The fight against prostatitis is a complex and rather long process that does not allow for self-medication.Since this disease can lead to both pathology of the male reproductive function and serious disturbances in the functioning of other organs and systems, all steps 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 recedes as soon 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 the diagnostic procedure is to determine the cause and form of the disease.Some types of examination can cause discomfort or pain to the patient, but through certain stages of clinical diagnosis it is necessary for the attending physician to collect useful information:
- Digital examination of the primary rectum and collection of prostate secretions for analysis to determine the nature of the disease (bacterial or infectious form of prostatitis).If an infectious agent is detected in biological material, tests are carried out to determine the sensitivity of pathogenic microflora to antibiotics to optimize the next set of therapeutic measures.
- Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasound examination.Set 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, transrectal examination of the prostate (through the rectum) is, although somewhat painful, a more informative procedure, because 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 a pathological process in the prostate gland.Determination of PSA value must be done not only in the process of diagnosing prostatitis, but also during the treatment of the disease to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy.
The main therapeutic components and methods of treating prostatitis
Acute prostatitis and exacerbation of the chronic form of the disease are treated according to the same scheme.Properly chosen rational therapy assumes the complete recovery of the patient in the first case and leads to his recovery or long-term remission of the disease in the second case.Only a urologist can decide how to treat prostatitis without harming the patient's health and by achieving the maximum effect of the methods and methods used;the role of the patient in this process is to strictly follow all the instructions of the specialist.
Drug therapy
Treatment with drugs is the basis of any therapeutic effect on the focus of inflammation in the prostate gland.The selection of the necessary drugs is made by a urologist based on data from laboratory tests and other preliminary studies.Directions of action of drug therapy include:
- reduction of the patient's pain level;
- normalization of blood circulation in the prostate gland and adjacent organs;
- localization and destruction of infectious agents;
- 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 drugs and hormones, antidepressants, microenemas and suppositories in a health program.
Local therapy
The effect of local recovery on the prostate gland and 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 its relative pain, massage is the most effective way to combat prostatitis.Thanks to such a procedure, stagnant secretions are removed from the prostate gland, which improves blood circulation in the affected tissue and improves the effectiveness of the drugs used by the patient.Massage is prescribed to patients during the period of remission or reduction of acute manifestations of the disease.During an exacerbation of prostatitis, the procedure is excluded by the doctor from the list of therapeutic measures, because it can provoke the spread of infection.
Herbal medicine
Treatment with herbal medicine is prescribed to patients with prostatitis as part of complex therapy.The use of health products derived from plants can be done over a long period of time, due to their harmless effects on the body and the low prevalence of side effects.Herbal medicine 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 electrophoresis herbal medicine.
Medicines in the treatment of prostatitis
The course of medication used by patients is prescribed to them by their doctor individually.Antibiotic programs are developed with the following specific criteria in mind:
- form of disease;
- types of pathogens and antimicrobial activity of drugs;
- drug penetration into prostate tissue;
- no contraindications to taking the drug;
- method of drug administration;
- possible side effects
Based on the effectiveness of chronic and acute prostatitis treatment, there are three main groups of antibacterial agents:
- Fluoroquinolones.Drugs in this group have a broad spectrum of action and have the ability to accumulate in high concentrations in prostate tissue;in this case, pathogenic bacteria do not develop resistance to the active agent.The "disadvantage" of fluoroquinolones is their possible negative effects on the central nervous system and possible allergic reactions in patients.
- Tetracycline.The drug is most effective against atypical pathogens, but not sufficiently active against E. coli and staphylococci and completely ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Macrolides.Drugs from the macrolide group easily penetrate and accumulate actively in glandular tissue;however, as low toxic and effective in destroying gram-positive bacteria, it is weakly effective in inhibiting gram-negative bacteria.
In the first days of taking prescribed antibacterial drugs, patients diagnosed with prostatitis should visit their doctor regularly.This step is necessary for urologists to monitor the effectiveness of antibiotics.If, after three days of treatment, the specialist does not see 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 the same drug to avoid re-prescribing the same group of drugs.
In addition to antibacterials and painkillers, patients with prostatitis may be given hormone therapy and (or) alpha blockers:
- Hormone therapy.The state and function of the prostate directly depends 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 these drugs help to reduce the tissue of the prostate gland, we can talk about the indirect role of antiandrogens in the recovery of patients with prostatitis.
- Alpha adrenergic blockers.Taking the drug refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy;its purpose is to relieve the general symptoms of prostate inflammation.The use of alpha-blockers is very effective for urinary problems.By relieving the spasm of the sphincter, the ureter wall, the smooth muscle of the bladder, as well as the prostate gland itself, the stagnation or backflow of prostate secretions is prevented and swelling is relieved from the inflamed organ.
Regardless of the purpose and specifics of the use of drugs, any drug should be taken exclusively as prescribed by a doctor and under his supervision.Medications themselves can lead to disease complications or make subsequent therapy ineffective in clinical situations.
Immunocorrection is the key to successful treatment
The entire complex of treatment procedures for chronic or acute prostatitis must 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 rapid recovery of the patient or the prolongation of the remission phase in the form of chronic diseases.
A timely visit to a specialist in the event of characteristic symptoms of the disease, strict adherence to medical recommendations in the event of a diagnosis of prostatitis, prevention of recurrence of existing diseases and rejection of the category of self-medication in favor of professional intervention of a urologist will allow you to avoid long-term treatment and unwanted consequences of a serious disease.