Any healthy person can develop prostatitis;no one is exempt from it.Even astronauts and athletes with ideal lifestyles are in the "risk zone".Knowing the symptoms helps to recognize prostatitis in time and start treatment.
Urinary tract disorders
The urethra, the urethra, passes through the prostate.One of its functions is to regulate the flow of urine, to open and close the outlet of the bladder.Therefore, when the prostate is irritated or inflamed, urination problems often begin.
Increased or decreased urge
The symptom of prostatitis is precisely the increased frequency of urges with a decrease in the amount of urine in one dose.Just an increase in the frequency of urges with the same dose and volume can be the norm (I just started drinking more fluids) or a sign of a disease such as diabetes - diabetes or non-diabetes.That is, the total amount of urine per day increases sharply, which is why a person runs to the toilet more often.This is usually what happens when eating watermelon, for example.Passages of urine are large or voluminous.
But when the same amount of urine comes out in one day, but is distributed over 10-30 toilet trips - the size of each portion is naturally reduced several times.In women, this is cystitis, in men - prostatitis or urethritis, any irritation of the urinary tract, including inflammation.This symptom can be fairly constant or fluctuating.If the irritant temporarily weakens the effect, for example when the inflammation subsides.In the case of chronic prostatitis, this does not indicate a cure, but an improvement.This is important from a diagnostic point of view
Weakening of the flow of urine
Weak urine flow is one of the important symptoms of prostate problems.It is usually caused by two main diseases.Prostate adenoma (hyperplasia) and prostatitis.It is easy to tell them apart.Adenoma usually appears in the elderly, and prostatitis more often in young, active men.In any case, this is a symptom that requires examination of the prostate, not other organs.Exceptions are rare (stones, urethral stricture).
The dependence of the strength of the urine flow on the effect on the gland is specific.From ejaculation, sexual contact or lack thereof.From walking or sitting for a long time.From breaking or following the diet.
Unpleasant feelings
Not only the increased urge, but also the discomfort during urination is very typical.When eating watermelon, for example, you may run to the toilet every 10-15 minutes, but the feeling is quite pleasant and satisfying.But prostatitis gives a very unpleasant, "urgent" urge to the toilet.This brings relief - but for quite a short time.At night, the urge appears more often and is often more unpleasant.This can disturb sleep and is often one of the main complaints.
Size of urine portions
The size of the urine portions decreases.This is due to both the irritating effect of prostatitis and the increased sensitivity of the urinary tract 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 is literally 30-100 ml.
Portion sizes may vary.With more fluids, urinary tract irritation is reduced as the urine becomes thinner.It turns out to be a paradox - a person drinks more liquid, but goes to the toilet less often, due to the increasing doses.
Sharp and urgent urges
Imperative (sharp) urges - more common during exacerbation or with advancing age.They can force a person to refuse trips or to make their own way from "toilet to toilet".In advanced cases, this prompts the man to wear diapers.On the one hand, the urine flows weaker, and on the other hand, if you feel like it, you have to go to the toilet.At any cost.
It is almost impossible to "endure" such an urge
Dripping urine
There is always some urine left after urination."No matter how much you shake your penis, the last one will be in your panties" - popular wisdom.However, a little 1-2-3 drops of urine, no more.Visible excess of this norm is quite typical for urinary tract problems in men, but not always typical for prostatitis.
This includes a completely different symptom - urethral discharge.Sometimes they are difficult to distinguish and require further analysis.More often, the discharge does not depend on urine, it is thicker than urine, it can be clear, colored, transparent and cloudy... Mandatory analysis is required to identify the cause.It can also be a sign of prostatitis and urethritis, or a venereal disease.
Pain
Just like a sore throat, prostatitis also causes pain in the lower abdomen, perineum, groin, waist or sacrum.
Exactly where and how does it hurt?
The pain can "radiate" to the scrotum, the 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 relationship with other symptoms and external causes.
When and why they appear
The relationship with lifestyle, sedentary work, ejaculation or abstinence allows you to practically rule out prostatitis, or suspect it with high probability.Thus, persistent pain that is not due to these causes may more often be a manifestation of a "neurological" cause, such as CPPS, Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.But the pain after ejaculation lasts for several hours or days.or, on the contrary, it disappears for hours or days after ejaculation - it is most likely associated with prostatitis.
Period
Any one.The duration may depend on the severity of the exacerbation and other accompanying diseases.For example, depression causes constant excruciating pain even with minor prostatitis.The painless form of prostatitis can mask the disease, possibly for many years.
In other words, it is not possible to judge the disease and its severity based on 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, sitting work or walking, excessive excitement, cooling or spicy food - quite accurately helps to determine the diagnosis itself, as well as the direction of treatment and preventive measures that allow chronic prostatitis to practically recover.
Pain in the heart, back and other organs
The prostate is a small organ in the pelvis.But its inflammation can affect the whole body.
The first method of influence is poisoning.As with any serious inflammation, such as the flu, all or most of the body may ache.In the same way, the body may ache with prostatitis, as it worsens.
The second mechanism of pain in distant areas (head, heart, hypochondrium, legs) is neurological.Along the nerves and spine, pain can "radiate" to quite distant areas of the body and even create "secondary" sources of inflammation.For example, in the lumbosacral region.And from there, the pain can "radiate", radiate to the thoracic and cervical spine, the legs and almost anywhere.
