The fight against prostatitis is a complex and rather lengthy process that does not allow self-treatment. Since this disease can lead to both pathologies of male reproductive function and serious malfunctions in the work of other organs and systems, all measures aimed at establishing a diagnosis and determining the necessary treatment strategy should be carried outexclusively 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
Identifying 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. Certain types of examinations can cause discomfort or pain in patients, but the passage through certain clinical diagnostic stages is necessary for the attending physician to gather useful information:
- Primary digital rectal examination and taking prostatic 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 all subsequent therapeutic measures.
- Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasound examination. It is prescribed as needed to clarify the features of the condition of the prostate. 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 prostate-specific antigen may indicate the presence of pathological processes in the prostate gland. The determination of PSA indicators should be carried out not only in the process of diagnosing prostatitis, but also during the treatment of the disease to assess the effectiveness of treatment.
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 chosen, rational therapy assumes full recovery of the patient in the first case, and leads to his recovery or long-term remission of the disease in the second. Only a urologist can decide how to treat prostatitis without harming the patient's health, and with the maximum effect of the means and methods used, the role of the patient in this process lies in his strict observance of all the prescriptions of the specialist.
medical therapy
Drug therapy underlies any therapeutic effect on prostate inflammation. The selection of the necessary drugs is carried out by the urologist on the basis of data from laboratory tests and other preliminary studies. The goal of drug therapy includes:
- reduction in the patient's pain level;
- normalization of blood circulation in the prostate and adjacent organs;
- localization and destruction of the infectious agent;
- elimination of inflammatory reactions and congestion of 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, analgesics, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs, antidepressants, microclysters and suppositories in the wellness program.
Local therapy
The local restorative effect on the prostate 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 way to combat prostatitis. Thanks to such procedures, the stagnant secretion of the prostate is eliminated, which helps to improve the blood circulation of the affected tissues and increase the effectiveness of the drugs 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 to patients with prostatitis as part of complex therapy. The use of herbal health products is possible for a long time, due to their harmless effect on the body and the low incidence of side effects. Herbal medicine can be performed internally and (or) externally, 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 medication use 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;
- ability to penetrate the drug into the prostate tissue;
- no contraindications to taking the drug;
- method of drug administration;
- 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. Drugs of this group have a wide spectrum of action and have the ability to accumulate in the tissues of the prostate in high concentrations; at the same time, the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to the active agent is not developed. The "disadvantage" of fluoroquinolones is 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 in toxicity and effective in destroying gram-positive bacteria, they are ineffective in suppressing gram-negative bacteria.
In the first days of taking prescribed antibacterial drugs, a patient with a diagnosis of prostatitis should regularly consult his doctor. Such a measurement 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 should take into account the patient's experience of taking similar drugs in order to exclude the re-prescription of a drug from the same group.
In addition to antibacterials and painkillers, a patient with prostatitis may be prescribed hormone therapy and/or take alpha-blockers:
- Hormonal therapy. The state 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 change the balance of "female" and "male" hormones in a given direction. Since these drugs help to reduce the glandular tissue of the prostate gland, one can talk about the indirect role of antiandrogens in the recovery of a patient with prostatitis.
- Alpha blockers. The intake of these funds refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy; its purpose is to relieve general symptoms of prostate inflammation. The use of alpha-blockers for urination problems is particularly effective. Thanks to the elimination of spasms of the sphincter, the walls of the ureter, the smooth muscles of the bladder, as well as the prostate itself, stagnation or reverse reflux of prostatic secretion is avoided and edema isremoved from the inflamed organ.
Regardless of the purpose and specifics of the use of drugs, taking any medication 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 further therapy ineffective in the clinic.
Immunocorrection is the key to successful treatment
The 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 rapid 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 case of characteristic symptoms of the disease, strict adherence to medical recommendations in case of diagnosis of prostatitis, prevention of recurrence of an existing disease and a categorical rejection of self-treatment in favorprofessional intervention by a urologist will allow you to avoid long-term treatment and the undesirable consequences of a serious illness.