What is Prostatitis?
Prostatitis, generally speaking, is inflammation of the prostate and surrounding tissues which can cause significant discomfort and pain. This can be a debilitating condition and is often a great source of anxiety for patients. Fortunately, our understanding of this condition has evolved considerably and a we have a variety of treatment options available.
Contrary to popular belief, most commonly prostatitis is actually NOT due to bacterial infection. While antibiotics may be appropriate for some patients, they do not provide much help in cases of non-bacterial chronic prostatitis. Conceptually, prostatic injury occurs from some initial insult (trauma, infection, obstruction) which leads to an inflammatory reaction in the tissues, which finally results in a neuromuscular responses which causes pain.
What are Prostatitis treatment options?
Our approach here at Tower Men’s Health is to understand all of the factors that go into this process and tailor therapy to each individual patient. Some of these therapies can include:
Supportive Measures:
All prostatitis patients will benefit from lifestyle modification and supportive measures such as warm tub soaks (sitz baths), avoidance of any dietary triggers (spicy food, etc), and wearing supportive undergarments in cases where the pain is referred into the scrotum.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs):
Often the first step in treating the symptoms of prostatitis is a course of a strong anti-inflammatory medications. Over-the-counter versions include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), however, your physician may recommend a stronger, prescription-grade medication in this class such as meloxicam (Mobic) or celecoxib (Celebrex) to help with your symptoms.
Quercetin:
Quercetin is a natural bioflavonoid antioxidant with solid scientific evidence supporting its use in improving inflammation in men with prostatitis. Some formulations will combine this with pollen extract which may increase its efficacy. A commonly available form of this supplement is marketed under the name Prosta-Q.
Antibiotics:
In your initial evaluation, we may obtain urine or semen cultures to check for bacterial infection. If you have bacterial prostatitis, then antibiotics may be helpful. If no bacteria are detected, prolonged courses of antibiotics are NOT helpful and actually can cause harm. Many antibiotics have mild anti-inflammatory properties as well – therefore experiencing a temporarily improvement while taking antibiotics is not proof that an infection is present.Pelvic floor physical therapy:
Very commonly, symptoms can be caused by tightness and/or spasm of the pelvic floor muscles. Just like many people carry stress in their jaw, and therefore get jaw pain and headaches, others carry stress in their pelvic floor muscles, which can cause pain in the prostate and scrotum. The mainstay of treatment here is pelvic floor physical therapy, a specialized type of physical therapy which works to relax the pelvic floor muscles. Specially trained physical therapists at Tower Men’s Health perform this regularly.
Urinary medications:
Sometimes the symptoms of prostatitis occur together with problems urinating. Use of certain medications to improve the urinary stream and often reduce the other symptoms in patients with chronic prostatitis. A common medication used for this purpose is tamsulosin (Flomax), which relaxes the prostate and helps men with their urine stream.
Prostatitis is an all-too-common and often debilitating condition which has a multitude of contributing factors. Fortunately, multiple treatment options exist, and your provider at Tower Men’s Health will tailor a specific therapy to address your individual needs.
Have a question or want to schedule an appointment?
Board-certified, fellowship-trained urologists staff Tower Men’s Health. We will pair you with one of our many experienced physicians to help address any concerns you may have and help you on your journey towards improved quality of life. Feel free to reach out to the physicians at Tower Men’s Health at 310-854-9898.