Due to the lengthy and problematic course of therapy and the high probability of relapse, there are reasonable doubts about the cure for chronic prostatitis. There is no clear answer to this question.
The disease detected in the early stages is completely cured in 90% of cases, however, with the development of pathological irreversible changes, the prognosis for treatment worsens. Stable remission can be achieved in advanced prostatitis.
Which treatment is used – outpatient or inpatient?
The treatment algorithm for chronic prostatitis involves the appointment of physiotherapy and constant use of medications for 2-3 months. Inpatient treatment is prescribed for the following indications:
- An acute form of the disease, manifested by a high temperature above 38°.
- The occurrence of complications due to a serious illness.
- Lack of results from home therapy.
If the disease is latent, the patient is usually discharged from the hospital and further treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. Advantage of a hospital stay:
- Constant monitoring of the treating staff.
- Possibility of emergency care and pain relief.
- No temptation to ignore recommendations on diet and bad habits.
- The course of therapy is constantly adjusted depending on effectiveness.
Hospitalization has several disadvantages: the high cost of treatment (in paid clinics) and the stress that a man experiences when he is in a hospital.
The outpatient clinic allows the patient not to be separated from their usual surroundings, to carry out everyday activities and to work (of course, without leaving the house). Another advantage of home therapy is that it is relatively inexpensive.
The decision as to how the therapy is carried out lies with the treating doctor. Depending on your individual indication, you can start therapy at home. In this case, the patient should receive detailed step-by-step treatment, indicating the need for regular visits to the doctor and physical procedures.
How long does chronic prostatitis treatment take?
The duration of treatment is individual. Some patients get rid of the disease within a few months, others require years of treatment.
Several factors affect the speed of recovery:
- stage of disease— Chronic prostatitis in the early stages of development is often discovered accidentally during an annual examination of the patient. At this stage, there are serious pathological changes in the body that require long-term therapy.
- Role of the patient- the desire for improvement, careful adherence to treatment recommendations, giving up bad habits (smoking and alcohol), shortening the duration of therapy and improving the prognosis.
- Individual characteristics- Statistics show that 80-90% of patients who received help in the early stages of a chronic disease were able to completely get rid of the disease. After the transition from the latent to the acute form with pronounced symptoms, the success rate of therapy drops sharply to 65-70%.
The longer you wait to see a doctor, the more likely it is that traditional complex treatment will not bring the desired result and surgical intervention will be necessary.
Chronic prostatitis can develop into prostate cancer in some forms. Early diagnosis and correct treatment are a necessary prerequisite for cancer prevention.
Is a complete cure possible?
You can completely get rid of prostatitis in the early stages of the disease. If the inflammatory process has become acute, characteristic irreversible changes in the vas deferens and tissue structure are usually observed.
As soon as clinical symptoms appear, a complete cure of chronic inflammation of the prostate is no longer possible. The aim of therapy is a stable remission.
After the acute inflammation is relieved, preventive measures are prescribed. If drug therapy is unsuccessful, partial or complete surgical removal of the prostate is performed.
Over the years of research, general international recommendations for the treatment of chronic prostatitis have been developed, which have significantly increased the recovery rate of patients. The probability of a complete cure is 50-65%, and achieving a stable remission is 65-80%, depending on the severity of the disease.
Treatment methods for chronic inflammation of the prostate
Many articles on the Internet and in medical textbooks are dedicated to the treatment of chronic prostatitis. Most sources agree that there is no single effective way to combat the disease; complex therapy is required, including:
- A course of drugs.
- Non-drug treatment.
- Physical therapy.
- Surgery.
- Massage.
A clinically proven treatment regimen for chronic prostatitis is aimed at overcoming several negative manifestations of the disease:
- Elimination of the inflammatory process.
- Elimination of congestion and normalization of blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
- Elimination of catalysts of the inflammatory process.
- Fight against the consequences of prostatitis.
- Prevention of recurrence of the disease.
