Men suffer from a variety of urological conditions that cause severe pain and could affect their lives in a more negative way. Prostate difficulties can increase the risk of incontinence and erectile dysfunction. While regular checkups can pinpoint a multitude of conditions, male patients should visit a urologist at least once a year for an overall examination of the prostate and urinary tract.
Urologists can provide a more accurate diagnosis of these diseases, including cancer, and start treatment at an earlier stage. Earlier treatment can eliminate tumors and developments that not only threaten prostate health but could be life-threatening. Many men go for years without a diagnosis because not all diseases have immediate symptoms.
Since not all symptoms are easy to detect, physicians recommend setting up an appointment with a urologist as quickly as possible. By reviewing a common condition that affects the prostate, men know what to look for and when to go visit a doctor for treatment.
Reviewing the Four Types
The acute bacterial form of prostatitis is a bacterial-based infection that happens suddenly and has severe symptoms. The chronic form of the bacterial-based infection continues throughout the person’s life with less severe symptoms, but the condition is long-term and must be treated more frequently.
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the third type with recurring pain and urinary tract infections that may not show any immediate symptoms. Asymptomatic inflammatory forms cause inflammation of the prostate and may not show any symptoms.
What Are the Symptoms?
The known symptoms of the condition include dysuria, difficult urination, overactive bladder, cloudy urine, abdominal or pelvic pain, and painful ejaculation. Many individuals experience pain in the testicles, fevers, chills, and flu-like symptoms.
When Should Men See a Doctor?
At the first signs of the condition or any suspicion of prostate cancer, men should visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis. The most common signs are an inability to urinate, sudden pain when urinating, fevers, passing blood in the urine, and any severe pain in the genitals or pelvic region. An accurate diagnosis gives men a chance to get appropriate treatment and eliminate symptoms effectively.
What Causes It?
The bacterial forms are caused by a sudden bacterial infection, and the condition could worsen if the person doesn’t get complete treatment. Some doctors could provide antibiotics, but if the patient doesn’t finish the medication, the symptoms can return.
With chronic pelvic pain syndrome, the individual could have experienced infections, immune system suppression, hormone irregularities, and dysfunctions of the nervous system. The asymptomatic inflammatory type doesn’t have a known cause and cannot be found without a full examination.
What Risk Factors Should Men Consider?
The known risks for developing the condition are age, previous diagnosis of acute forms, HIV or AIDS, and previous biopsies of the prostate. Men who use urinary catheters are also at a higher risk of developing the disease.
Nerve damage of the pelvis or psychological stress can also contribute to the diagnosis. Urologists may complete additional assessments for these risk factors to determine if the person is at a higher risk of advanced prostate diseases or other underlying conditions that contribute to the diagnosis.
Are There Complications?
Complications that could arise from the condition include bacteremia, epididymitis, prostatic abscesses, and infections that spread to the bones and spine. Some patients may experience depression, anxiety, erectile dysfunction, and infertility.
Some men could also develop cancer of the prostate and require regular screenings for the disease. When seeking treatment, clinicians will provide additional complications related to the treatment or surgical procedures that are required to manage the prostate.
How Is the Condition Diagnosed?
To diagnose the illness, doctors must complete a series of tests including a digital rectal examination, urine and blood testing, and specimen tests or biopsies. These tests can show the underlying bacterial infection causing the disease and determine what medication is most effective in treating the person.
Urologists complete urodynamic tests and imaging of the pelvic region. A cystoscopy and urinalysis can also improve the chances of an accurate diagnosis and pinpoint the underlying cause.
How Is the Condition Treated?
Clinicians start by treating infections with IV antibiotics for up to six weeks to clear all signs of infection. If the patient is sent home with antibiotics, the individual must complete the entire prescription as directed.
Medications are provided to manage all urinary symptoms starting with alpha-blockers that can manage discomfort and restricted muscles in the pelvic region. Individuals who are experiencing pain when urinating or urgency can eliminate this discomfort with the medications if taken as directed.
Urologists recommend taking over-the-counter pain medications for pain and discomfort. Tylenol or Motrin should handle the pain for most individuals, but if the pain is more severe, the doctor can prescribe prescription pain medications for a short time.
Since some men experience psychological symptoms, doctors will provide antidepressants and medications to manage anxiety levels. The person will need to visit a psychotherapist at least once a month to continue the medications and stay on task with the treatment.
Where to Get Medical Help
At Atlantic Urology Clinics, our urologists provide the highest standard of care possible, and we want all patients to get proper diagnoses. Our doctors offer testing, examinations, and treatments for all urological conditions. Visitors can learn more about our services by setting up a consultation right now.
Prostate diseases and conditions can lead to severe symptoms and underlying damage. Many of the conditions are bacterial and cause serious infections that require fast treatment to alleviate. During a prostate examination, the primary doctor could find signs of more severe diseases and recommend that the patient see a urologist.
Prostatitis is a common illness that affects the prostate and has severe symptoms. The condition can present symptoms such as fever, difficult or painful urination, and underlying psychological symptoms. Many men do not know about the illness until the symptoms become more severe and incredibly painful. Men can learn more about the condition and get a proper diagnosis by visiting urologists right now.