Urology
Our skilled urologists offer comprehensive, compassionate treatment and personalized solutions for urological conditions.
The prostate is a small gland between a man's penis and bladder, which is responsible for producing fluid that contains semen. Prostatitis is when the prostate becomes inflamed or tender. Men at risk for this condition are those 36 to 50 years old, and particularly those who have had prostatitis before. You might also be at risk if you have had a groin injury, urinary tract infection (UTI) or urinary catheter. Men who've had a prostate biopsy or have HIV/AIDS are also at greater risk for prostatitis. Keep in mind that prostatitis is not the same as an enlarged prostate and is not necessarily going to lead to prostate cancer.
There are four types of prostatitis, usually categorized as acute (comes on suddenly) or chronic (long-term recurrence). They are:
You may have certain symptoms involving urination, such as:
Other symptoms you might have include:
With bacterial prostatitis, you may also have fever, chills, and other flu-like symptoms.
Your doctor will perform a complete physical exam and review of your medical history while also going over your symptoms. To determine whether you have prostatitis, the doctor may perform a digital rectal exam (DRE), which involves insertion of a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate for tenderness and swelling. You may also need to have a urine test for the presence of infection and a semen test for sperm count and behavior.
Treatment depends on what type of prostatitis you have. If there is infection, you may need antibiotics. Your doctor may also recommend medication for relief from pain and other symptoms. If you are having difficulty urinating, alpha blockers may be needed to help stimulate urine production.
Our skilled urologists offer comprehensive, compassionate treatment and personalized solutions for urological conditions.