Every other man is familiar with the most common male ailment. According to medical statistics, 30% of men over 30 suffer from it, 40% over 40, 50% over 50, and 75% over 70. Doctors highlight warning signs that indicate it’s time to see a specialist.
What is Prostatitis?
This condition is related to the prostate gland: it manifests as inflammation and swelling of the prostate—a muscular pouch surrounding the seminal ducts and urethra. An inflamed prostate increases in size, compressing the urethra and complicating urination. And if these “breakdowns” in the body were the only issues…
The prostate is responsible not only for normal urination but also for the activity of the pituitary gland. It produces one of the main components of semen. The secretions from this gland ensure sperm motility (a prerequisite for fertilization), regulate testosterone production, and support normal erections. Prostatitis alters the properties of prostate secretions, diminishes male sexuality, leads to hormonal imbalances, and leaves the body vulnerable to infections.
Causes of Prostatitis
The most common triggers for this “intimate” ailment are infections, not just sexually transmitted ones. Any chronic inflammatory diseases, such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, and even cavities, can pose a risk. Following closely behind are conditions that lead to blood stagnation in the pelvic organs, particularly affecting office workers and drivers.
Possible causes of prostatitis include:
- a sedentary lifestyle;
- predisposition to constipation;
- tight underwear;
- lack of sexual activity;
- poor and irregular diet;
- hypothermia;
- poor environmental conditions;
- chronic stress and nervous strain;
- physical overexertion;
- sleep deprivation and other factors that weaken the immune system.
Depending on the cause, prostatitis can be infectious or non-infectious, bacterial or viral, mixed, and specific. It can be triggered by microorganisms (such as mycoplasmas, ureaplasmas, etc.) and stagnant phenomena (disruptions in venous blood circulation, prostate juice movement, or ejaculation).
Symptoms of Prostatitis
During the acute phase, patients report fever, general malaise, pain in the perineum and lower back, burning in the urethra, frequent and painful urination, pain during sexual intercourse, and issues with erections and orgasms, or excessive arousal and rapid ejaculation.
Chronic prostatitis, the most common form, can go unnoticed for months or even years, only to flare up annually. Difficulties with erections can lead to personality changes, transforming a confident man into a grumpy individual. In advanced cases, the outlook is grim—impotence and depression.
Consequences of Prostatitis
This ailment tends to progress. If left untreated, it can lead to infertility (with 40% of chronic prostatitis patients at risk) and male impotence, stemming from both decreased levels of sex hormones and psychological factors.
Severe consequences include the development of cysts and the formation of stones in the prostate, or even prostate sclerosis, where the gland shrinks and ceases to function. Prostatitis is also one of the potential causes of benign tumors—adenomas—that may require surgical removal. An untreated adenoma can develop into a malignant tumor.
Start Treatment
Prostatitis is addressed by urology or andrology. The doctor will need:
- data from a digital rectal examination;
- analysis of prostate secretions;
- urine and prostate juice cultures for antibiotic sensitivity;
- ultrasound of the prostate.
Recently, specialized devices and trainers have been introduced to the market: they affect the prostate through vibration, vacuum, temperature, or light waves of varying lengths.
Physiotherapeutic methods can help quickly treat prostatitis:
- reflex therapy;
- ultrasound;
- magneto-laser inductotherapy;
- leeches therapy;
- heat treatments.
Alongside quality diagnostics and the individualized selection of the optimal treatment method for prostatitis, it is crucial for a sexologist and psychotherapist to work with the andrologist to address psychological and intimate issues. Recommendations for lifestyle changes can help prevent future flare-ups of the condition.
Prostatitis Prevention
Zinc stimulates testosterone production and maintains levels of the male sex hormone (found in therapeutic amounts in pumpkin seeds). Onions can act as a cheap and effective “folk” antibiotic to prevent infections. Eating half an onion at night is recommended. You can also chop 100 grams of onion, pour it into a bottle of dry white wine, let it steep in the cold for 10 days, strain it, and take 2 tablespoons before meals.
