Fighting prostatitis is a complex and quite time-consuming process that does not allow for self-medication.Since this disease can lead to both pathologies of male reproductive function and serious disturbances in the functioning of other organs and systems, all measures to make a diagnosis and determine the necessary treatment strategy should be carried out exclusively by a urologist.How to treat prostatitis so that the disease regresses as quickly as possible and what does the complex of therapeutic measures consist of?
Prostatitis diagnosis
Identifying the presence of prostatitis in a patient is usually not difficult for a urologist, and the main goal 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 it is necessary to go through certain stages of clinical diagnosis so that the attending physician can collect useful information:
- Primary digital rectal examination and collection of prostate secretions for analysis to determine the nature of the disease (abacterial or infectious forms of prostatitis).If an infectious agent is detected in biological material, a test is carried out to determine the sensitivity of the pathogenic microflora to antibiotics in order to optimize the set of subsequent therapeutic measures.
- Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasound examination.Prescribed as needed to clarify the characteristics of the prostate.Transabdominal ultrasound is performed through the anterior abdominal wall and does not cause discomfort to the patient.However, transrectal examination of the prostate (through the rectum) is, although moderately painful, a more informative procedure, as it allows you to determine not only the parameters of the gland, but also its structural changes.
- PSA blood test.An excess of the normal level (4 ng/ml) of prostate-specific antigen in the blood may indicate the presence of pathological processes in the prostate.Determination of PSA values 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.
Main therapeutic components and methods of treating prostatitis
Acute prostatitis and exacerbation of the chronic form of this disease are treated according to similar schemes.Correctly selected rational therapy presupposes complete recovery of the patient in the first case and leads to cure or prolonged remission of the disease in the second.Only a urologist can decide how to treat prostatitis without harm to the patient's health and with the maximum effect of the means and methods used;The patient's role in this process is to strictly follow all the specialist's instructions.
Drug therapy
Drug treatment is the basis of any therapeutic effect on foci of prostate inflammation.The selection of the necessary medications is made by the urologist based on data from laboratory tests and other preliminary studies.The direction of action of drug therapy includes:
- reducing 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 immunity, sexual performance and general well-being of the patient
The optimal effectiveness of drug therapy is achieved by combining antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs, antidepressants, microenemas and suppositories in a wellness program.
Local therapy
A local restorative effect on the prostate and its inflamed areas is achieved through the use of several types of physiotherapy in the treatment program:
- ultrasonic phonophoresis;
- transrectal microwave hyperthermia;
- diadynamophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- prostate massage.
It should be noted that, despite the relative pain, massage is the most effective means of combating prostatitis.Thanks to these procedures, stagnant secretions are removed from the prostate, which improves blood circulation in the affected tissues and increases the effectiveness of the medications used by the patient.Massage is prescribed to the patient during periods of remission or disappearance of 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 herbal remedies is prescribed for patients with prostatitis as part of complex therapy.The use of health products of plant origin is possible in the long term, due to their harmless effects on the body and the low prevalence of side effects.Phytotherapy can be carried out 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 magnetic, phono or electrophoretic herbal remedies.
Medications in the treatment of prostatitis
The course of medications used by patients is prescribed individually by the doctor.The antibiotic program is developed taking into account the following specific criteria:
- form of the disease;
- type of pathogen and antimicrobial activity of the drug;
- penetration of the drug into prostate tissue;
- no contraindications to taking the medicine;
- method of administering medications;
- possible side effects
Based on the effectiveness of treating chronic and acute prostatitis, there are three main groups of antibacterial agents:
- Fluoroquinolones.Medicines in this group have a broad spectrum of action and the ability to accumulate in high concentrations in prostate tissue;in this case, the pathogenic bacteria do not develop resistance to the active agent.The “disadvantage” of fluoroquinolones is their possible negative effect on the central nervous system and the likelihood of allergic reactions in patients.
- Tetracyclines.These drugs are most effective against atypical pathogens, but are not active enough against E. coli and staphylococci and are completely ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Macrolides.Drugs from the macrolide group easily penetrate and actively accumulate in the tissues of the gland;however, being low toxic and effective in destroying gram-positive bacteria, they are weakly effective in suppressing gram-negative bacteria.
In the first few days of using prescribed antibacterial medications, patients diagnosed with prostatitis should consult their doctor regularly.This 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 medicine.When prescribing antibiotics, the doctor must take into account the patient's experience of taking similar medicines, to avoid repeatedly prescribing a medicine from the same group.
In addition to antibacterial drugs and analgesics, a patient with prostatitis can be prescribed hormonal therapy and (or) alpha-blockers:
- Hormone therapy.The condition and functions of the prostate gland 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 such medications help to reduce the glandular tissue of the prostate, we can talk about the indirect role of antiandrogens in the recovery of a patient with prostatitis.
- Alpha-adrenergic blockers.The use of such medicines refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy;its goal is to alleviate the general symptoms of prostate inflammation.The use of alpha-blockers is especially effective for problems with urination.By relieving spasms of the sphincter, the walls of the ureter, the smooth muscles of the bladder, as well as the prostate itself, stagnation or reflux of prostate secretion is prevented and the swelling of the inflamed organ is relieved.
Regardless of the purposes and specificities of medication use, any medication must be taken exclusively as prescribed by a doctor and under his/her supervision.Self-medication can lead to disease complications or make subsequent therapy ineffective in a clinical setting.
Immunocorrection is the key to successful treatment
The entire complex of procedures for the treatment of chronic or acute prostatitis must necessarily be accompanied by immunocorrective measures (regular visits to the immunologist, normalization of lifestyle, taking vitamins, immunomodulators, etc.).The high immune status of the body contributes to the patient's rapid recovery or 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 relapses of an existing disease and a categorical refusal of self-medication in favor of the professional intervention of a urologist will make it possible to avoid long-term treatment and undesirable consequences of a serious illness.