Fighting prostatitis is a complex and long process that does not allow to heal itself. Since this disease can cause pathologies of male reproductive function, as well as serious malfunctions of other organs and systems, all measures should be taken only by a urologist to diagnose and determine the necessary treatment strategy. How to treat prostatitis to cure the disease as soon as possible, and what is the complex of therapeutic measures?
Diagnosis of prostatitis
Determining the presence of prostatitis in a patient is usually not difficult for a urologist, and the main purpose 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 it is necessary for the attending physician to go through certain stages of clinical diagnosis in order to gather useful information:
- Obtaining prostate secretion for initial rectal digital examination and analysis to determine the nature of the disease (bacterial or infectious forms of prostatitis). If an infectious agent is found in the biological material, antibiotic susceptibility testing of the pathogenic microflora is performed to optimize the next set of therapeutic measures.
- Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasound examination. It is prescribed when necessary to clarify the characteristics of the condition of the prostate gland. Transabdominal ultrasound is performed from the anterior abdominal wall and does not cause discomfort to the patient. However, transrectal examination of the prostate (through the rectum) is a more informative procedure, although it is moderately painful, because it allows you to determine not only the parameters of the gland, but also structural changes.
- Blood test for PSA. An excess of prostate-specific antigen in the blood at a normal level (4 ng / ml) may indicate the presence of pathological processes in the prostate gland. Determination of PSA should be done not only in the diagnosis of prostatitis, but also in the treatment of the disease to assess the effectiveness of therapy.
The main therapeutic components and treatment methods of prostatitis
Acute prostatitis and exacerbation of the chronic form of the disease are treated according to similar schemes. Properly selected rational therapy in the first case implies a complete recovery of the patient, and in the second case leads to his recovery or long-term remission of the disease. 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 is to strictly follow all the prescriptions of specialists.
Medical therapy
Drug treatment is the basis of any therapeutic effect on inflammation of the prostate gland. The selection of the necessary drugs is made by the urologist on the basis of laboratory tests and other preliminary studies. The main directions of drug therapy include:
- reduction of the patient's pain level;
- normalization of blood circulation in the prostate gland and adjacent organs;
- localization and destruction of the infectious agent;
- elimination of inflammatory reactions and obstruction in the prostate;
- stabilization of immunity, sexual performance and overall well-being of the patient
The optimal effectiveness of drug therapy in a health program is achieved through a combination of antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs, antidepressants, microclusters and suppositories.
Local therapy
Local restorative effect on the prostate gland and its inflamed areas is achieved through the use of various types of physiotherapy in the treatment program:
- ultrasound phonophoresis;
- transrectal microwave hyperthermia;
- diadynamophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- prostate massage.
Note that massage is the most effective tool in the fight against prostatitis with relative pain. Such procedures remove stagnant secretions from the prostate gland, which helps to improve blood circulation to the affected tissues and increase the effectiveness of medications used by the patient. Massage is prescribed to the patient during periods of remission or depression of acute manifestations of the disease. In the event of an exacerbation of prostatitis, the procedure is removed from the list of treatment measures by the doctor, as it can lead to the spread of infection.
Phytotherapy
Phytopreparation treatment is prescribed for patients with prostatitis as part of complex therapy. The use of herbal health products is possible for a long time due to the harmless effects on the body and the small number of side effects. Phytotherapy can be carried out by internal and (or) external use, 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 used by patients is determined individually by their doctor. The antibiotic program is designed taking into account the following specific criteria:
- form of the disease;
- type of pathogen and antimicrobial activity of the drug;
- ability of the drug to penetrate the prostate tissue;
- there are no contraindications to taking the drug;
- method of drug administration;
- possible side effects
There are three main groups of antibacterial agents in terms of effectiveness in the treatment of chronic and acute prostatitis:
- Fluoroquinolones. Drugs of this group have a wide spectrum of action and have the ability to accumulate in the tissues of the prostate gland in high concentrations; at the same time pathogenic bacteria do not develop resistance to the active agent. The "disadvantage" of fluoroquinolones is their possible adverse effects on the central nervous system and the possibility of allergic reactions in patients.
- Tetracyclines. These drugs are most effective against atypical pathogens, but are insufficiently active in the fight against Escherichia coli and staphylococci and are completely ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Macrolides. Drugs of the macrolide group easily penetrate into the tissues of the gland and actively accumulate, but are ineffective in the suppression of gram-negative bacteria, being effective in the destruction of low-toxic and gram-positive bacteria.
In the first days of taking prescribed antibacterial drugs, a patient diagnosed with prostatitis should consult a doctor regularly. Such a measure is needed for the urologist to monitor the effectiveness of antibiotics. If, after three days of treatment, the specialist does not notice a significant improvement in the patient's condition, he replaces the main drug. When prescribing antibiotics, the physician should consider the patient's experience taking similar medications to rule out a recurrence of a drug from the same group.
In addition to antibacterials and painkillers, a patient with prostatitis may be prescribed hormone therapy and (or) alpha-blockers:
- Hormone therapy. The condition and function of the prostate directly depends 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 certain direction. Since such drugs help reduce the glandular tissue of the prostate, we can talk about the indirect role of antiandrogens in the recovery of a patient with prostatitis.
- Alpha blockers. Acceptance of such drugs refers to the method of pathogenetic therapy; its purpose is to relieve the general symptoms of inflammation of the prostate gland. The use of alpha-blockers is especially effective for urinary problems. Elimination of sphincter, urinary wall, smooth muscle of the bladder, as well as spasms of the prostate gland itself prevents stagnation or reverse reflux of prostate secretions and removes edema from the inflamed organ.
Regardless of the purpose and characteristics of the use of drugs, the administration of any drug should be carried out only as prescribed by a doctor and under his supervision. Self-medication may aggravate the disease, or subsequent therapy in the clinic may be ineffective.
Immunocorrection is the key to successful treatment
The whole set of medical procedures for chronic or acute prostatitis must be accompanied by immunocorrective measures (regular visits to the immunologist, normalization of lifestyle, taking vitamins, immunomodulators, etc. ). The body's high immune status helps the patient to recover faster or prolong the remission phase of the chronic form of the disease.
In case of symptoms specific to the disease, timely visit to a specialist, strict adherence to medical advice when diagnosed with prostatitis, prevention of recurrence of the existing disease and strict refusal of self-medication in favor of professional intervention. It will allow you to avoid long-term treatment by a urologist and the undesirable consequences of a serious illness.