Prostatitis, know also as a prostate infection, is the term used to describe a number of conditions that all share similar symptoms. Treatment is dependent on the cause of the infection, and can include medications such as antibiotics, prostate massage and alternative medicine.
Types and Symptoms
The National Institute of Health (NIH) breaks prostatitis into four categories: acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. bacterial prostatitis is caused by a bacterial infection, and has no single identifiable cause, though possible theories include a stressed immune system or a nervous disorder. Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis has no known cause, and not much is known about it, making it difficult to treat.
Symptoms are generally type-specific, though they all (except for asymptomatic prostatitis) share a number of commonalities. These include pain in the groin and pelvic area, including the testicles, penis, and space between rectum and scrotum (perineum); pain when urinating and ejaculating; and alternating bouts of frequent urination, especially at night, and difficulty urinating.
Bacterial infections include flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills and fatigue, with frequent urinary tract infections serving as the main indicator of a chronic bacterial infection. In the event of chronic prostatitis or pelvic pain, the symptoms last for longer than three months and may go away and return without warning. Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis presents with no symptoms and is found through a routine examination.
Bacterial Infection Treatment
Treatment for a prostate infection that's bacterial in nature requires antibiotics. If the infection is severe, injections of antibiotics given at the hospital are typically required. Once the symptoms begin to clear up, oral antibiotics are taken for approximately two to four weeks. Should the infection become chronic, wherein the bacteria finds a spot on the prostate suitable for survival, treatment for up to six months may be necessary.
Chronic and Asymptomatic Prostatitis Treatment
Given the unknown cause of chronic prostatitis, effective treatment is much more difficult, primarily involving symptom management. Possible treatments can include alpha blockers such as alfusozin and doxasozin, which work by relaxing the muscles of the bladder and the area where the bladder meets the prostate to alleviate symptoms such as painful urination. Although effective, side effects such as headaches and lowered blood pressure may occur. Prostate massage, wherein the doctor manually stimulates the prostate with a gloved finger, may provide some relief as well. A study published in "Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management" that analyzed current prostatitis treatments concluded that prostate massage and frequent ejaculation were an effective treatment for the three symptomatic types of prostatitis.
Over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen may help alleviate inflammation and pain, but this is at best a short-term treatment.
Asymptomatic prostatitis does not require treatment.
Lifestyle and Alternative Treatment
A number of lifestyle treatments can help alleviate symptoms, though they are by no means an effective way to eliminate the infection entirely. Taking a warm bath and sitting on a soft cushion may help alleviate pain, while avoiding alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods can help alleviate pressure in the pelvic and abdominal areas.
Alternative treatments include biofeedback and acupuncture, though their efficacy is up for debate. Biofeedback involves being hooked up to a machine that helps you pinpoint certain movements that may exacerbate the pain. This in turn allows you to control the pain.
The ancient Chinese therapy known as acupuncture is thought to reduce pain caused by literally dozens of ailments. It is thought that when the energy of the body, the "chi," is out of alignment, the body reacts in a variety of ways. Acupuncture thus involves the strategic placement of extra-fine needles into the skin at varying depths to align the chi.
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