Symptoms of Prostatitis
There are four types of prostatitis. Each has its own set of symptoms and causes. These include:
- High fever
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Pain around the base of your penis or behind your scrotum
- Lower back pain
- Feeling like you need to have a bowel movement
- Trouble peeing
- Weak urine stream
Acute bacterial prostatitis is a severe condition. If you notice these symptoms, seek medical care right away.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis. This is more common in older men. It’s a milder bacterial infection that can linger for several months. Some men get it after they’ve had a urinary tract infection (UTI) or acute bacterial prostatitis.
The symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis often come and go. This makes them easy to miss. With this condition, you might sometimes have:
- An urgent need to pee, often in the middle of the night
- Painful urination
- Pain after you ejaculate (release semen at orgasm)
- Lower back pain
- Rectum pain
- A “heavy” feeling behind your scrotum
- Blood in your semen
- A UTI
- Urinary blockage (no urine comes out)
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). This is the most common type of prostatitis. It shares many of the same signs as bacterial prostatitis. The difference is that when tests are run, no bacteria are present with this type.
Doctors aren’t sure what causes CP/CPPS. Triggers include stress, nearby nerve damage, and physical injury. Chemicals in your urine or a UTI you had in the past may play a role. CP/CPPS has also been linked to immune disorders like chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The main sign of CP/CPPS is pain that lasts more than 3 months in at least one of these body parts:
You may also have pain when you pee or ejaculate. You might not be able to hold your urine, or you may have to pee more than 8 times a day. A weak urine stream is another common symptom of CP/CPPS.
Asymptomatic prostatitis. Men who have this type of prostatitis have an inflamed prostate but no symptoms. You may only learn you have it if your doctor does a blood test that checks your prostate health. Asymptomatic prostatitis doesn’t need any treatment, but it can lead to infertility.
Prostatitis Risk Factors
You’re more likely to have problems with your prostate if:
- You’re between the ages of 36 and 50
- You’ve had a UTI
- You’ve had a groin injury
- You use a urinary catheter
- You’ve had a prostate biopsy
- You have HIV/AIDS
- You’ve had prostatitis before
An inflamed or infected prostate gland is common in men of all ages.
If you have prostatitis, your doctor can help you find ways to manage your symptoms and control your pain. Researchers are also trying to better understand what causes it. This will allow them to find more treatments that work.
Source WebMD