Prostate Restored
Photo by Karolina Grabowska Pexels Logo Photo: Karolina Grabowska

Do antibiotics always cure prostatitis?

For chronic bacterial prostatitis, you'll need to take antibiotics longer, most often for 4 to 12 weeks. About three in four of chronic bacterial prostatitis cases clear up with this treatment. Sometimes the symptoms return and antibiotics are needed again.

Does a pelvic exam feel good?
Does a pelvic exam feel good?

Pelvic exams may feel uncomfortable, but they shouldn't feel painful. If any part of your exam is painful, please share your concerns with your...

Read More »
Can stress make prostatitis worse?
Can stress make prostatitis worse?

Psychological stress can lead to worsening symptoms of prostatitis, particularly pain and discomfort when urinating. It is not fully understood why...

Read More »

Your health care provider may start by asking you questions about your pain to find out what’s wrong. A digital rectal exam (DRE) may be done to check the prostate. Your doctor may do a transrectal ultrasound to look at your prostate or do a test called cystoscopy to check your urinary system. You may also be asked to get lab tests to look for bacteria in your urine or prostate fluid. A urine flow study or urodynamics test may be done to look for a block in your urinary system. If your health care provider suspects a problem with your prostate or nearby tissues, he/she may send you to a urologist. A urologist is a doctor who treats problems of the urinary tract and male reproductive systems. Each type of prostatitis calls for a different treatment. Your doctor will want to know exactly what is causing your symptoms. To find the answers, more than one type of test may be used.

Physical Exam

Your health care provider may do a digital rectal exam (DRE). This is done by putting a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum. Your doctor will press and feel the prostate to see if it is enlarged or tender. Lumps or firmness can suggest prostate cancer. He/she will ask you how much pain you feel during this test. If you have prostatitis, this exam may hurt a bit. But it doesn't cause any harm or lasting pain.

Tests

Ultrasound

To get a closer look at the prostate gland, your health care provider may order a transrectal ultrasound. An ultrasound uses sound waves to show a picture of the prostate. To "see" the prostate, the ultrasound probe is placed in the rectum.

Urine and prostate fluid tests

Your doctor may test your urine and fluid from your prostate gland. When the prostate is massaged during the DRE, a fluid called expressed prostatic excretion (EPS) comes out of the penis. Urine and EPS are checked for signs of inflammation and infection. The test results may tell the doctor if the problem is in your urethra, bladder, or prostate. Your blood and semen may also be tested for bacteria, white blood cells, or other signs of infection. Because it can be hard to get good samples, health care providers can sometimes have trouble telling if prostatitis is caused by bacteria. Also, if you have been treated with antibiotics in the recent past, this can change the results. If you are at risk for cancer, your health care provider may order a blood test to check your prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. But if you have a prostate infection, your PSA can be falsely raised. Because of this, doctors are careful about how they read your PSA test results.

Cystoscopy

Your urologist may look inside your urethra, prostate, and bladder with a cystoscope. A cystoscope is a long, thin telescope with a light at the end. First, your urologist will numb your urethra. Then, he or she will gently guide the cystoscope through your urethra into the bladder.

Urine Flow Studies (Urodynamics)

Your urologist may also order urine flow studies or urodynamics. These help measure the strength of your urine flow. These tests also spot any blockage caused by the prostate, urethra, or pelvic muscles.

Do carrots lower testosterone?
Do carrots lower testosterone?

Raw Carrots Increased levels of Vitamin A lead to an increase in testosterone and a decrease in estrogen. Sep 19, 2016

Read More »
When should you worry about kidney function?
When should you worry about kidney function?

Without treatment, kidney disease often gets worse. If your GFR drops below 15, you may feel tired and weak, with nausea, vomiting and itching. By...

Read More »

What Can prostatitis be confused for?

Prostatitis is a benign condition, while prostate cancer is malignant. But there are some symptoms that overlap between the two conditions. Prostatitis is a fairly common urinary tract issue. Besides skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed form of cancer in the United States.

Your prostate is an organ that makes some of the fluid that’s part of semen. It’s below your bladder and in front of your rectum. Prostate cancer happens when the cells in your prostate gland grow out of control. Prostatitis, on the other hand, is a different condition that affects your prostate gland. It’s usually not as serious. If you have prostatitis, you might have an infection, inflammation, or pain. Prostatitis is a benign condition, while prostate cancer is malignant. But there are some symptoms that overlap between the two conditions. Prostatitis is a fairly common urinary tract issue. Besides skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed form of cancer in the United States. What Are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer and Prostatitis? Prostate cancer and prostatitis may have some similar symptoms, like: A lower force in your stream of pee

Blood in your semen

Erectile dysfunction Other symptoms may be different between the two conditions. There are four types of prostatitis: Acute bacterial prostatitis (ABP). This happens when a urinary tract infection (UTI) causes an infection in your prostate gland. You may notice symptoms like fever, chills, needing to pee often, or a hard time when you pee. If you have this type of prostatitis, you need medical treatment right away.

Is pineapple high in zinc?
Is pineapple high in zinc?

Pineapples also contain trace amounts of phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and vitamins A and K. As you can see, this fruit is particularly rich in...

Read More »
Can you have prostatitis for life?
Can you have prostatitis for life?

Most cases of acute bacterial prostatitis are cured with treatment. Sometimes prostatitis can come back even after you've been cured. Your health...

Read More »
Which beans cause uric acid?
Which beans cause uric acid?

Higher-Purine Beans Black-eyed peas, lentils and great northern beans have more than 70 milligrams per serving, and small white beans, split peas...

Read More »
Is chemotherapy worth it for stage 4 prostate cancer?
Is chemotherapy worth it for stage 4 prostate cancer?

Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can slow the growth of cancer cells, relieve signs and symptoms of cancer, and prolong the lives of men with advanced...

Read More »