Prostatitis


Is frequent urination alone prostatitis?
Frequent urination is just a symptom of urinary irritation, and there are many causes of frequent urination. Prostatitis is just one of the causes. Additionally, infections in the urinary system, such as urethritis, or the presence of stones or tumors in the bladder, can also lead to symptoms of frequent urination. Therefore, after experiencing frequent urination, it is essential to first visit the urology department at a hospital for routine urine tests and an ultrasonic scan of the urinary system. If necessary, conduct routine examinations of prostate fluid to identify the specific cause of the frequent urination. If it is due to a urinary tract infection, it is crucial to use antibiotics promptly. If it is caused by stones or tumors in the urethra, surgical treatment may be required in a timely manner.


Prostatic calcification refers to the presence of calcium deposits in the prostate gland.
Prostatic calcification caused by prostatitis primarily refers to the fibrous calcification deposits that occur in the local tissue of the prostate after the prostatitis has healed. Simply put, it refers to the scar tissue left after a prostate infection. Under color ultrasound examination, it appears as a strong echo cluster, and under CT examination, it appears as a high-density shadow. The presence of prostatic calcification lesions usually does not cause discomfort for most patients and is often discovered during routine ultrasound examinations during physical check-ups. For those cases where there are no discomfort symptoms associated with prostatic calcification lesions or spots, no special treatment is needed, as they do not pose a significant risk to health.


What department should I go to for prostatitis?
Prostatitis commonly occurs in young males. After the onset of prostatitis, patients generally exhibit symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination. Some patients may also experience heaviness and pain in the perineal and anal region. It is important to timely visit the urology department of a hospital, where diagnosis can be confirmed through routine examination of prostate fluid, culture and antibiogram of prostate fluid, prostate ultrasonography, and even digital rectal examination of the prostate. Treatment should be based on the results of these examinations. If the prostatitis is bacterial, sensitive antibiotics should be used for regular treatment. If the patient has significant urinary discomfort, medications that improve urinary symptoms can be added to the treatment. If the patient also experiences significant pelvic pain, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications can be considered. (Please take medications under the guidance of a doctor.)


What is the best treatment for prostatitis?
The treatment of prostatitis requires following the treatment plan and course prescribed by the diagnosing doctor, taking medications on time and in the correct dosage. Generally, it is necessary to first conduct a bacterial culture and drug sensitivity test on the prostatic fluid. Based on the results, the pathogenic bacteria and sensitive antibiotics are identified, and then sensitive antibiotics are selected for oral treatment. At the same time, patients should adopt a light diet, avoid spicy and stimulating food, avoid alcohol, avoid prolonged sitting, and avoid holding in urine. A warm water sitz bath can be taken daily.


How to check for prostatitis?
For the examination of prostatitis, the main methods currently used are color ultrasound, routine prostate fluid analysis, culture of prostate fluid, and susceptibility testing. After contracting prostatitis, a color ultrasound examination often reveals varying degrees of prostate swelling, routine prostate fluid analysis will indicate a decrease in lecithin bodies, accompanied by either an increase in white blood cells or normal white blood cell levels. If the lecithin bodies are decreased and there is an increase in white blood cells, bacterial prostatitis is a likely consideration. If the white blood cell count is normal, nonbacterial prostatitis may be considered. Regardless of the type of prostatitis, timely examination and treatment are necessary. If it is bacterial prostatitis, further culture and susceptibility testing of the prostate fluid should be performed, and treatment should be conducted using antibiotics that are sensitive to the results of the susceptibility test.


The difference between prostate cancer and prostatitis
Prostatitis and prostate cancer have different causes. Prostatitis is caused by the invasion of pathogens into the prostate, whereas prostate cancer is mostly related to genetics, lifestyle and dietary habits, and genetic mutations. Their clinical manifestations are inconsistent; prostatitis mainly presents as pain or abnormal urination, while prostate cancer primarily shows symptoms of compression and metastasis. Of course, their treatment methods are also different.


How to treat prostatitis with frequent urination
Patients with prostatitis often experience symptoms such as frequent urination and incomplete bladder emptying. For these symptoms, it's important to visit a urology department at a hospital promptly. Through routine prostate fluid analysis, culture of prostate fluid, and susceptibility testing, the specific cause of prostatitis can be determined, allowing for targeted treatment. If the prostatitis is bacterial, antibiotic treatment is necessary. Commonly used antibiotics include quinolones and cephalosporins. At the same time, medications that improve urinary discomfort such as alpha-blockers or phytotherapeutic drugs can be used to alleviate symptoms like frequent urination by relaxing the urethral smooth muscle, improving symptoms of frequency and incomplete emptying. Physical treatments like warm sitz baths, microwave therapy, and shortwave therapy can also be employed. During treatment, it's crucial to eat a light diet, avoid spicy and irritating foods, avoid sitting for long periods, and avoid holding in urine. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)


Prostatitis is caused by what?
The occurrence of prostatitis is mainly due to infections of the prostate or some non-infectious factors. Infectious factors are primarily due to previously untreated conditions such as urethritis or seminal vesiculitis. Bacteria spread along the urinary and reproductive tracts to the prostate, causing infection. Non-infectious factors mainly include poor lifestyle habits, such as prolonged sitting, holding urine, long-distance driving, long periods of cycling, frequent sexual activity, and long-term alcohol consumption. Prostatitis is also related to some endocrine diseases or psychological factors. After developing prostatitis, patients may experience symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, incomplete urination, and a sense of weighty pain in the perineum, anal region, and lower abdomen. It is important to visit a hospital's urology department for a detailed examination and targeted treatment.


How does a urine test determine prostatitis?
A routine urinalysis cannot determine prostatitis. It can, however, rule out other urinary system infections such as urethritis or cystitis through routine urinalysis. If the urinalysis is normal but the patient still exhibits symptoms like frequent urination, urgency, and incomplete emptying of the bladder, this may indirectly suggest the possibility of prostatitis. In cases of acute bacterial prostatitis, the urinalysis may show varying degrees of increased white blood cells. To confirm prostatitis, it is best to examine the prostate fluid for lecithin corpuscles and white blood cells.


Does prostatitis affect sexual life?
After suffering from prostatitis, it will indeed impact male sexual function. Patients with prostatitis need to undergo routine prostate fluid examinations to confirm the diagnosis. If there is a significant decrease in lecithin bodies, most patients will experience premature ejaculation or even erectile dysfunction. Therefore, timely treatment is necessary if diagnosed with prostatitis. Patients with prostatitis should not have sex too frequently; it is suggested to have sexual activities about once every three days. Having sex too frequently can easily exacerbate the symptoms of prostatitis. During the treatment period for prostatitis, it is also important to maintain a light diet and avoid spicy and stimulating foods.