Prostates are usually talked about in relation to cancer, and whilst this is the most common cancer in men – affecting roughly 1 in 8 men – it is not the only medical problem that your prostate could face.
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland and it’s one of the most common urological conditions, accounting for around 25% of urology consultations in the UK.
What is it and why does it happen?
Prostatitis (pronounced: pros-tuh-tye-tis) is an inflammation of the prostate, a small, walnut-sized gland that’s found in men between the penis and bladder.
The prostate is responsible for producing the seminal fluid that makes up the majority of ejaculate, with the remainder being made up of semen. Prostatitis usually occurs when bacteria travels up the urethra to the prostate.
How do you spot it?
Prostatitis usually affects men between the ages of 30-50, although it can happen to a man of any age.
There are a variety of symptoms associated with prostatitis
Pain: This could be in a few areas such as your lower back, your thighs, your stomach, penis, testicles, scrotum or the area between your anus and scrotum.
Problems with pee: Prostatitis can lead to a burning sensation when peeing and it can also lead to you needing to pee more regularly than you are used to.
Sexual health: You might find that prostatitis will lead to discomfort during or after ejaculation
Fever symptoms: Prostatitis can also leave you feeling feverish
If you are experiencing these symptoms, make sure you go to see your GP.
How is prostatitis treated?
Prostatitis is usually treated with antibiotics and, if the pain is significant, with painkillers. If you have acute prostatitis, it may be necessary for you to receive treatment in hospital, however.
Some men with prostatitis find that lifestyle changes and relaxation techniques help to reduce their symptoms. These include trying pelvic floor exercises or trying meditation or yoga.
To find out more about prostatitis, please visit the Urology Health pages on The Urology Foundation website.
If you are concerned that you might have prostatitis, please go and see your GP so you can be checked out.
The Urology Foundation
The Urology Foundation is committed to transforming the lives of people with a urology condition through ground-breaking research, training and education. The money we raise is invested directly into research to find better treatments and cures, and in educational training for urology professionals to care for and help people affected by urology conditions. Working with researchers, urology and health care professionals we are improving the nation’s urology care. We are dedicated to beating all urology diseases through cutting-edge research and leading education and training to ensure that fewer lives will be devastated.
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A valuable read, if the men in your family aren’t members, either sign them up or print this off for them.
on March 21, 2019 at 2:30 pm talkhealth