Complex treatment of chronic prostatitis is aimed at overcoming all of the listed negative phenomena and therefore is more effective than monotherapy. The effectiveness of the approach largely depends on the patient's desire for recovery, which is expressed in careful adherence to all the recommendations of the attending physician. Another factor that contributes to the patient's complete healing is contacting large clinics. Medical centers use modern methods of effective treatment of chronic inflammation of the prostate, which are carried out under the guidance of experienced medical personnel.
The modern standard for combating the inflammatory process is pathogenetic therapy. The essence of the principle is to develop an individual course depending on the patient's characteristics.
How to treat with medication
After being diagnosed with chronic prostatitis, a man must be patient, as drug treatment requires taking the medication for a long period of time. Success in the fight against the disease depends on careful adherence to the prescribed therapy plan.
The duration of treatment for chronic prostatitis is several months to six months. It is forbidden to independently stop taking medications when you feel better, as this can lead to a stable form of the disease.
The standard of care includes prescribing the following medications:
- Antispasmodics and analgesics— From the beginning to almost the end of treatment, the disease is accompanied by severe pain accompanied by swelling of the gland. If symptoms cannot be alleviated, additional anesthetic injections are recommended.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs— Suppositories that contain a substance from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives are recommended. The use of rectal suppositories is effective due to the almost direct effect of the active ingredients on the prostate tissue.
The phenylacetic acid derivative is absorbed into the blood through the rectum and quickly relieves the symptoms associated with the disease. Anti-inflammatory therapy includes the prescription of corticosteroids and NSAIDs. - Antiviral and antibacterial active ingredients.The treatment standards prescribe the use of antibiotics in two cases. Therapy is necessary in the presence of an infectious catalyst factor that caused inflammation, as well as as a preventive measure before surgical treatment.
To increase the effectiveness of drugs, lymphotropic therapy is carried out. Antibiotics are injected into the lymph nodes, blocking venous drainage and emptying the bladder. An instillation (direct injection of an antibiotic into the bladder) is carried out.
In later stages of the disease, a conservative treatment method is used. Regular use of medications (alpha-blockers and NSAIDs) necessary to slow prostate growth and relieve unpleasant symptoms. Simultaneously with taking medication, non-drug and physical therapy are carried out.
Non-drug therapy
Advanced world experience convincingly proves the effectiveness of an integrated approach to the treatment of chronic prostatitis. Simultaneously with taking medications, the patient is prescribed new methods of non-drug therapy. Among them:
- Microwave hyperthermia- Prostate tissue is exposed to high temperatures. The heat energy is supplied to the prostate transrectally. Microwave therapy promotes better effectiveness of medications and maintenance of prostate growth.
- Shock wave therapy.The consequence of chronic prostatitis is the appearance of irregularities in the soft tissue of the gland. The shock wave destroys the seals. The consequence of the procedure is the elimination of the inflammatory process and improved blood supply.
The use of shock wave therapy in complex treatments shortens the patient's hospital stay and increases the effectiveness of medication. - Laser therapy for chronic inflammation of the prostate— The effect is based on treating the gland with narrowly directed beams of light. Laser treatment leads to an increase in the lumen of blood vessels, improved tissue metabolism and, as a result, tumor resorption. Another positive effect is the accelerated regeneration of damaged tissue.
- Ultrasound applications— Intense vibrations of the emitted waves cause tissue regeneration, improve trophism and metabolic processes. Ultrasound treatment devices are so easy to use that it is possible to purchase them for home use. The device kills parasites and has a bactericidal effect.
Methods of non-drug therapy are prescribed individually, taking into account the presence of contraindications for the patient.
Physiotherapeutic approach
Innovative methods of treating chronic prostatitis are often combined with proven methods. Physiotherapy has a beneficial effect.
The purpose of procedures serves several purposes:
- Increase blood circulation.
- Establish metabolic processes in the body.
- Reduce areas of inflammation.
- Accelerate lymphatic flow to remove pathogens from the prostate.
