Any healthy man can develop prostatitis.no one is immune from it.Even astronauts and athletes with ideal lifestyles are in the "danger zone".Knowing the symptoms will help you detect prostatitis early and start treatment.
Urinary tract disorders
The urethra, urethra, passes through the prostate.One of the functions of which is to control the flow of urine by opening and closing the outlet from the bladder.Therefore, when the prostate is irritated or inflamed, problems with urination often begin.
Increased or decreased urge
A symptom of prostatitis is precisely the increased frequency of urges with a decrease in the amount of urine in one portion.Just an increase in the frequency of urges with the same portion and volume can be either the norm (I just started drinking more fluids) or a sign of a disease such as diabetes - diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.That is, the total amount of urine per day increases sharply, and therefore a person runs to the toilet more often.Normally, this happens, for example, when you eat watermelons.Portions of urine are large or huge.
But when the same amount of urine comes out in a day, but is distributed in 10-30 trips to the toilet - the size of each portion, of course, becomes several times smaller.In women, this is observed with cystitis, in men - with prostatitis or urethritis, with any irritation of the urinary system, including inflammation.This symptom may be fairly constant or may fluctuate.If the irritant temporarily weakens the effect, for example when the inflammation subsides.In the case of chronic prostatitis, this does not indicate a recovery, but an improvement in the condition.This is important from a diagnostic point of view
Weakening of the flow of urine
A weak stream of urine is an important symptom characteristic of a prostate problem.It is usually given by two main diseases.Adenoma (hyperplasia) of the prostate gland and prostatitis.It's easy to tell them apart.Adenoma, as a rule, occurs in the elderly, and prostatitis - more often in young active men.In any case, this is a symptom that requires examination of the prostate, and not other organs.Exceptions are rare (stones, urethral stricture).
The dependence of the strength of the flow of urine on the effect on the gland is specific.From ejaculation, intercourse or lack thereof.From walking or prolonged sitting.From breaking the diet or sticking to it.
Unpleasant sensations
Very characteristic is not only the increased frequency of urges, but also the unpleasant sensations during urination.When you eat watermelon, for example, you may run to the toilet every 10-15 minutes, but the feeling is rather pleasant and satisfying.But prostatitis will give you a very unpleasant, "compelling" urge to go to the toilet.This brings relief - but for a fairly short time.At night, the urge occurs more often and is often more unpleasant.This can affect sleep and is often one of the main complaints.
Urine portion sizes
The size of urine portions is reduced.This is due both to the irritating effect of prostate inflammation and to the increased sensitivity of the urinary system in case of inflammation.Hypersensitivity - gives the feeling that a lot of urine has already accumulated in the bladder, "half a bucket" - but in fact there are literally 30-100 ml.
Serving sizes may vary.With more fluids, urinary tract irritation is reduced as urine becomes thinner.It turns out a paradox - a person drinks more fluids, but goes to the toilet less often, due to increasing portions.
Sharp and urgent impulses
Urges - more common during a flare-up or with age.They can force a man to refuse trips or make his own way "from toilet to toilet".In advanced cases, this leads a man to need to wear diapers.On the one hand the urine flows more weakly and on the other hand when you have the urge you have to go to the toilet.At any cost.
It is almost impossible to "resist" such an urge
Urine is dripping
Some urine always remains after urination."No matter how much you move your penis, the last one will be in your underwear" - folk wisdom.However, a little is 1-2-3 drops of urine, no more.Any visible excess of this norm is quite typical of a problem with the urinary system in a man, but it is not always characteristic of prostatitis.
This also includes a completely different symptom - discharge from the urethra.Sometimes they are difficult to distinguish and require additional analysis.Most often, the discharge does not depend on urination, it is thicker than urine, it can be light, colored, transparent and cloudy... They require mandatory analysis to identify the cause.It can be a sign of both prostatitis and urethritis or venereal disease.
