The prostate as an independent organ was first described in the anatomical studies of an ancient Greek physician who practiced around 350 BC.At that time, however, doctors did not pay much attention to it, and the works of this doctor were practically not preserved, so the gland was later rediscovered by the Venetian doctor Nicola Massa.In 1838, Verdes provided the first precise morphological description of the pathology of the prostate, which was supplemented over time by the brilliant mind of his time.By the way, until the beginning of the 20th century, the existence of chronic prostatitis was not recognized at all by many general practitioners and psychoanalysts and called it "anal-rectal psychosis".Fortunately, modern medicine has learned not only to diagnose in time, but also to treat this serious disease very successfully.But what exactly is prostatitis?
General characteristics
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate, a special male organ located just below the bladder.Its function is the production of prostate secretion, which is an important component of sperm.In addition, the gland closes the urethral outlet during erection.
Inflammation, as you can guess, can be caused by several reasons.Given that the prostate is directly connected to the urethra, the most common cause of prostatitis is the entry of infectious agents into the gland.Everyone knows that the human body contains a huge number of symbiont bacteria that are part of the normal microflora.However, once such bacteria leave their colony and enter other tissues, they go from being an ally to a source of trouble, triggering strong inflammatory reactions.Enterobacteriaceae (the most famous representatives of which are Proteus), Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococci, all of them penetrate the gland in many ways.The most obvious route is the urethra, but because the prostate gland is connected to a network of large vessels, both blood and lymph can act as transport media for the bacteria.
There is another group of pathogens called “atypical” in the medical community because these agents are much less common.These include, for example, fungal infections - many of you have probably heard of Candida, which affects internal tissues and causes 'candidiasis'.Typically, fungal spores penetrate the internal organs when the human immune system is greatly weakened - which is not at all uncommon for modern man due to the harsh climate and the constant overload of the body caused by a busy work schedule and lack of sleep.Prostatitis can also be viral in nature.The human papillomavirus, the cytomegalovirus, the herpes virus and even the influenza virus (!) can cause prostatitis and a whole series of complications that exhaust the already weakened body.
In addition, prostatitis is caused by non-bacterial pathogens.First of all, we are talking about purulent formations in the body: particles of pus break out of the entire mass and enter the tissues with the bloodstream.Sometimes the blood itself, without foreign substances, can cause an inflammatory reaction.If a man leads a mostly sedentary lifestyle and neglects exercise, the blood in the gland stagnates and causes blood vessels to become blocked.And finally, the last (but not least important) reason is long-term sexual abstinence and promiscuity.In the first case, the iron is broken down because the body supplies it with less and less blood when it is not needed, so the cells begin to die from starvation.In the second case, all responsibility falls on the shoulders of the partner, who can serve as a carrier of certain types of urinary tract infections. Symptoms of prostatitis are difficult to confuse with something else.The main symptom is sharp, acute, less often oppressive pain occurring during urination and ejaculation.This is reinforced by pain in the lower back, perineum, scrotum and lower back.Due to the increase in the size of the gland, it often blocks the urethra, which makes the urination process difficult.In case of bacterial infection, greenish and yellowish discharge from the canal itself is often observed, and in some cases hemospermia develops - the appearance of blood in the sperm.
What are the dangers of prostatitis?
From the above, it is not difficult to conclude that inflammation of the prostate causes many problems.The most common consequence of advanced prostatitis is impotence and sterility, as prostate dysfunction leads to a sharp decrease in the production of hormones responsible for sexual desire.The response to infection is rarely localized to the gland;usually the focus of inflammation also extends to the adjacent tissues.Therefore, prostatitis is followed by vesiculitis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis and other changes in the urogenital system.If the cause of prostatitis is a fungal, bacterial or viral infection, you can easily infect your sexual partner.Sexually transmitted pathogens can cause infectious diseases of the urinary tract in women.In addition, infection in the blood can simply cause blood poisoning and lead to widespread damage to the body.
You've probably heard the term "prostate adenoma" on radio and TV ads.An adenoma is a tumor of the gland, which increases in size over time, not only causes inflammation and can become malignant, but also simply compresses the urinary tract.Why is this so important?It's not just painful, extremely difficult urination and total erectile dysfunction.The compressed organ receives less and less blood, as a result of which the tissues first shrink and then completely die, which leads to the appearance of an extensive necrosis focus.This form of prostatitis is no longer treatable.
How to treat prostatitis
First of all, you must definitely remember one simple truth: only a qualified doctor can help you treat prostatitis.Not healing grandmother and burdock decoctions, not tantric exercises and not willow bark poultices.Such a disease also does not go away on its own: the longer the patient delays treatment, the more problems he will face and the more expensive the treatment will be.Many men do not understand modern pharmacology and are superstitiously afraid that the doctor will prescribe them a mountain of drugs that will not only be useless, but also cause significant damage to their wallet and health.There is no need to fear: instead of a handful of pills, you will most likely be prescribed a single medicine at a very reasonable price.
5 interesting facts about prostatitis
Here are some sad facts about the "main male disease" of our time: - A healthy diet is the key to success: with a proper diet, we can not only strengthen the immune system, but also slow down the inflammatory enlargement of the prostate.— Every third man in the world suffers from one or another form of prostatitis.— By the way, prostatitis is not a "disease of old people": some forms of it can develop even at quite young ages (20-25 years old).— In most cases, prostate massage is prescribed, but only congestive prostatitis can be cured with massage alone.Sometimes massage is strictly contraindicated.- Prostatitis can be asymptomatic for a long time, but it definitely reveals itself during a strong decrease in immunity, for example, illness, hypothermia, etc.