Prostate infection

Prostate Infection or Prostatitis is a condition that involves inflammation of the prostate gland. It can be acute or chronic and is often caused by bacterial infection.

Types of Prostate Infection

There are four types of prostatitis: Acute bacterial prostatitis, Chronic bacterial prostatitis, Chronic prostatitis/Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), and Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis.

Acute Bacterial Prostatitis

This is the least common type but the easiest to diagnose. If acute prostatitis is suspected, a urine test will show increased numbers of white blood cells and bacteria.

Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis

This type of prostatitis is also caused by bacteria. It is characterized by recurrent urinary tract infections that have entered the prostate gland. It can be difficult to diagnose due to the fact that it may not present any symptoms or the symptoms may be similar to those of acute bacterial prostatitis.

Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

This is the most common type of prostatitis. It can be further categorized into inflammatory and noninflammatory, depending on whether white blood cells are found in the urine.

Asymptomatic Inflammatory Prostatitis

Patients with this type of prostatitis are often diagnosed incidentally, during the workup for other conditions. They do not have any known urinary tract infections or symptoms of prostatitis.

Symptoms

Symptoms of prostate infection can vary depending on the type. They may include pain in the pelvic area, difficulty urinating, painful urination, frequent urination, chills, fever, and lower back pain.

Treatment

Treatment for prostate infection depends on the cause. Bacterial prostatitis is treated with antibiotics, while chronic prostatitis may require other types of treatment such as alpha blockers, pain relievers, and physiotherapy.

See Also

• Prostate cancer
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Prostate-specific antigen