Pain
Just as a sore throat hurts with a sore throat, the lower abdomen, perineum, groin, waist or sacrum also hurts with prostatitis.
Where and how exactly does it hurt?
The pain can also "radiate" to the scrotum, legs, sometimes the abdomen, up to the level of the navel and even higher.What is important to us is the nature of these pains, their connection with other symptoms and with external causes.
When and why do they appear?
The connection with lifestyle, sedentary work, ejaculation or abstinence allows you to either practically rule out prostatitis or suspect it with a high probability.Thus, persistent pain independent of these causes may more often be a manifestation of a "neurological" cause, such as CPPS, chronic pelvic pain syndrome.But the pain that occurs after ejaculation for several hours or days.or, on the contrary, disappears after ejaculation for hours and days - most likely related to prostatitis.
Duration
Any.The duration may depend on the severity of the flare-up and other accompanying diseases.For example, depression will give constant excruciating pain even with minor prostatitis.A painless form of prostatitis can mask the disease, possibly for many years.
That is, one cannot judge the disease and its severity from this symptom alone.
What makes it better or worse?
This is the main thing that worries the doctor.
The location, nature or duration of pain can be very different for the same disease.But the dependence of the condition on ejaculation, sedentary work or walking, overstimulation, cooling or spicy food - helps us to accurately determine both the diagnosis itself and the direction of treatment and preventive measures that will allow substantial recovery from chronic prostatitis.
Pain in heart, back and other organs
The prostate is a small organ in the pelvis.But its inflammation can affect the whole body.
The first mode of influence is intoxication.As with any serious inflammation, such as the flu, the whole body or most of it can hurt.In the same way, the body can hurt with prostatitis, with its exacerbation.
The second mechanism of pain in remote areas (head, heart, hypochondrium, legs) is neurological.Along the course of the nerves and the spine, pain can "radiate" to quite distant areas of the body and even form "secondary" foci of inflammation.For example, in the lumbosacral region.And from there, the pain can "radiate," radiating to the thoracic and cervical spine, the legs, and just about anywhere.
Erection problems
"Officially" an erection should not be affected by prostate inflammation.It has other mechanisms of development that are not directly related to this "second heart" of a man.However, in practice, the erection is weakened.At least during a flare-up.There may be several mechanisms - from the direct effect of inflammation of a nearby organ on the "opening" of the penis - to an indirect, regulatory mechanism, similar to a weakening, slowing of erection during long-term abstinence in adult men (not in adolescents, of course).
Fortunately, this erectile dysfunction is very well and reliably treated.Unless a psychological factor is added.A man with mild prostatitis shows a slight decrease in erectile function.He begins to worry, to listen to the penis - and the nervousness destroys his erection completely at the root.This is the third, most serious mechanism of the effect of prostatitis on erection.
Ejaculation disorders
Ejaculation (ejaculation) is the release of semen, ejaculated from the penis at the end of sexual intercourse.It is performed by the pelvic floor and prostate muscles.More often, the symptom is the weakening of this release, the reduction of the "range of fire" and the shortening of sexual intercourse.Sometimes, or temporarily - there can be a prolongation of intercourse, the man cannot "finish" in any way.
Sperm ejection force
When a muscle weakens, its work and action weaken.The composition of ejaculation and semen changes, but so does the force of ejection.
This is important for three reasons.The first is one of the most accurate signs of prostate damage.Almost all other manifestations and symptoms can occur in other diseases.But the weakening of the secretion is pathognomonic, especially for prostatitis.
Second reason.Reduced production is a factor that worsens the condition of the prostate after sex, which causes POIS (post-orgasmic malaise syndrome).
During treatment - men with POIS report worsening of their condition after poor, ineffective sperm production.And vice versa - they increasingly say that high-quality ejaculation did not give POIS symptoms.Not 100%, but very likely.Thirdly, this is probably the main factor that prevents a man with prostatitis from being cured without medical procedures.Once the force of sperm release is normalized, the main mechanism for maintaining male health is activated - the "self-cleaning" of the prostate gland.
