What are Prostatitis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Conditions?
Prostatitis* and chronic pelvic pain conditions are painful but common. While these conditions are not the end of the game, they can put any player on the sidelines.
Researchers estimate that 1 in 10 men get prostatitis-like symptoms.
What causes prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain conditions?
Prostatitis means inflammation of the prostate. Some prostatitis is caused by bacteria. It can be acute and come on suddenly. It can also be chronic, and keep coming back. Chronic pelvic pain conditions have similar symptoms but do not seem to be caused by bacteria. For some men, the cause of their prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain is not known.
What is the game plan to treat prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain conditions?
The treatment is different for the different types of prostatitis disorders. It is important to make sure other health problems are not causing the symptoms. Problems such as inflammation of the urethra or bladder, urinary tract infection (UTI), an enlarged prostate, and cancer have similar symptoms. To help make an accurate diagnosis, several types of tests are useful. These include a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE). A DRE is where your health care provider feels your prostate for anything abnormal.
A prostate infection can raise your PSA level. Your health care provider may also test samples of urine and prostatic fluid for signs of inflammation and infection. These samples may help the urologist find out whether the problem is inflammation or infection. These samples may also help the urologist find out whether the problem is in the urethra, bladder, or prostate. The urologist may use cystoscopy — passing a small telescope through the urethra to see inside the urethra, prostate, and bladder. The urologist may also order urine flow studies. These tests help measure the strength of your urine flow and any blockage caused by the prostate, urethra, or pelvic muscles.
The options for treating prostate cancer often depend on the type of prostatitis a man has.. For many men with prostatitis, the urologist may give antibiotics. Depending on his symptoms, a man may receive other treatments as well. While prostatitis may place you on the sidelines, it is not life-threatening. Treatments are available once you are diagnosed.
For more information on prostatitis, visit UrologyHealth.org/Prostatitis.