The fight against prostatitis is a complex and rather lengthy process that does not allow self-treatment. Since this disease can lead to both pathologies of male reproductive function and serious dysfunction of other organs and systems, all actions aimed at establishing the diagnosis and determining the necessary treatment strategy should 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
Determining the presence of prostatitis in a patient for a urologist is usually not difficult, and the main goal of diagnostic procedures is to determine the cause and form of the disease. Some types of examinations can cause discomfort or pain in patients, but the attending physician must go through certain stages of clinical diagnostics in order to gather useful information:
- Primary rectal digital 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 pathogenic microflora to antibiotics is carried out in order to optimize the complex of subsequent therapeutic measures.
- Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasound examination. It is prescribed as needed to clarify the characteristics of the condition of the prostate. Transabdominal ultrasound is performed through the anterior abdominal wall and does not cause any discomfort to the patient. However, a transrectal examination of the prostate (through the rectum), although moderately painful, is more informative, since it allows you 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. Determination of PSA indicators should be carried out not only when diagnosing prostatitis, but also during the treatment of the disease in order to assess the effectiveness of therapy.
The 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. Properly chosen, rational therapy assumes, in the first case, a full recovery of the patient, and in the second, leads to his cure or long-term remission of the disease. 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 lies in his strict adherence to all the prescriptions of the specialist.
Medical therapy
A therapeutic effect on inflammation in the prostate is based on drug treatment. The urologist selects the necessary medication based on data from laboratory tests and other preliminary studies. The main areas of drug therapy are:
- reducing the patient's pain level;
- normalization of blood circulation in the prostate and adjacent organs;
- localization 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 through a combination of antibiotics, painkillers, 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 physiotherapy in the treatment program:
- ultrasonic phonophoresis;
- transrectal microwave hyperthermia;
- diadynamophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- prostate massage.
It should be noted that massage, with its relative pain, is the most effective means of combating prostatitis. Thanks to such procedures, the stagnant secretion is removed from the prostate gland, which helps to improve blood circulation in the affected tissues and increase the effectiveness of the drugs used by the patient. Massage is prescribed to the patient in periods of remission or the subsidence of acute manifestations of the disease. With an exacerbation of prostatitis, the doctor excludes interventions from the list of therapeutic measures, since they can provoke the spread of infection.
phytotherapy
Treatment with phytopreparations is prescribed to patients with prostatitis as part of complex therapy. The use of herbal health products is possible over a long period of time due to their harmless effect on the body and the low frequency of side effects. Phytotherapy can be carried out by 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. With the chronic form of prostatitis, the doctor may prescribe magneto-, phono- or electrophoresis of phytopreparations.
Drugs in the treatment of prostatitis
The course of taking medicines by patients is prescribed individually by their doctor. An antibiotics program is developed considering the following specific criteria:
- the form of the disease;
- type of pathogen and antimicrobial activity of the drug;
- ability of the drug to penetrate into the prostate tissue;
- no contraindications to taking the drug;
- method of administration of the drug;
- possible side effects
According to the indicators of the effectiveness of the treatment of chronic and acute prostatitis, there are three main groups of antibacterial agents:
- fluoroquinolones. The drugs of this group have a wide spectrum of action and can accumulate in high concentrations in the tissues of the prostate; at the same time, the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to the active substance 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 not active enough in the fight against Escherichia coli and staphylococci, and completely ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- macrolides. Preparations of the macrolide group easily penetrate the tissues of the gland and actively accumulate there. However, since they are low in toxicity and effective in destroying gram-positive bacteria, they are ineffective in suppressing gram-negative bacteria.
In the first days of taking the prescribed antibacterial drugs, a patient diagnosed with prostatitis should regularly visit his doctor. Such a measure is necessary for the urologist to track the effectiveness of antibiotics. If after three days of treatment the specialist does not find any visible improvements in the patient's condition, he replaces the main drug. When prescribing antibiotics, the doctor must take into account the patient's experience of taking similar drugs in order to rule out re-prescribing a drug of the same group.
In addition to antibiotics and painkillers, a patient with prostatitis may be prescribed hormone therapy and (or) taking alpha-blockers:
- Hormone therapy. The condition and functions of the prostate are directly related to the amount of androgens and estrogens in the male body. The use of hormonal drugs in the treatment of prostatitis allows you to shift the balance of "female" and "male" hormones in a certain direction. Since such drugs help 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 blockers. The inclusion of such funds refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy; Its purpose is to relieve the general symptoms of inflammation of the prostate. The use of alpha blockers is particularly effective for problems with urination. Thanks to the removal of spasms of the sphincter, walls of the ureter, smooth muscle of the bladder, as well as the prostate itself, stagnation or reverse reflux of prostatic secretion is prevented and edema from the inflamed organ is removed.
Regardless of the purpose and specifics of the use of medicines, taking medicines should be carried out exclusively according to the doctor's prescription and under his control. Self-medication can lead to a complication of the disease or make subsequent therapy in the clinic ineffective.
Immune correction is the key to successful treatment
The whole complex of medical procedures for chronic or acute prostatitis must necessarily be accompanied by immunocorrective measures (regular visits to an immunologist, normalization of lifestyle, taking vitamins, immunomodulators, etc. ). The high immune status of the body contributes to the rapid recovery of the patient or to prolonging the period of remission in the chronic form of the disease.
Timely visit to a specialist with symptoms typical of the disease, strict adherence to medical recommendations when diagnosing prostatitis, preventing the recurrence of an existing disease and categorically refusing self-treatment in favor of professional intervention by a urologist, you can avoid long-term treatment and undesirable consequences of a serious illness.