Since many of the symptoms of prostatitis are similar to those of other conditions also affecting the urinary tract and the male sex organs such as enlarged prostate (BPH), it’s important that you promptly visit your doctor for a formal diagnosis. Many of these conditions can lead to serious consequences if left untreated.
Prostatitis, as the name infers, is a disease of the prostate gland. It isn’t a single condition but instead is a group of prostate-related disorders that have related symptoms. Some forms of it – particularly those related to bacterial infections, accounting for about 10% of all prostatitis cases – are well understood and can usually be given effective treatment. Other common variations of prostatitis, unfortunately, are not understood as well and can be more difficult to recognize and treat.
Prostatitis can be classified into four different categories:
1) Acute bacterial prostatitis
2) Chronic bacterial prostatitis
3) Chronic prostatitis with chronic pelvic pain
4) Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis
Symptoms of prostatitis can vary depending on the type of prostatitis someone has. In general, the symptoms are pain and discomfort in the pelvis, problems urinating, and problems ejaculating. Other signs and symptoms also include:
- Frequent urination, particularly at night (nocturia)
- An urgent need to urinate
- Pain in the lower back, abdomen, and groin area
- Pain in the perineum, the area between the penis and rectum
- Pain or discomfort of the penis or testicles
- Painful ejaculations
There are, however, noticeable differences in symptoms of prostatitis between the four categories. Men suffering from acute bacterial prostatitis may have short-term symptoms usually associated with infections:
- High-grade fever
- Nausea, chills, and vomiting
- A general feeling of sickness and low energy
The most notable feature of chronic bacterial prostatitis is frequent urinary tract infections. Between these episodes, a man with chronic bacterial prostatitis may exhibit anything from no symptoms at all to severe symptoms.
If these symptoms persist for at least 3 months, the condition is then generally considered to be chronic prostatitis. For some men, the symptoms remain about the same. For others, the symptoms can cycle through being more and less severe. Sometimes symptoms just improve without treatment over time.
If you have no symptoms of prostatitis, you may have asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. It is only when you’re undergoing tests for other conditions is inflammation of the prostate gland actually found by your physician, more or less by chance.
