According to statistics, more than 75% of men over 40-45 years old experience prostate disease. Strong circulation of lymph and blood in the vessels of the small pelvis often provokes swelling of the organ and congestion. In addition, the prostate is well innervated, so the symptoms of the disease in men include severe pain.
What is the prostate gland?
The prostate or prostate gland is the male reproductive organ, part of the reproductive system. It is located in the small pelvis, below the bladder, partially covers the urethra and ejaculatory ducts. The prostate consists of two lobes and an isthmus that connects them. In addition, the body is distinguished by the top, base, front and back. The shape of the prostate resembles a chestnut, elastic, consists of glandular and muscle cells. The prostate performs three main functions:
- The engine. Prostate muscle cells form a sphincter in the urethra that holds urine.
- Secretary. The gland produces a special secret that provides sperm motility, liquefies the sperm.
- The barrier. Prevents the spread of infection from the urethra.
Prostate disease in men
Pathologies, as a rule, are associated with damage to the organ by pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms, congestion or neoplasia (both malignant and benign). >Among prostate diseases are:
- inflammation (prostatitis);
- benign hyperplasia of the gland (adenoma);
- malignant neoplasm (cancer);
- cystic neoplasia;
- prostate abscess.
Many factors that create an environment and favorable conditions for the penetration and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms (fungi, viruses, bacteria) can provoke the beginning of the development of pathology and signs of inflammation of the prostate in men. In addition, they can cause the development of benign or malignant tumors. Unfavorable factors include:
- malnutrition;
- hypovitaminosis;
- venereal diseases;
- body hypothermia;
- hypodynamia;
- long-term treatment with antibiotics;
- blood stagnation in the pelvis;
- bad habits;
- endocrine pathologies;
- reproductive system pathology;
- oncological diseases in history;
- prolonged fatigue.
Symptoms of prostate disease in men
Signs of prostate gland breakdown depend on the cause of the disease, its localization and the nature of the pathological processes. As a rule, the patient complains of weakness, decreased performance, general fatigue and irritability. In addition, symptoms of prostatitis and prostate adenoma in men, stones or abscess may appear as follows:
- violation of urination;
- erectile dysfunction;
- infertility;
- pain, burning in the urethra;
- Increase in temperature;
- chills;
- painful intercourse;
- lack of shedding;
- pain in the perineum with sudden movements;
- offensive discharge from urethra.
Prostatitis
The inflammatory lesion of the prostate gland, prostatitis, is one of the most common diseases of the male genital area. The main cause of the pathology is considered to be a violation of blood circulation in the pelvis, which leads to a strong increase in the proportions of the organ and its edema. Symptoms of prostate inflammation depend on the type of disease. There are several types of pathology:
- Acute inflammation. Caused by pathogenic microbes (eg E. coli or enterobacteria). Acute prostatitis is manifested by severe pain and pain in the urethra, impaired urination: urine is excreted with difficulty, sometimes drop by drop. Some patients report an increase in temperature.
- Chronic bacterial inflammation. As a rule, it is caused by sexual infections (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, etc. ). Symptoms of chronic inflammation of the prostate may be mild or absent. Among the characteristic signs, there is sexual dysfunction (erection dysfunction, premature ejaculation), painful urination (mainly at night) and discharge of mucus from the urethra.
- Chronic non-bacterial inflammation. The disease develops as a result of inflammatory processes in other organs (pyelonephritis, cystitis), blood stagnation, heart failure, hypothermia. Such prostatitis often has one symptom - difficulty urinating. Often the result of the pathology is a violation of the kidneys, discomfort in the lower back.
BPH
A prostate disease characterized by benign tissue growth and the formation of nodules that gradually compress the urethra and seminal ducts, the bladder. Hyperplasia can lead to a violation of the concentration of hormones in the blood. Signs of prostate adenoma in men vary depending on the stage of the disease:
- It is compensated. As a rule, at this stage, men do not notice specific symptoms. Sometimes there is an increased desire to urinate at night.
