The fight against prostatitis is a complex and rather long process that does not allow self-medication.Since this disease can lead to both pathologies of male reproductive function and serious disruptions 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?
Diagnosis of prostatitis
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 tests may cause discomfort or pain in patients, but it is necessary for the treating doctor to go through some stages of clinical diagnosis to gather useful information:
- Primary digital rectal examination and collection of prostatic 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 pathogenic microflora to antibiotics in order to optimize the set of subsequent therapeutic measures.
- Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasound.Prescribed as needed to clarify the characteristics of the prostate gland.Transabdominal ultrasound is performed through the anterior abdominal wall and does not cause discomfort to the patient.However, the transrectal examination of the prostate (through the rectum), although moderately painful, is a more informative procedure, since 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 gland.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 evaluate the effectiveness of therapy.
Main therapeutic components and methods of treatment of prostatitis
Acute prostatitis and exacerbation of the chronic form of this disease are treated according to similar schemes.Rational therapy, correctly chosen, presupposes in the first case the complete recovery of the patient and in the second leads to recovery or long-term remission of the disease.Only a urologist can decide how to treat prostatitis without harming the patient's health and achieving the maximum effect from the means and methods used;the patient's role in this process is to strictly follow all the instructions of the specialist.
Drug therapy
Drug treatment is the basis of any therapeutic effect on foci of inflammation in the prostate gland.The selection of the necessary drugs is carried out by a urologist based on data from laboratory tests and other preliminary studies.The direction of action of drug therapy includes:
- reduction of the patient's pain level;
- normalization of blood circulation in the prostate gland 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 by combining antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs, antidepressants, microenemas and suppositories in one wellness program.
Local therapy
A local restorative effect on the prostate gland 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, despite the relative pain, massage is the most effective means of combating prostatitis.Thanks to such procedures, stagnant secretions are removed from the prostate gland, which improves blood circulation in the affected tissues and increases the effectiveness of the drugs used by the patient.Massage is prescribed to the patient during periods of remission or remission 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.
Herbal medicine
Treatment with herbal remedies is prescribed to 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 for 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 can prescribe magnetotherapy, phono- or electrophoresis of herbal remedies.
Drugs in the treatment of prostatitis
The course of drugs used by patients is prescribed to them by the doctor on an individual basis.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 the prostatic tissue;
- no contraindications to taking the drug;
- method of drug administration;
- possible side effects
Based on 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 broad spectrum of action and have the ability to accumulate in high concentrations in the prostate tissue;in this case the pathogenic bacteria do not develop resistance to the active ingredient.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 more effective against atypical pathogens, but are not sufficiently active against E. coli and staphylococci and are completely ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Macrolides.Drugs of the macrolide group easily penetrate and actively accumulate in the tissues of the gland;however, being slightly toxic and effective at destroying gram-positive bacteria, they are weakly effective at suppressing gram-negative bacteria.
In the first days of taking prescribed antibacterial drugs, a patient diagnosed with prostatitis should regularly visit his doctor.This measure is necessary so that the urologist can 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 drug.When prescribing antibiotics, the doctor must take into account the patient's experience of taking similar drugs to avoid prescribing a drug from the same group again.
In addition to antibacterials and painkillers, a patient with prostatitis may be prescribed hormone therapy and (or) alpha-blockers:
- Hormone therapy.The condition and functions of the prostate 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 shift the balance of “female” and “male” hormones in a certain direction.Since such drugs 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.Taking such drugs refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy;its purpose is to relieve 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 and the prostate gland itself, stagnation or reflux of prostatic secretion is prevented and swelling of the inflamed organ is relieved.
Regardless of the purposes and specifics of the use of medicines, any medicine should be taken exclusively as prescribed by a doctor and under his supervision.Self-medication can lead to complications of the disease or make subsequent therapy ineffective in a clinical setting.
Immunocorrection is the key to successful treatment
The entire complex of therapeutic 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 state of the body contributes to a rapid recovery of the patient or to the prolongation of the remission phase in the chronic form of the disease.
A timely visit to a specialist in case of characteristic symptoms of the disease, strict compliance with medical recommendations in case of 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 allow to avoid long-term treatment and undesirable consequences of a serious disease.