The fight against prostatitis is a complex and rather long process that does not allow self-medication. Since this disease can lead to pathology of male reproductive function and serious disorders of other organs and systems, all measures to diagnose and determine the necessary treatment strategy should be carried out exclusively by a urologist. How to treat prostatitis in order to get rid of the disease as soon as possible and what is the complex of therapeutic measures?
Diagnosis of prostatitis
Identification of 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 examinations can cause discomfort or pain in patients, but going through certain stages of clinical diagnosis is necessary for the attending physician to gather useful information:
- Primary rectal digital examination and taking prostate secretions 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 test of the susceptibility of the pathogenic microflora to antibiotics is performed 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 prostate condition. 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 moderately painful, but a more informative procedure, because it allows you to determine not only the parameters of the gland, but also its structural changes.
- Blood test for PSA. An excess of normal antigen-specific antigen (4 ng / ml) in the blood may indicate the presence of pathological processes in the prostate. Determination of PSA indicators should be carried out not only in the process of diagnosing prostatitis, but also during the treatment of the disease in order to assess the effectiveness of therapy.
The main therapeutic components and methods of treating prostatitis
Acute prostatitis and exacerbation of the chronic form of this disease are treated according to similar schemes. Properly chosen, rational therapy presupposes 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 harming the patient's health and with the maximum effect of the means and methods used, the patient's role in this process is in his strict adherence to all specialist regulations.
Medical therapy
Drug treatment is basically any therapeutic effect on prostate inflammation. The selection of the necessary drugs is made by a urologist on the basis of data from laboratory tests and other preliminary studies. The focus of drug therapy includes:
- reduction of pain levels in the patient;
- normalization of blood circulation in the prostate 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
Optimal efficacy of drug therapy is achieved by 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 and its inflamed areas is achieved by applying different types of physiotherapy in the treatment program:
- ultrasonic phonophoresis;
- transrectal microwave hyperthermia;
- diadynamophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- prostate massage.
It should be noted that massage, with its relative pain, is the most effective means in the fight against prostatitis. Thanks to such procedures, stagnant secretions from the prostate are removed, which helps to improve blood circulation in the affected tissue and increase the effectiveness of the medication used by the patient. Massage is prescribed to the patient during the period of remission or withdrawal of acute manifestations of the disease. During the exacerbation of prostatitis, the doctor excludes the procedures from the list of therapeutic measures, because they can cause the spread of infection.
Phytotherapy
Phytopreparation treatment is prescribed for patients with prostatitis as part of a complex therapy. The use of herbal health products is possible for a long time, due to their harmless effect on the body and low frequency of side effects. Phytotherapy can be carried out 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 by patients is prescribed by their doctor on an individual basis. The antibiotic program is designed with the following specific criteria in mind:
- form of the disease;
- type of pathogen and antimicrobial activity of the drug;
- the ability of the drug to penetrate prostate tissue;
- there are no contraindications to taking the drug;
- method of drug administration;
- possible side effects
According to the indicators of the effectiveness of treatment of chronic and acute prostatitis, there are three main groups of antibacterial agents:
- Fluoroquinolones. Drugs of this group have a broad spectrum of action and have the ability to accumulate in prostate tissues in high concentrations; at the same time resistance of pathogenic bacteria to the active substance does not develop. The "disadvantage" of fluoroquinolones lies in their possible negative effect 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 glandular tissues, however, as low-toxic and effective in destroying gram-positive bacteria, they are ineffective in suppressing gram-negative bacteria.
In the first days of taking the prescribed antibacterial drugs, a patient diagnosed with prostatitis should visit his doctor regularly. Such a measure is necessary for the urologist to monitor 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 physician must take into account the patient's experience of taking similar drugs in order to rule out re-prescribing a drug of the same group.
In addition to antibacterial and analgesic drugs, a patient with prostatitis may be prescribed hormone therapy and (or) taking 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 given direction. Since such drugs help reduce prostate glandular tissue, we can talk about the indirect role of antiandrogens in the recovery of patients with prostatitis.
- Alpha blockers. The intake of such agents refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy; its purpose is to alleviate the general symptoms of prostatitis. The use of alpha-blockers is especially effective for urination problems. Thanks to the elimination of sphincter spasms, urethral walls, smooth muscles of the urinary bladder, as well as the prostate itself, stagnation or reverse reflux of prostate secretions is prevented and edema from the inflamed organ is removed.
Regardless of the purpose and specifics of the use of drugs, taking any drug should be carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor and under his control. Self-medication can lead to complications 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 the immunologist, normalization of lifestyle, taking vitamins, immunomodulators, etc. ). The high immune status of the organism contributes to the rapid recovery of the patient or prolongation of the phase of remission in the chronic form of the disease.
Timely visits to a specialist in case of symptoms characteristic of the disease, strict adherence to medical recommendations in case of diagnosis of prostatitis, prevention of recurrence of existing disease and categorical refusal of self-medication in favor of professional intervention by a urologist will help you avoid long-term treatment and unwanted consequences.