- Undercompensated. The main symptoms are the feeling of heaviness in the bladder, its incomplete emptying. Fluid during urination is difficult to pass, patients complain of difficult ejaculation.
- Decompensated. It is characterized by a significant decrease in the volume of the bladder muscles and their tone. In addition, the adenoma develops chronic fatigue, pain and cramps when trying to urinate. In the absence of treatment, the growth of the tumor, the intensity of pain increases significantly, defecation may be disturbed due to compression of the rectum.
Prostate adenoma is considered a precancerous disease, therefore, when this tissue growth is detected, a biopsy is necessary to detect atypical cells and ultrasound (ultrasound) to study the structure of the organ in detail. Gland hyperplasia, as a rule, progresses slowly, which allows timely diagnosis and treatment.
cyst
A pathological cavity with liquid or a cyst of the prostate develops under the influence of inflammatory processes of the gland, in which the excretory channels of the organ are squeezed and the flow of secretion is disturbed. Pathology can be provoked by constant stress, nervous tension, chronic diseases and tumors of neighboring organs, sclerosis of prostate tissue. Signs of cystic formation are:
- burning in the urethra;
- enlargement of the gland in size;
- decreased sexual desire;
- increase in body temperature;
- the feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder;
- reproductive dysfunction.
stone
The formation of stones in the prostate occurs due to a sedentary lifestyle, injuries in the groin area, inflammatory diseases of the organ. Gradually increasing in size, stones violate the integrity of the ducts of the gland, urine begins to enter the prostate tissue. Stones, as a rule, consist of phosphates, uric and oxalic acid salts, protein and ductal epithelium. The main signs of pathology include:
- weak erection;
- pain during urination;
- frequent exacerbations of inflammation;
- pain during ejaculation;
- sealing in the gland and pain when it is probed.
cancer
A malignant neoplasm that develops from the secretory epithelium of the prostate is called cancer or carcinoma. Prolonged inflammatory processes precede tumor development. The risk group includes men over 40 who abuse alcohol and tobacco. The symptoms of oncological damage to the prostate are non-specific and are manifested by violations of the functioning of the organ. In the early stages, the disease is usually not manifested. As the tumor develops, the following symptoms appear:
- hematuria;
- painful urination;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- swelling of the legs;
- violation of the chair;
- impotence.
Abscess
An infectious-inflammatory pathology, which is accompanied by purulent fusion of tissues, is called an abscess. Such a process develops due to the transfer of pathogenic bacteria from the primary focus of infection to the prostate gland through the bloodstream. For a long time, an abscess can be asymptomatic. The main signs of the presence of a purulent focus in prostate tissue are: >
- fever and fever;
- pain during sexual intercourse, urination;
- excretion of fetid pus in the urine (when an abscess ruptures).
Purulent formation in the prostate is diagnosed with the help of instrumental and laboratory studies. In blood tests, an increase in the number of leukocytes, an increase in the value of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is observed. In the study of urine, leukocytosis and pathogenic microflora are detected. Palpation examination through the rectum shows the presence of a rounded formation.
The main methods of treatment of the prostate gland
Methods for treating pathologies depend on the specific disease, stage of the course and severity. Therapy for prostate diseases is selected individually, depending on the age of the patient, the results of laboratory tests, instrumental studies, the presence of accompanying pathologies. Get to know the basic principles of treating prostate diseases:
disease |
Methods of Treatment |
|---|---|
Prostatitis |
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Adenoma |
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cyst |
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stone |
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cancer |
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Abscess |
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prevention
To prevent the development of prostate diseases, you must follow the principles of a healthy lifestyle. It reduces the risk of prostate pathologies by following the recommendations:
- Stick to a balanced diet.
- Do regular exercises.
- Take multivitamin complexes, immunomodulatory drugs.
- Refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking, drugs.
- Avoid hypothermia.
- See your doctor as soon as symptoms appear.