Blood values of the prostate
Prostatitis is a technical term for an inflammation of the prostate. This can be acute or chronic. Acute prostatitis is primarily caused by ascending bacterial infections of the urinary tract, which involve the prostate.
Symptoms can include pain in the perineal area and during bowel movements, fever and chills. If necessary, discomfort and pain when urinating can also occur. Dangerous is that it can lead to sepsis (popularly known as blood poisoning) or an abscess of the prostate gland.
and pain during bowel movement Chronic prostatitis can be a bacterial prostatitis lasting longer than three months, but it can also occur without detection of germs. This means that no bacteria can be detected that cause the inflammation of the prostate. This is also known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS).
The symptoms of chronic prostatitis are similar to those of acute prostatitis. Risk factors for prostatitis include bladder voiding disorders and irritation of the prostate, e.g. due to surgery. Diagnostically, urine tests, blood cultures and smears are carried out to detect germs.
As laboratory parameters, the already mentioned PSA and inflammation values can be indicative. Ultrasound or even a sample collection is used. Once a diagnosis has been made, the primary symptomatic approach is taken and the infection is treated with antibiotics.
In the chronic variant without germ detection, a complex therapy may have to be used, which includes medication to ease the symptoms, painkillers and antidepressants. The aforementioned benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), formerly known as prostate adenoma, is a benign enlargement of the prostate gland that occurs with age. Men are affected at an older age, whereby the increase in size of the prostate gland begins at around 30-40 years of age due to cell proliferation in the glandular and connective tissue muscle parts.
From an age of 50 years on, about 50% of men are affected, from 80 years on even more than 90%. From a size of approx. 30 ml, one speaks of an enlarged prostate.
Symptoms of BPH do not necessarily occur. However, they are primarily characterized by micturition difficulties. This can lead to frequent urination with small amounts (pollakiuria).
Nocturnal urination without changes in drinking is called nocturia. In addition, the urinary stream is weakened by the enlarged prostate. Possibly, compulsive urge to urinate and urge incontinence may also occur.
It is important to note that urinary retention can also lead to ascending urinary tract infections, bladder stone formation and even kidney damage. In these cases a therapy is very important. Diagnostically, ultrasound is particularly decisive for the prostate adenoma.
Ultrasound can be used to assess the shape, size and volume of the prostate. If something is suspicious, a biopsy may have to be performed. Only histology can definitively determine the benignity of the prostate adenoma.
Therapeutically, drugs can be used first. The mechanisms of action are an increase in bladder contractility, relaxation of the bladder sphincter or inhibition of prostate growth by enzyme inhibitors. If a drug therapy does not lead to a desired success, surgical therapy may have to be considered.
This can be done either openly via a skin incision or transurethrally. Transurethral means that access is via the urethra, through which the prostate is scraped from the inside either mechanically or by laser. It is important to note that there is no increased probability of prostate cancer. BPH occurs mainly in the transitional zone of the prostate, whereas prostate cancer develops in the peripheral zone of the prostate.