Acute Prostatitis

What Is It?

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits below the bladder in men. This gland makes fluid that mixes with sperm to form semen. Because the prostate surrounds the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder), conditions that cause the prostate to swell or enlarge may press on the urethra and cause pain or problems with urination.

Prostatitis is inflammation or swelling of the prostate gland. Acute prostatitis is any inflammation of the prostate gland that is caused by a sudden infection, usually by bacteria that get into the prostate by traveling up into the body through the urethra. Some of these bacteria are the normal germs that live on and inside your body. Other infections are transmitted through sexual contact.

Most men who will develop prostatitis have a normal prostate gland, although the infection may be more common in older men as the gland gets larger with age. There is no known link between prostatitis and prostate cancer. Prostatitis is more common in men with AIDS, but many men who develop this infection have a normal immune system.

Symptoms

Typical symptoms of acute prostatitis include:

• Burning or dribbling with urination
• Difficulty starting the urine stream or total inability to pass urine at all
• Cloudiness or blood in the urine
• Pain above the penis, in or below the scrotum, in the back or in the rectum
• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle aches, fatigue or flu-like symptoms

Diagnosis

Your doctor will examine your prostate by inserting a finger into your rectum. When the prostate is infected, it usually feels swollen and firm. When pressure is put on the gland, you may experience pain or a severe need to urinate. Your doctor also will do a general exam to make sure that infection has not spread to other organs, such as the kidneys.

A next step will be to examine a urine specimen for evidence of infection, such as blood cells or bacteria. In a typical case of acute prostatitis, the urine will be filled with white blood cells (pus). You may also have blood tests to check your kidney function and blood cell count. Rarely, your doctor may order an ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan to get a better look at the infection in the prostate gland.

Expected Duration

If treated promptly, the symptoms of prostatitis usually begin to improve within 24 to 48 hours. In more severe cases, symptoms of infection may linger for more than a week.

Prevention

Most cases of prostatitis cannot be prevented. However, if an infection is caught early, it is more likely to respond quickly to treatment. In addition, some cases of prostatitis are caused by sexually transmitted bacteria. Many of these infections can be prevented by practicing safe sex.

Treatment

Acute prostatitis is treated with antibiotics. In severe cases, antibiotics may be given intravenously (into a vein), especially if you are nauseated or vomiting. In less severe cases, antibiotics can be taken orally. Because it is difficult for antibiotics to get from the bloodstream into the prostate, these medications often are prescribed for three or more weeks.

If you are severely ill with prostatitis, your doctor may admit you to a hospital for observation. Usually, a stay of only a few days is needed. If the prostate is very inflamed, it may be necessary to insert a catheter to allow urine to drain. This catheter may need to be left in place for up to a week, but as the infection comes under control, you should be able to urinate normally again.

When To Call A Professional

Call a health care professional if you develop:

• Pain or difficulty with urination
• Blood or cloudiness in your urine
• Severe back or groin pain combined with fever
• A reaction to an antibiotic you have been given to treat your prostate infection, such as a rash, nausea or severe diarrhea

Delaying treatment can allow the infection to spread. In severe cases, a man may become extremely ill and need to seek emergency care.

Prognosis

Most cases of acute prostatitis respond promptly to treatment. Your doctor may recommend a prolonged course of antibiotics. Even if you start to feel better, it is important to complete the full treatment. Symptoms of irritation or hesitancy as you pass urine may linger for a while, but eventually should go away completely.

In some men, acute prostatitis will develop into a persistent infection known as chronic prostatitis. This infection may be difficult to treat and often requires prolonged antibiotics, as well as other types of treatment.

Additional Info

National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Disorders

Office of Communications and Public Liaison

Building 31, Room 9A04

31 Center Drive, MSC 2560

Bethesda, MD 20892-2560

Phone: 301-496-4000

Email: niddk_inquiries@nih.gov

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/

American Foundation for Urologic Disease

1000 Corporate Blvd.

Suite 410

Linthicum, MD 21090

Phone: 410-689-3990

Toll-Free: 1-800-828-7866

Fax: 410-689-3998

Fax: 410-689-3998

http://www.afud.org/