Don’t know it too late! If men have these symptoms, it may be prostatitis knocking on the door

As male infertility issues have received increasing attention, prostatitis has become one of the common genitourinary diseases of male infertility.

Recently, the Urology Clinic of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine) received a couple of childbearing age. Director Yang Jian of the Urology Department carefully understood their condition and after completing relevant examinations, he diagnosed them with prostatitis, solving the couple's confusion about their failed attempt to conceive.

1. What is prostatitis?

The prostate surrounds the urethra, is close to the bladder, is located in the pelvic cavity, and is the outlet of the bladder. It guards the bladder like a soldier and is the largest accessory gland in the male reproductive system. Prostatitis is an inflammatory reaction caused by infection of the prostate by pathogens such as microorganisms or stimulation by certain non-infectious factors.

According to the latest classification in the guidelines, prostatitis is divided into four types: Type I is acute bacterial prostatitis, Type II is chronic bacterial prostatitis, Type III is chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, and Type IV is asymptomatic prostatitis.

2. What are the clinical manifestations of prostatitis?

Dr. Liu Jian from the Urology Department of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine) introduced: Acute prostatitis usually presents with symptoms such as fever, chills, frequent urination, urgency, pain when urinating, and pain in the perineum and lower back, and should be treated promptly.

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common of the four types, and the clinical manifestations of type II and type III are similar and diverse.

Symptoms include: chronic pelvic pain, dysuria and loss of libido, painful ejaculation, premature ejaculation, sexual dysfunction, as well as frequent urination, urgency, increased nocturia, waiting to urinate, and interrupted urination.

3. Why does prostatitis affect male fertility?

If prostatitis is not treated in time, it will develop into chronic prostatitis.

It has a high incidence rate, diverse and stubborn symptoms, which can have an impact on the patient's body and mind. Whether it is seminal plasma or sperm, prostatitis can directly affect the quality of male semen and change its chemical composition, thereby affecting the liquefaction process of semen and leading to male reproductive dysfunction.

4. How to treat prostatitis?

Director Yang Jian said that men with chronic prostatitis do not need to panic, as treatment is mainly targeted at types II and III.

1. General treatment

Health education, psychological and behavioral counseling have a positive effect. Patients should quit smoking and drinking, avoid spicy and irritating foods, avoid holding urine and sitting for long periods of time, keep warm, take warm water baths when appropriate, strengthen physical exercise and have regular sex, which will help improve the symptoms of prostatitis patients and maintain the efficacy.

2. Drug treatment

First, urine specimens and prostatic fluid are cultured for bacteria, and then antibiotics are used based on the results of the bacterial culture. Currently, antibiotics are the most commonly used first-line treatment for prostatitis.

In addition, there are a-receptor blockers, which can relax the smooth muscles in the urethra, bladder neck and prostate to improve lower urinary tract symptoms and pain; herbal preparations, which have nonspecific anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effects; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, which can relieve pain and discomfort; M-receptor blockers, which are suitable for patients with prostatitis accompanied by overactive bladder-like symptoms.

For some induced mental symptoms, some antidepressant and anxiety drugs can be used symptomatically. For some patients with prostatitis accompanied by sexual dysfunction, such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, in addition to targeted drugs, there are also reports that the efficacy of a receptor blocker combined with 5-hydroxytryptamine reuptake inhibitor (dapoxetine) is better than monotherapy.

The specific medications mentioned above need to be determined based on the patient's specific symptoms and doctor's instructions.

In order to prevent the occurrence of prostatitis, male friends should maintain good living habits in their daily lives. If symptoms of prostatitis occur, you must seek medical attention in time and do not delay to avoid worsening of the condition.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Chen Yan Lengfu, Department of Urology, Hunan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

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(Edited by YT)