health Matters

Prostatitis is a frequently painful condition that involves inflammation of the prostate and sometimes the areas around the prostate.

Scientists have identified four types of prostatitis:

Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Acute bacterial prostatitis.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis.

Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis.

Men with asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis do not have symptoms. A healthcare provider may diagnose asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis when testing for other urinary tract or reproductive tract disorders. This type of prostatitis does not cause complications and does not need treatment.

What is the Prostate?

The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that is part of the male reproductive system. The main function of the prostate is to make a fluid that goes into semen. Prostate fluid is essential for a man’s fertility. The gland surrounds the urethra at the neck of the bladder.

What Causes Prostatitis?

The causes of prostatitis differ depending on the type.

The exact cause of Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome is unknown. Researchers believe a microorganism, though not a bacterial infection, may cause the condition. This type of prostatitis may relate to chemicals in the urine, the immune system’s response to a previous urinary tract infection (UTI), or nerve damage in the pelvic area.

Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis is a bacterial infection of the prostate. The acute type happens suddenly and lasts a short time, while the chronic type develops slowly and lasts a long time, often years. The infection may occur when bacteria travel from the urethra into the prostate.

How Common is Prostatitis?

Prostatitis is the most common urinary tract problem for men younger than age 50 and the third most common urinary tract problem for men older than age 50. Prostatitis accounts for about two million visits to healthcare providers in the United States each year.

Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common and least understood form of prostatitis. It can occur in men of any age group and affects 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. male population.

Who Is More Likely to Develop Prostatitis?

The factors that affect a man’s chances of developing prostatitis differ depending on the type.

Men with nerve damage in the lower urinary tract due to surgery or trauma may be more likely to develop chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Psychological stress may also increase a man’s chances of developing this condition. Men with lower UTIs may be more likely to develop bacterial prostatitis. UTIs that recur or are difficult to treat may lead to chronic bacterial prostatitis.

What Are the Symptoms of Prostatitis?

Each type of prostatitis has a range of symptoms that vary depending on the cause and may not be the same for every man. Many symptoms are similar to those of other conditions.

The main symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome can include pain or discomfort lasting three or more months in one or more of the following areas: (1) between the scrotum and anus; (2) the central lower abdomen; (3) the penis; (4) the scrotum; (5) the lower back.

Pain during or after ejaculation is another common symptom. A man with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome may have pain spread out around the pelvic area or may have pain in one or more areas at the same time. The pain may come and go and appear suddenly or gradually. Other symptoms may include:

Pain in the urethra during or after urination.

Pain in the penis during or after urination.

Urinary frequency—urination eight or more times a day. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination.

Urinary urgency—the inability to delay urination.

Weak or interrupted urine stream.

The symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis come on suddenly and are severe. Men should seek immediate medical care. Symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis may include:

   Urinary frequency.

Urinary urgency.

Fever.

Chills.

Burning feeling or pain during urination.

Pain in the genital area, groin, lower abdomen, or lower back.

Nocturia—frequent urination during periods of sleep.

Nausea and vomiting.

Body aches.

Inability to empty the bladder completely.

Trouble starting a urine stream.

Weak or interrupted urine stream.

Urinary blockage—the complete inability to urinate.

UTI.

The symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis are like those of acute bacterial prostatitis, though not as severe. This type of prostatitis often develops slowly and can last three or more months. The symptoms may come and go, or they may be mild all the time. Chronic bacterial prostatitis may occur after previous treatment of acute bacterial prostatitis or UTI. The symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis may include:

Urinary frequency.

Urinary urgency.

Burning feeling or pain during urination.

Pain in the genital area, groin, lower abdomen, or lower back.

Nocturia.

Painful ejaculation.

Urinary retention.

Trouble starting a urine stream.

Weak or interrupted urine stream.

Urinary blockage.

UTI.

What Are the Complications of Prostatitis?

