Prostate Cancer
Treatment Guide™

Prostatitis Infection (Prostatitis) - An Inflamed Prostate Gland

Prostatitis is the inflammation of the prostate gland. Symptoms of prostatitis, like benign prostatic hyperplasia, are similar to some symptoms associated with prostate cancer. They include the following:
• urinary frequency or urgency or both
• blood in the urine
• fever and chills
• difficulty in urination
• perineal pain
• lower back or pelvic pain
• joint or muscles pain
• tender or swollen prostate
• painful ejaculation

There are three different types of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and nonbacterial prostatitis.

Acute Bacterial Prostatitis
Acute bacterial prostatitis most commonly afflicts those who are between 40 and 60. This prostatitis is the easiest type of prostatitis to identify because the onset of symptoms are both fast and severe. Those with acute bacterial prostatitis most commonly experience urinary urgency, fever, and pain. No one is quite sure where the bacteria, that infect the prostate, come from. Some doctors believe that urine that pools in the bladder may be an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis
Chronic bacterial prostatitis afflicts those between 50 and 80. The chronic form of prostatitis is recurrent and longer lasting, but the symptoms are less severe than those of acute bacterial prostatitis.

Non-bacterial Prostatitis
Nonbacterial prostatitis is not caused by bacteria. No one is sure where it comes from and there is no cure. Patients may be prescribed antibiotics to see if the prostatitis is caused by bacteria in the prostate. If the antibiotics do not work, patients may take anti-inflammatory medicine, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to alleviate symptoms.

Prostate Health and Prostatitis
Patients with prostatitis should avoid caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and colas, as well as strong spices, which seem to aggravate prostatitis. Some men also find that alcohol aggravates prostatitis and therefore choose to avoid products containing alcohol. There are no substantiated links between prostatitis and prostate cancer at this time.