Prostatitis
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Diseases & Conditions
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Prostate
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Prostatitis is a general term
for inflammation of the prostate gland — an organ about the size and
shape of a walnut, located just below the bladder in males. The prostate
gland's main function is to produce semen, the fluid that helps nourish
and transport sperm. An inflamed prostate can cause a variety of
symptoms, including a frequent and urgent need to urinate and pain or
burning when urinating (dysuria) — often accompanied by pelvic, groin or
low back pain.
Prostatitis can appear in several
forms. The acute form is the least common, but is also the most severe.
Symptoms are often sudden, and the condition may require
hospitalization. Symptoms of chronic prostatitis tend to develop more
slowly and aren't as severe as those of acute prostatitis.
It's not always possible to completely
eliminate prostatitis, but in many cases your symptoms can be
controlled. In addition to medication, treatments such as heat therapy,
biofeedback and sometimes just drinking a lot of water or avoiding
certain foods can provide relief.
Causes
The prostate gland is a walnut-sized organ located behind the pubic bone
and in front of the rectum in males. It's made up of smooth muscle,
spongy tissue and tiny ducts and glands. The primary function of the
prostate gland is to produce seminal fluid — the fluid that transports
sperm.
At birth, a boy's prostate is about the size of a pea. It grows slightly
during childhood and then undergoes a rapid growth spurt at puberty. By
the time a man reaches age 20, his prostate is adult size. After age 45,
the prostate often begins to grow again when cells in the central
portion of the gland start to reproduce more rapidly than normal.
Although not technically part of your urinary system, the prostate gland
is important to your urinary health. That's because the prostate
surrounds the top portion of the tube that carries urine from your
bladder (urethra). Normally, the location of the prostate gland isn't a
problem. But infection or inflammation can cause the gland to swell,
squeezing the urethra and affecting your ability to urinate. That's
exactly what happens in prostatitis, although the cause of the
inflammation depends on the type of prostatitis you have.
Acute bacterial prostatitis
Bacteria normally found in your urinary tract or large intestine cause
this type of prostatitis. Most commonly, acute prostatitis originates in
the prostate, but occasionally the infection can spread from a bladder
or urethral infection.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis
It's
not entirely clear what causes a chronic bacterial infection. Sometimes
bacteria remain in the prostate following acute prostatitis. Catheter
tubes used to drain the urinary bladder, trauma to the urinary system or
infections in other parts of the body can sometimes be the source of the
bacteria.
Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis
Researchers don't know the exact cause of the two types of chronic
nonbacterial prostatitis, although they have a number of theories about
possible triggers of the conditions, including:
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Other
infectious agents.
Some experts believe nonbacterial prostatitis may be caused by an
infectious agent that doesn't show up in standard laboratory tests.
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Heavy lifting.
Lifting heavy objects when your bladder is full may cause urine to
back up into your prostate.
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Certain
occupations.
Occupations that subject your prostate to strong vibrations, such as
driving a truck or operating heavy machinery, may play a role.
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Physical
activity.
Although regular exercise, especially jogging or biking, is great
for the rest of your body, it may irritate your prostate gland.
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Pelvic muscle
spasm.
Urinating in an uncoordinated fashion with the sphincter muscle not
relaxed may lead to high pressure in the prostate and subsequent
symptoms.
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Structural
abnormalities of the urinary tract.
Narrowings (strictures) of your urethra may elevate pressure during
urination and cause symptoms.
Risk factors
You're more likely to develop prostatitis if you're a man between the
ages of 25 and 45. You may also be at increased risk if you:
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Recently had a
bladder infection or an infection of the urethra
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Recently had a
urinary catheter inserted during a medical procedure
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Engage in
unprotected anal intercourse or have a sexually transmitted disease
such as chlamydia or gonorrhea
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Stop and start
while urinating
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Have a job that
subjects you to strong vibrations, such as driving a truck or
operating heavy equipment
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Jog or bicycle on
a regular basis
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