The complications of prostatitis may include: (1) bacterial infection in the bloodstream; (2) prostatic abscess—a pus-filled cavity in the prostate; (3) sexual dysfunction; (4) inflammation of reproductive organs near the prostate.

When to Seek Medical Care

A person may have urinary symptoms unrelated to prostatitis that are caused by bladder problems, UTIs, or benign prostatic hyperplasia. Symptoms of prostatitis also can signal more serious conditions, including prostate cancer.

Men with symptoms of prostatitis should see a healthcare provider.

Men with the following symptoms should seek immediate medical care:

Complete inability to urinate.

Painful, frequent, and urgent need to urinate, with fever and chills.

Blood in the urine.

Great discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen and urinary tract.

Natural Ways to Relieve Prostatitis Symptoms

Quercetin is a type of flavonoid antioxidant that helps to reduce inflammation and pain associated with nonbacterial prostatitis. Research suggests that quercetin can be helpful for men with bladder or prostate symptoms and pelvic floor pain or spasms. Patients with chronic prostatitis showed significant improvement and reduced inflammation over the placebo group.

Bee pollen may be effective in prostatic conditions because of its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-androgen effects. In fact, the efficacy of bee pollen has been compared to anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen and indomethacin. According to research published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, “clinicians confirm that, in nonbacterial prostate inflammations, pollen improves the condition of patients by effectively removing the pain.”

Saw palmetto improves prostate health and urinary dysfunction in a natural way. According to the research, saw palmetto can bind to receptors in the lower urinary tract, thereby improving urinary symptoms of prostatitis like overactive bladder and BPH symptoms.

Avoid trigger and inflammatory foods to relieve prostatitis symptoms, such as refined carbohydrates, gluten, sugar, artificial sweeteners, spicy foods, acidic foods, alcohol, and too much caffeine. These foods, and other trigger foods that cause allergic reactions, lead to inflammation in the body and can contribute to pain in the pelvic and lower abdominal areas.

Sometimes, it’s not the typical inflammatory foods that are leading to prostatitis symptoms, but food allergies or intolerances that cause inflammation and pain. An elimination diet involves removing common allergens from your diet, including gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugars, peanuts, corn, alcohol, eggs, and packaged or processed foods. After about six weeks of avoiding these foods, your symptoms may begin to dissipate. If that’s the case, then you know that one of these foods is the culprit. One by one, begin adding these foods back into your diet and pay close attention to how your body reacts—this will help you to pinpoint what specific food is causing the problem.

Eating a balanced diet is one of the cornerstones of prostatitis treatment. This means consuming whole and natural foods that help to reduce inflammation, heal your gut, and boost your immune system. Consume the following foods regularly: vegetables, especially leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables; fruits, especially berries; high-fiber foods, like beans, legumes, squash, berries, pears, nuts and seeds; organic, good-quality protein, like grass-fed beef and wild-caught salmon; omega-3 foods, including wild-caught fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds; healthy fats, like avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, and grass-fed butter; foods high in zinc, like pumpkin seeds, organic lamb, yogurt, kefir, mushrooms, and cashews; and probiotic foods, such as coconut kefir, cultured vegetables, and kombucha.

It is also important to work on reducing stress and getting enough sleep every night—at least seven hours.

Pelvic floor training conducted at the Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey indicates that pelvic floor muscle training can help to improve a variety of clinical circumstances impacting men, including pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, dribbling after urinating, erectile dysfunction, and ejaculation issues. Men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome can practice kegel exercises to relieve their symptoms. Make it a daily practice, doing about three sets of kegels, at 10 reps per set.

If you are struggling with health issues, call the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center at 240-651-1650 for a free consultation. Dr. Lo uses Nutritional Response Testing® to analyze the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimum health. The office is located at 7310 Grove Road #107, Frederick, MD. Check out the website at www.doctorlo.com.

by Dr. Thomas K. Lo, Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center