The fight against prostatitis is a complex and rather long process that does not allow self-treatment. As this disease can lead to pathologies of male reproductive function and serious dysfunctions in the work of other organs and systems, all measures to make a diagnosis and determine the necessary treatment strategy must be carried out exclusively by a urologist. How to treat prostatitis so that the disease recedes as quickly as possible and what is the complex of therapeutic measures?
diagnosis of prostatitis
Identifying the presence of prostatitis in a patient for a urologist is usually not difficult, and the main purpose of diagnostic procedures is to determine the cause and form of the disease. Some types of exams can cause discomfort or pain in patients, but going through certain stages of clinical diagnosis is necessary for the attending physician to collect useful information:
- Primary digital rectal examination and collection of prostate secretion for analysis, which determines the nature of the disease (abacterial or infectious forms of prostatitis). If an infectious agent is found in the biological material, a sensitivity test of the pathogenic microflora to antibiotics is performed to optimize the complex of subsequent therapeutic measures.
- Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasound examination. It is prescribed as needed to clarify the features of the state of the prostate. Transabdominal ultrasound is performed through the anterior abdominal wall and does not cause discomfort to the patient. However, a transrectal examination of the prostate (through the rectum) is, although moderately painful, but a more informative procedure, as it allows to determine not only the parameters of the gland, but also its structural changes.
- Blood test for PSA. An excess in the blood of the normal level (4 ng/ml) of prostate-specific antigen may indicate the presence of pathological processes in the prostate. The determination of PSA indicators should be carried out not only in the process of diagnosing prostatitis, but also during the treatment of the disease to assess the effectiveness of therapy.
The main therapeutic components and methods of treatment of prostatitis
Acute prostatitis and exacerbation of the chronic form of this disease are treated according to similar schemes. Properly selected, rational therapy presupposes a complete recovery of the patient in the first case and leads to his cure or long-term remission of the disease in the second. Only a urologist can decide how to treat prostatitis without harming the patient's health and with the maximum effect of the means and methods used, the patient's role in this process lies in his strict adherence to all the specialist's prescriptions.
medical therapy
Drug treatment underlies any therapeutic effect on prostate inflammation. The selection of necessary drugs is made by the urologist based on data from laboratory tests and other preliminary studies. The focus of drug therapy includes:
- reduction of the patient's pain level;
- normalization of blood circulation in the prostate and adjacent organs;
- location and destruction of the infectious agent;
- elimination of inflammatory reactions and congestion in the prostate;
- stabilization of the patient's immunity, sexual performance and general well-being
Optimal efficacy of drug therapy is achieved through a combination of antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs, antidepressants, microclysters and suppositories in the wellness program.
local therapy
The local restorative effect on the prostate and its inflamed areas is achieved through the use of various types of physical therapy in the treatment program:
- ultrasonic phonophoresis;
- transrectal microwave hyperthermia;
- diadynamophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- prostate massage.
It should be noted that with its relative pain, massage is the most effective means of fighting prostatitis. Thanks to these procedures, the stagnant secretion of the prostate is removed, which helps to improve the blood circulation of the affected tissues and increases the effectiveness of the drugs used by the patient. Massage is prescribed to the patient during periods of remission or abatement of the acute manifestations of the disease. During an exacerbation of prostatitis, procedures are excluded by the doctor from the list of therapeutic measures, as they can provoke the spread of infection.
Phytotherapy
Treatment with phytopreparations is prescribed to patients with prostatitis as part of a complex therapy. The use of herbal products is possible in the long term, due to their harmless effect on the body and the low incidence of side effects. Phytotherapy can be performed through internal and (or) external use, in the form of juices, decoctions or infusions of St. John's wort, ginseng, calamus, periwinkle, burdock, nettle and other medicinal plants. In the chronic form of prostatitis, the doctor may prescribe magneto, phono or electrophoresis phytopreparations.
Drugs in the treatment of prostatitis
The course of drug use by patients is prescribed by the doctor individually. An antibiotic program is designed with the following specific criteria in mind:
- the form of the disease;
- type of pathogen and antimicrobial activity of the drug;
- ability of drug penetration into prostate tissue;
- no contraindications to taking the drug;
- drug administration method;
- possible side effects
According to indicators of the effectiveness of treatment of chronic and acute prostatitis, there are three main groups of antibacterial agents:
- Fluoroquinolones. Drugs in this group have a broad spectrum of action and have the ability to accumulate in prostate tissues in high concentration; at the same time, resistance of pathogenic bacteria to the active agent is not developed. The "disadvantage" of fluoroquinolones lies in their possible negative effects on the central nervous system and the likelihood of allergic reactions in patients.
- Tetracyclines. These drugs are most effective against atypical pathogens, but they are not active enough in the fight against Escherichia coli and staphylococci and are completely ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Macrolides. Preparations of the macrolide group easily penetrate and actively accumulate in the gland tissues, however, being less toxic and effective in the destruction of gram-positive bacteria, they are ineffective in the suppression of gram-negative bacteria.
In the first few days of taking prescribed antibacterial medications, a patient diagnosed with prostatitis should regularly visit their doctor. Such a measure is necessary for the urologist to monitor the effectiveness of antibiotics. If, after three days of treatment, the specialist does not notice any visible improvement in the patient's condition, he replaces the main drug. When prescribing antibiotics, the physician must take into account the patient's experience of taking similar drugs to exclude re-prescribing a drug from the same group.
In addition to antibacterials and pain relievers, a patient with prostatitis may receive hormone therapy and (or) take alpha-blockers:
- Hormone therapy. The condition and functions of the prostate directly depend on the amount of androgens and estrogens in the male body. The use of hormonal drugs in the treatment of prostatitis allows you to change the balance of "female" and "male" hormones in a certain direction. As these drugs help to reduce prostate gland tissue, we can talk about the indirect role of antiandrogens in the recovery of a patient with prostatitis.
- Alpha blockers. The inflow of such funds refers to the method of pathogenic therapy; its aim is to relieve the general symptoms of prostate inflammation. Especially effective is the use of alpha-blockers for problems with urination. Thanks to the removal of spasms from the sphincter, from the walls of the ureter, from the smooth muscles of the bladder, as well as from the prostate itself, stagnation or reverse reflux of prostate secretion is avoided and edema is removed from the inflamed organ.
Regardless of the purpose and specifics of medication use, the ingestion of any medication must be carried out exclusively as prescribed by the physician and under his/her control. Self-medication can lead to a complication of the disease or render subsequent therapy in the clinic ineffective.
Immunocorrection is the key to successful treatment
The entire complex of medical procedures for chronic or acute prostatitis must necessarily be accompanied by immunocorrective measures (regular visits to an immunologist, normalization of lifestyle, intake of vitamins, immunomodulators, etc. ). The high immune status of the body contributes to the rapid recovery of the patient or the prolongation of the remission phase in the chronic form of the disease.
A timely visit to a specialist in case of symptoms characteristic of the disease, strict adherence to medical recommendations in case of a diagnosis of prostatitis, prevention of recurrence of an existing disease and categorical rejection of self-treatment in favor of professional intervention by a urologist will allow you to avoid the long-term treatment and undesirable consequences of a serious illness.