What Is Prostatitis? Bacterial Infection, Chronic Pelvic Pain and Prostate Inflammation
Prostatitis is a group of conditions involving infection, inflammation or chronic pain associated with the prostate and surrounding pelvic region. It is not one disease. Acute bacterial prostatitis is a sudden prostate infection, chronic bacterial prostatitis is a persistent or recurrent infection, and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) produces ongoing pelvic pain without a […]
Prostatitis Symptoms: Prostate Pain, Urinary Symptoms and Painful Ejaculation
Prostatitis symptoms can include pain in the prostate or pelvic region, burning or difficulty with urination, urinary frequency or urgency, painful ejaculation, penile or scrotal pain, and—in acute bacterial prostatitis—fever, chills and feeling systemically unwell. The exact symptom pattern depends on whether the problem is an acute bacterial infection, chronic bacterial prostatitis, or chronic prostatitis/chronic […]
What Causes Prostatitis? Bacterial Infection, Pelvic Pain Mechanisms and Noninfectious Causes
What causes prostatitis depends on the type. Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis are caused by microorganisms infecting the prostate, most commonly bacteria associated with the urinary tract. Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), however, usually has no proven ongoing bacterial infection and appears to result from a more complex interaction involving pelvic-floor muscles, nerves, pain-processing […]
Acute Bacterial Prostatitis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Urgent Treatment
Acute bacterial prostatitis is a sudden bacterial infection of the prostate that can cause fever, chills, painful or difficult urination, pelvic or perineal pain and a rapid decline in how well a person feels. Unlike chronic pelvic pain syndromes, this is a true infection and can become serious if bacteria spread into the bloodstream, urine […]
Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis: Recurrent Infection, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a persistent or recurrent bacterial infection involving the prostate, usually associated with symptoms lasting at least three months or repeated episodes of urinary infection. Unlike chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), chronic bacterial prostatitis requires evidence that bacteria are contributing to the condition. Symptoms may include perineal, penile or scrotal pain, […]
Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP/CPPS): Symptoms, Causes and Management
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is persistent or recurrent pelvic, perineal, genital or prostate-region pain in which an ongoing bacterial infection does not explain the symptoms. Pain is the central feature, but men can also experience urinary frequency or urgency, difficulty voiding, painful ejaculation, sexual problems, pelvic-floor muscle tenderness and symptom flares. CP/CPPS is […]
How Is Prostatitis Diagnosed? History, Urine Tests, Cultures and Prostate Examination
Prostatitis is diagnosed by combining the symptom history, physical examination and targeted laboratory testing—not by one blood test, urine result or prostate examination alone. The diagnostic process first separates a sudden bacterial infection from chronic bacterial prostatitis and from chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Urinalysis and urine culture are particularly important when infection is […]
How Is Prostatitis Treated? Antibiotics, Alpha Blockers, Pain Control and Pelvic-Floor Care
Prostatitis treatment depends on which form of prostatitis is actually present. Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis require infection-directed antibiotic treatment, while chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) usually needs a broader approach that may include alpha blockers for urinary symptoms, short-term pain or anti-inflammatory treatment, pelvic-floor physical therapy and treatment of other pain-related or sexual […]
Prostatitis vs UTI: Prostate Infection, Urinary Infection and Symptom Differences
Prostatitis and a urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause similar urinary symptoms, but they are not the same diagnosis. A UTI is an infection somewhere in the urinary tract, such as the bladder or kidney, while prostatitis specifically involves the prostate. Acute bacterial prostatitis is itself an infection and is classified by current European Association […]
Prostatitis vs BPH: Inflammation, Prostate Enlargement and Urinary Symptoms
Prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are different prostate conditions even though both can cause urinary frequency, urgency, weak flow, hesitancy or incomplete emptying. BPH refers to benign hyperplastic growth of prostate tissue and is closely associated with age-related prostate enlargement and, in some men, bladder outlet obstruction. Prostatitis includes bacterial prostate infections and chronic […]