Blurred senses
Instead of a vivid orgasm, the man feels something like "he peed in boiling water" or "he felt almost nothing."
The strength of the sensations can fluctuate and also serves as a fairly accurate sign of problems with the prostate or a sign that improvement is beginning.
Color, quantity and consistency of ejaculation
One of the important objective parameters related to the prostate and prostatitis.Often, sperm analysis is performed only to determine fertility and chances of conception.However, semen analysis provides a lot of information about the state of the prostate.Thus, the color of sperm and ejaculate is usually milky white, cloudy.The consistency is medium thick, there should be "stickiness", the elasticity of a drop of semen in the form of a thread.The smell is specific, without any admixture of the smell of putrefaction, pus, etc.
Any change in these parameters requires urgent examination if there is still no diagnosis and treatment - for example, when a diagnosis of prostatitis is already available.
The color (intense white, yellowish and greenish) indicates the presence of an impurity in the semen, often of an inflammatory, purulent nature.
Transparency indicates reduced prostate function.And there will almost certainly be a few "lecithin grains" on microscopic analysis, indicating a reduction in the function of that particular organ, though not necessarily from inflammation.
The amount can be different, it can also fluctuate normally, depending on the rhythm of sexual life.A steady decrease or increase in sperm count is cause for concern.Perhaps this is a manifestation of a "blockage" of part of the prostate's tubules, or simply a decrease in ejaculate production.
Not 100%, but quite a typical symptom for chronic prostatitis.
Hemospermia
Let's consider hemospermia separately - an admixture of blood in semen.It can be perceived simply with the eye, more often with damage to blood vessels, with callicitis, with cancer and finally with trauma.The blood can be either bright red or old, dark, venous.In any case, this requires an urgent analysis of the ejaculate and other tests.
There is also admixture of a small amount of blood in the ejaculate - microhemospermia.It often occurs during prostatitis flare-ups, along with an increase in the number of leukocytes.Sometimes this option can be perfectly dealt with by strengthening the body.many urologists, just in case, give a complex preparation of vitamins in a good course, often along with zinc, selenium, etc.
This is analogous to bleeding gums.Loose, inflamed gums bleed very often.And after the inflammation is eliminated and the gums are strengthened, the blood admixture naturally disappears.You do not need to be afraid of this symptom if the reason for the appearance of blood in the semen is known.
Decreased libido
A very important symptom.Officially, it should also not appear with prostatitis.In practice, two mechanisms are usually involved.
The first is drunkenness.With any inflammation, from the flu to a sore throat, libido and desire for sex can decrease.The body turns its attention to other tasks.
Second, perhaps libido is affected by something similar to the Tarkanov and Belov phenomena.The symptom is non-specific, it can also appear, for example, with a depressive background, which can appear with any chronic disease and even without it.But combined with other events, we consider this reduction to be significant and significant.Including affecting recovery prospects.If this problem is not solved and the man is left with a reduced libido, it is difficult to talk about a cure for prostatitis.A decrease will lead to an irregular sex life, stagnation in the pelvis and an increased risk of exacerbations.
Other indirect signs
Weakness, lethargy, sweating
Most of the time these are just drunken displays.Just like with chronic sore throat, bronchitis and so on.Usually such symptoms do not bother you, but even with a slight exacerbation, a worsening of the general condition occurs.There is a fairly clear proportion between the strength of the inflammation and the degree of sweating, weakness and apathy.As the condition improves, such symptoms subside.The problem is not about prostatitis at all.But it helps to estimate the strength of the flare, for example.
Headaches and dizziness
Dizziness and migraines can occur either immediately after the procedure or after a day or two.They are "vegetative" reactions that usually accompany prostatitis flare-ups, more often in people with a tendency to vascular reactions.A non-specific symptom, of course.Perhaps for dozens, if not hundreds of other diseases.But we will definitely take it into account.And of course, we can remove it during treatment.