The fight against prostatitis is a complex and rather long process that does not allow self-treatment. Since this disease can lead to both pathologies of the male reproductive function and serious malfunctions in the work 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 recedes as quickly as possible, and what is the complex of therapeutic measures?
Diagnosis of prostatitis
Identification of 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 may cause discomfort or pain in patients, but passing through certain stages of clinical diagnostics is necessary for the attending physician to collect useful information:
- Primary rectal digital examination and taking 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 the 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 state of the prostate gland. Transabdominal ultrasound is performed through the anterior abdominal wall and does not cause discomfort to the patient. However, a transrectal examination of the prostate (through the rectum) is, although moderately painful, but a more informative procedure, since it allows you to determine not only the parameters of the gland, but also its structural changes.
- Blood test for PSA. Excess in the blood of the normal level (4 ng / ml) of the prostate-specific antigen may indicate the presence of pathological processes in the prostate gland. Determination of PSA indicators must be carried out not only in the process of diagnosing prostatitis, but also during the treatment of the disease to assess the effectiveness of therapy.
The 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. Properly selected, rational therapy assumes a complete recovery of the patient in the first case and leads to his cure or long-term remission of the disease in the second. 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 specialist's prescriptions.
Medical therapy
Treatment with drugs underlies any therapeutic effect on inflammation in the prostate gland. The selection of the necessary medicines is made by the urologist on the basis of laboratory tests and other preliminary studies. The focus of drug therapy includes:
- reduction in the patient's level of pain;
- 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 through a combination of antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs, antidepressants, microclysters and suppositories in the wellness program.
Local therapy
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, with its relative pain, massage is the most effective means of combating prostatitis. Thanks to such procedures, the stagnant secretion from the prostate gland is removed, which helps to improve the blood circulation of the affected tissues and increase the effectiveness of the medications used by the patient. Massage is prescribed to the patient during periods of remission or subsidence of acute manifestations of the disease. During an exacerbation of prostatitis, procedures are excluded by the doctor from the list of therapeutic measures, since they can provoke the spread of infection.
Phytotherapy
Treatment with phytopreparations is prescribed for patients with prostatitis as part of complex therapy. The use of herbal health products is possible for a long course, due to their harmless effect on the body and the low incidence of side effects. Phytotherapy 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 magneto-, phono- or electrophoresis of phytopreparations.
Drugs in the treatment of prostatitis
The course of use of drugs by patients is prescribed by their doctor on an individual basis. An antibiotic program is designed with the following specific criteria in mind:
- the form of the disease;
- type of pathogen and antimicrobial activity of the drug;
- penetrating ability of the drug in 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 are distinguished by a wide spectrum of action and have the ability to accumulate in the tissues of the prostate gland in high concentration; at the same time, the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to the active agent 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 are not active enough in the fight against Escherichia coli and staphylococci and are completely ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Macrolides. Preparations of the macrolide group easily penetrate and actively accumulate in the tissues of the gland, however, being low-toxic and effective in the destruction of gram-positive bacteria, they are ineffective in suppressing gram-negative bacteria.
In the first days of taking the prescribed antibacterial drugs, a patient with a diagnosis of 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 notice 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 exclude the re-prescription of a drug of the same group.
In addition to antibacterial 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 dependent 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 given 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 blockers. The intake of such funds refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy; its purpose is to alleviate the general symptoms of inflammation of the prostate. Especially effective is the use of alpha-blockers for problems with urination. Thanks to the removal of spasms of the sphincter, the walls of the ureter, the smooth muscles of the bladder, as well as the prostate gland itself, stagnation or reverse reflux of the prostate secretion is prevented and edema is removed from the inflamed organ.
Regardless of the purpose and specifics of the use of medicines, taking any drug should be carried out exclusively as prescribed by a doctor and under his control. Self-medication can lead to a complication of the disease or make subsequent therapy ineffective in the clinic.
Immunocorrection 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 speedy recovery of the patient or the prolongation of the remission phase in the chronic form of the disease.
A timely visit to a specialist in the event of symptoms characteristic of the disease, strict adherence to medical recommendations in the event of a diagnosis of prostatitis, prevention of recurrence of an existing disease and a categorical rejection of self-treatment in favor of professional intervention by a urologist will allow you to avoid long-term treatment and undesirable consequences of a serious illness.