Preventing prostatitis involves maintaining immunity, timely treatment of infections, regular sexual activity, comfortable clothing, an active lifestyle, and a balanced diet. Exercise and sports are enemies of stagnation. Daily workouts and walking can stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area, preventing prostate inflammation. When working a sedentary job, preventing constipation becomes a priority. It’s important to ensure active digestion, drink plenty of fluids, and consume laxatives to avoid putting pressure on the prostate.
Self-massage of the perineum is accessible to everyone. Apply a small amount of castor or sesame oil to the area between the anus and the testicles and gently rub in circular motions. A warm bath can be a wonderful healer. Heat treatments with a strong chamomile decoction can relieve pain and discomfort. A contrast shower can also be beneficial: alternate warm and cold water, directing the stream to the prostate area (the water pressure should not be too strong).
Home Treatment for Prostatitis
Self-help includes juice and herbal therapy. Folk remedies do not contradict comprehensive treatment prescribed by a urologist (andrologist).
Juices
One of the causes of prostate disease is the accumulation of uric acid in the muscles, which has not been expelled from the body due to an overload of animal proteins. In this case, a combination of carrot, beet, cucumber, and asparagus juices can help. To see noticeable results, you should drink 500 ml of asparagus juice daily.
Start your morning with a glass of water on an empty stomach, and half an hour later, drink a tablespoon of elderberry juice (it keeps better if you add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to a half-liter bottle). The treatment course lasts for at least 10 days.
Propolis
This powerful anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic agent is indispensable in the comprehensive therapy of chronic prostatitis. To prepare the extract, evaporate 40 grams of propolis in 200 ml of pure alcohol. Mix 0.1 grams of the propolis extract with 2 grams of cocoa butter. Insert a candle made from this mixture into the rectum at night. The treatment duration is one month. After that, take a break for 4-6 weeks and repeat the treatment course.
Herbs
Mix one teaspoon each of celandine and hemlock (be cautious with dosing, as the latter is toxic) with 100 grams of alcohol, let it steep in a closed dark container for 10 days, and strain. Drink the infusion in the morning before meals according to the following scheme: add one drop to a cup of water or milk from the first to the thirtieth day, then reverse the count (on the sixtieth day, return to one drop).
Parsley
This medicinal herb reduces inflammation and restores sexual function. Do not overdo it with parsley juice: take one tablespoon three times a day before meals.
Pour a couple of tablespoons of crushed parsley seeds with a glass of boiling water, simmer on low heat for a quarter of an hour, and cool. Drink one tablespoon of the decoction three times a day.
Chestnuts
Chop the skin of three ripe fruits, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water over it overnight, and in the morning strain the infusion and reduce it in a water bath to 200 grams. Store it in the refrigerator and take one tablespoon three times a day before meals. Three courses will be needed for prostatitis treatment.
Poplar
To prepare the medicine, you will need flowering bark collected before the buds open and the sap begins to flow. After drying the bark, chop 100 grams, place it in a half-liter jar, pour in 200 grams of vodka, seal it, and place it in a dark place for two weeks. Strain the infusion and take it three times a day before meals (20 drops in a quarter glass of water). With daily use, the infusion will last for several months—this constitutes the treatment course.
Hazel
You can try to treat prostatitis with the bark and leaves of hazelnut, brewing both ingredients alternately (one tablespoon of medicinal raw material per cup of boiling water). After straining, take a quarter cup three times a day. Some people feel relief within a week.
Pumpkin
The seeds of this vegetable have been used to treat prostatitis since ancient times. A daily dose of zinc is found in 30 seeds (to be consumed before meals). You can grind 500 grams of raw pumpkin seeds, add 200 grams of honey, mix, and form balls the size of a hazelnut. Store them in the refrigerator and consume one ball half an hour before meals (twice a day). One course per year is sufficient.
Consult your doctor before choosing folk remedies. Self-treatment is considered unacceptable by medical professionals, but everyone should know how to alleviate their condition during flare-ups.