Erectile problems
"Officially" erection cannot be affected by prostatitis.It also has other developmental mechanisms that are not directly related to a man's "second heart".In practice, however, the erection is impaired.At least during an exacerbation.There may be several types of mechanisms - from the direct effect of the inflammation of the nearby organ on the "switching on" of the penis - to the indirect, regulatory mechanism, which is similar to the weakening and slowing down of the erection during long-term abstinence in adult men (not adolescents, of course).
Fortunately, this erectile dysfunction can be treated very well and reliably.Unless we add a psychological factor.A man with mild prostatitis has a slight decrease in erectile function.He begins to worry, he listens to the penis - and the neurosis completely destroys the erection at its root.This is the third and most serious mechanism of the effect of prostatitis on erection.
Ejaculation disorders
Ejaculation is the release of sperm, ejaculate from the penis at the end of sexual intercourse.It is performed by the muscles of the pelvic floor and the prostate gland.More often, the symptom is the weakening of this release, the reduction of the "shooting distance" and the shortening of the sexual relationship.Sometimes, or temporarily - it may happen that the sexual relationship is prolonged, the man cannot "cheat" in any way.
Sperm ejection force
When a muscle is weakened, its work and function are weakened.The composition of the ejaculate and sperm changes, and the force of ejection also changes.
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 secretion is pathognomonic, specifically for prostatitis.
Second reason.Reduced performance is a factor that worsens the condition of the prostate after sex, which provokes POIS (post-orgasmic malaise).
During treatment – men with POIS report worsening after poor, inefficient sperm production.And vice versa – it is increasingly being said that high quality ejaculation did not cause the symptoms of POIS.Not 100%, but very likely.Thirdly, this is probably the main factor that prevents a man with prostatitis from being cured without medical procedures.As soon as the force of sperm release normalizes, the main mechanism of maintaining male health is activated - the "self-cleaning" of the prostate gland.
Vague feelings
Instead of a vivid orgasm, the man feels something like "peeing in boiling water" or "he felt almost nothing."
The intensity of the sensations can fluctuate and is a fairly accurate sign of prostate problems or a sign that improvement is beginning.
The color, quantity and texture of the ejaculate
It is one of the important objective parameters related to the prostate and prostatitis.Sperm analysis is often performed only to determine fertility and chances of conception.However, semen analysis provides a lot of information about the state of the prostate.So, the color of sperm and ejaculate is usually milky white, cloudy.The consistency is medium thick, it should have the "stickiness", the thread-like elasticity of a drop of sperm.The smell is specific, it does not mix with rot, pus, etc.smell.
Any change in these parameters requires urgent examination if there is no diagnosis and treatment - for example, if the diagnosis of prostatitis is already available.
The color (light white, yellowish and greenish) indicates the presence of an impurity in the sperm, which is often inflammatory, purulent in nature.
Transparency indicates reduced prostate function.And in the microscopic analysis, there will almost certainly be few "lecithin grains", which indicates a decrease in the functioning of this organ, although not necessarily due to inflammation.
Its quantity can be different, it can also fluctuate normally, depending on the rhythm of sexual life.A stable decrease or increase in the amount of sperm causes alarm.Perhaps this is a manifestation of the "blockage" of a part of the prostate tubules, or simply a decrease in ejaculate production.
It is not 100%, but it is quite a typical symptom of chronic prostatitis.
Hemospermia
Let's look separately at hemospermia - the mixture of blood in the sperm.It can only be seen with the eyes, more often in the case of vascular damage, calluses, cancer, and finally trauma.The blood can be light scarlet or old, dark, venous.In any case, this requires an urgent ejaculate analysis and other tests.
A small amount of blood is also mixed in the ejaculate - microhemospermia.It often occurs during the exacerbation of prostatitis, along with an increase in the number of leukocytes.Sometimes this possibility can be perfectly treated by strengthening the body;many urologists just in case give a complex vitamin preparation in a good course, often with zinc, selenium, etc.
This is similar to bleeding gums.Loose, inflamed gums bleed very often.And after the inflammation subsides and the gums become stronger, the mixing of blood naturally disappears.There is no 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, you cannot appear with prostatitis either.In practice, there are usually two mechanisms involved.
The first is intoxication.Any kind of inflammation, from the flu to a sore throat, can cause a decrease in libido and sex drive.The organization also has other tasks in mind.
Second, libido may be influenced by something similar to the phenomena of Tarkhanov and Belov.The symptom is not specific, it can also occur with a background of depression, for example, which can appear with or without any chronic disease.But in combination with other manifestations, we consider this decrease to be important and significant.Including affecting the prospects for recovery.If this problem is not resolved and the man remains with a reduced libido, it is difficult to talk about curing prostatitis.The decrease leads to an irregular sex life, pelvic stagnation and an increased risk of exacerbations.
Other indirect signs
Weakness, lethargy, sweating
Most often, these are simply manifestations of poisoning.Just like chronic sore throat, bronchitis and so on.Usually, such symptoms do not bother him, but even in the case of a slight aggravation, the deterioration of the general condition appears;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 disappear.The problem is not specific to prostatitis at all.But it helps, for example, to assess the strength of the exacerbation.
Headache and dizziness
Dizziness and migraines can appear immediately after intercourse or after a day or two.These are "vegetative" reactions that usually accompany an exacerbation of prostatitis, more often in people who are prone to vascular reactions.It is certainly not a specific symptom.Perhaps due to dozens if not hundreds of other diseases.But we will definitely consider it.And of course, we can remove it during the treatment.