- Stimulate the immune system and activate the body's own forces to fight the disease.
The physiotherapeutic approach is used in the largest medical centers in the world. In Israeli hospitals, after completing therapy, sanatorium treatment on the shores of the Dead Sea is mandatory.
A rapid improvement in well-being is achieved by completing the following physiotherapy courses:
- Phonophoresis— In this technique, vitamins and medications are introduced into the tissues of the skin and prostate through the influence of ultrasound. It has a positive effect on the body on a mechanical and chemical level and the effect of medications is enhanced.
- Reflexology— The term refers to a whole system of practices based on the impact on the biologically active points of humans. Other names for the technique: acupuncture, acupuncture.
During the session, the effect on the nerve endings leads to improved statics of the gland, normalization of blood circulation and pain relief. - Vacuum treatment (cans)— Many experts agree that disorders in the functioning of internal organs cause pathologies of the spine. The technique is effective in combating congestion; After 1-2 sessions, the function of the prostate gland noticeably improves and urination normalizes.
- Electrical stimulators— The procedure is effective in treating any form of prostatitis, improving erection and activating the immune system. The application of electrical stimulation lasts 10-15 days.
During the session, an electrical current source is supplied to the prostate via the prostate gland. The waves act on the prostate, bones and muscle tissue, stimulating their work.
Physiotherapy does not replace drug treatment during an exacerbation, but rather promotes the effectiveness of the prescribed medication, thereby speeding up the man's recovery.
Surgery for chronic prostatitis
If treatment of chronic prostatitis does not bring results, steady progression of the disease is observed and surgery is prescribed. Several methods have been developed:
- Prostatectomy.
- Prostate resection.
- Laser removal.
- Laparoscopy.
The choice of surgical intervention depends on several factors: the patient's age, the invasiveness of the method, the presence of contraindications and the volume of the prostate.
The latest technologies for performing operations eliminate the need for dissection of abdominal tissue. The prostate is removed through the urethral canal or through several small holes in the abdominal area.
Laser removal of the prostate is widely used. The high-intensity light beam vaporizes the glandular tissue, resulting in a reduction in the volume of the prostate.
The main feature of modern surgical treatment is minimal damage to the human body, which leads to a reduction in the rehabilitation period and rapid recovery with complete restoration of all basic functions of the urogenital system.
Due to the high risks at the age of 60-65, surgical treatment is practically no longer carried out. Therapy is reduced to relieving the symptoms of prostatitis and improving the condition and quality of life.
Massage treatment
Clinical recommendations for the treatment of prostatitis are limited to the need for digital transrectal massage of the gland. During the tactile action on the tissue, certain areas are massaged, improving blood circulation and relieving pain.
The main task of the massage remains to squeeze out gland stones that contain inflammatory exudate.
Contraindications to prostate massage:
- Cystitis during exacerbation.
- Hemorrhoids.
- Acute prostatitis.
Reviews of the treatment show that the first prostate massage procedures are quite painful, but bring great relief. The massage is carried out exclusively by a specialist. Prescribed during the recovery period after drug treatment.
Prevention of relapses of chronic prostatitis
Modern approaches to the treatment of chronic prostatitis consist not so much in combating inflammation of the prostate, but in applying effective preventive measures to prevent recurrence of the disease.
Prevention of recurrence of prostatitis includes:
- Transrectal digital massage is performed annually.
- Adjustments in diet and lifestyle. General recommendation to prepare a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet or treatment table number 5.
- Carrying out anti-relapse complex therapy. The course of treatment includes medications and procedures to eliminate congestion in the pelvic organs, as well as strengthen the immune system. Recommended sports: yoga, exercise therapy.
The anti-relapse treatment protocol includes regular examinations by a doctor, mandatory clinical blood and urine tests, and PSA tests at least every 6 months.
A healthy lifestyle, regular sexual intercourse, avoiding alcohol and smoking - all this prevents the return of prostatitis, has a positive effect on men's health and allows you to live a rich and fulfilling life.