Prostatitis is a condition causing swelling of the prostate gland, with bacterial types causing pain, fever, and difficulty urinating. Diagnosis involves a rectal exam and treatment includes antibiotics and pain medication. Type 3 is nonbacterial and has no clear treatment, but avoiding certain activities and taking anti-inflammatory medication can help. The condition is not sexually transmitted.
Prostatitis is a condition that can affect any man and in many cases, depending on the type, there is treatment for the condition. The condition causes swelling of the prostate gland, not caused by benign or prostate cancer, and is often due to a bacterial infection. Two types of the condition, types 1 and 2, are called acute prostatitis and chronic bacterial prostatitis, respectively. Two other types, 3 and 4, are called nonbacterial prostatitis and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. The latter types are more difficult to treat, as the cause can be difficult to identify.
In types 1, 2, and 3, men may experience pain in the lower back and groin and have difficulty urinating or a feeling that they need to urinate frequently. Because types 1 and 2 are bacterial in nature, fever and chills may be noted, and general aches or flu-like symptoms are usually present. Urine may contain small amounts of blood.
Typically, Type 3 does not have a fever, although symptoms in other respects may be identical in nature. All three types can cause pain when ejaculation occurs. Type 4 usually has no symptoms and may only be noticed on prostate examination, when the prostate is enlarged and this is not a benign enlargement or a cancerous enlargement of the prostate.
The main difference between acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis is that the acute form comes on very quickly and the fever tends to be higher; men go from feeling good to feeling very bad within a day or two. The acute form requires emergency treatment so that the infection does not spread to other parts of the body or bloodstream. The chronic bacterial type tends to emerge more slowly. Both forms respond to antibiotic treatment and often resolve after a course of antibiotics lasting a couple of weeks. However, because prostate swelling can indicate other conditions, men often have a prostate exam after a course of antibiotics is finished to make sure the prostate has decreased in size. Persistent symptoms may suggest further problems.
The main method of diagnosis is a rectal examination to check the size of the prostate. If bacterial types of the condition are suspected, doctors may examine urine and/or prostatic fluid to determine the type of bacteria involved. The condition can be misdiagnosed as an infection of the bladder or kidneys, so a prostate exam is needed to judge whether the prostate is enlarged. In addition to antibiotic treatment, some men may feel more comfortable taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, or prescription pain medications. Problems urinating can be helped with a variety of medications.
Type 3 prostatitis does not have a clear and defined method of treatment. Ibuprofen and medications to make urination easier can help, as can avoiding alcohol and caffeine. Getting less exercise can also improve the condition, as some men develop this condition from excessive running or cycling. In general, there’s no need to worry about passing any type of this disease to others, since according to the Mayo Clinic, neither type can be transmitted sexually. Some people find this data a bit challenging and argue that bacterial types could cause a bacterial infection in a sexual partner.
While type 3 isn’t considered bacterial, some doctors prescribe antibiotics, and some men get better while taking them. This might be an option to consider. Some people turn to complementary or alternative medicine to treat Type 3, but there is no single treatment that is universally effective.
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