the presence of an excessive amount of pus and white blood cells in the sample.
It is very important to start urgent treatment of the follicular stage of acute prostatitis, otherwise a malignant process can develop in the structures of the glandular organ.
If the therapy is ignored, there is a risk of developing cancer
parenchymal stage
Prostate tissue is constantly damaged. Because of this, many small pustules form in them. The urinary tract is further compressed. The result is acute urinary retention. Other symptoms of the parenchymal stage include the following conditions:
- painful bowel movements;
- An increase in body temperature to 39 degrees or more;
- Constant feeling of intense thirst;
- loss of appetite;
- great weakness;
- chronic fatigue;
- difficulty urinating;
- Severe pain in the pelvis, anus and lower back;
- bloating and constipation.
Impurities from abnormal mucus begin to appear in feces as inflammation affects the intestines. The gland becomes quite large, and its contours are blurred.
stage of abscess formation
This stage of acute prostatitis is accompanied by a number of painful symptoms that prevent a man from leading a full life. They are more pronounced than at the initial stage of the development of the inflammatory process. At this stage, small pustules merge into a whole formation. Purulent masses quickly accumulate in it. If it gets too big, it will burst. As a result, the accumulated pus exits through the urethra. At the stage of the abscess, the patient is tormented by the following symptoms:
- severe malaise;
- increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees;
- passivity to all actions;
- Severe pain in the anus and genitals;
- Difficulty passing stools and urinating.
If a man in this condition is not treated properly, he can die. It is very important to get rid of the abscess so that the patient feels better. Only then will the main symptoms of the disease subside.
complications
The earlier the treatment of prostatitis is started, the less damage the inflammatory process will do to the body. Therefore, it is best to deal with the disease early. However, not all men follow this recommendation, as many hope that the symptoms will go away on their own. Because of this, the disease progresses and leads to the development of unpleasant complications. If the help of a specialist is neglected, a person has the following consequences of untreated prostatitis:
- The occurrence of various inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system;
- decreased sex drive;
- Mental disorders;
- Infertility;
- Impotence.
It is not uncommon for men who have had prostatitis to have normal erections. Due to this, the patient's sexual activity is significantly reduced. In some cases, failure to ejaculate is considered a complication. A man's penis can deviate greatly. When 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.
Do not forget that the inflammatory process can actively spread to neighboring tissues and organs. Therefore, against the background of prostatitis, men additionally develop cystitis and urethritis. These diseases lead to a violation of the outflow of urine. 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 disrupting the process of tissue nutrition. Edema does not allow the erectile tissue to fill completely with blood. Medicine has learned to treat this complication with long-term drug therapy. However, not all patients who have completed such a course are satisfied with the result.
It is prostatitis that is said to be the main cause of the development of grade 1 infertility. In this case, a variant of the disease is considered, in which the composition of the seminal fluid changes. The secret changes its acidity and viscosity. All these deviations are detected during the examination of the sperm sample submitted for analysis.
With the problem of infertility, men should contact an andrologist. It will help you choose the best treatment.
When the prostatitis is severe, it leads to the onset of stage 2 infertility. This condition is not amenable to therapeutic treatment.
The psycho-emotional mood of a man suffers greatly from inflammation of the prostate. Frequent failures in the intimate sphere cause him concern. Against this background, depression appears, which further worsens the general condition of the patient.
More than 30% of patients diagnosed with prostatitis face psycho-emotional experiences. A psychologist helps them restore male libido reduced by stress.
Impotence and infertility are common complications of the disease
Remission of chronic prostatitis
When treatment of prostatitis has been started, the patient can achieve remission. This is the name of the condition in which the symptoms of the disease are significantly weakened or completely gone. Prostatitis in remission resolves in most patients who complete a full course of treatment. This period varies from person to person. If a man does not follow the recommendations of a doctor, then after a while there will be an exacerbation of prostatitis. And then the patient needs to be treated again.
species
Remission with prostatitis can be complete and incomplete. In the first case, after a full course of therapy, the man will no longer be bothered by absolutely all the symptoms of the pathology. He forgets her for a long time. An incomplete remission usually lasts no more than 3 months. During this period, the patient may complain of minor symptoms characterizing prostatitis. For example, many continue to experience painful urination and pelvic discomfort.
duration
Even experienced doctors sometimes find it very difficult to predict how long remission will last in a particular person who has been treated for prostatitis. This indicator is individual. The length of this period directly depends on a number of factors:
- The causative agent of the disease;
- general condition of the body;
- The quality of treatment;
- The severity of the disease;
- disease stage.
It is also taken into account how scrupulously the patient follows the recommendations of the attending physician, which relate to the prevention of recurrence of prostatitis.
If a man meets all the requirements of a specialist and carefully monitors his own health, then his remission can last several decades. Sometimes the disease goes away completely.
forecast
If a patient who has had to undergo treatment for chronic prostatitis leads a correct lifestyle, takes control tests and regularly visits his doctor, as well as taking medication to prevent the recurrence of inflammation of the prostate, he will have a good recovery prognosis. In this case, the disease may never bother a person again.
If a man nevertheless fell ill with prostatitis, he should immediately start therapy. To do this, you need to contact a specialist. A full examination of the genitourinary system will help the urologist to select the appropriate treatment that will stop the disease and eliminate the complications that have arisen.