What Are Prostate Infections And Prostatitis
The prostate gland is a part of a man’s reproductive system, secreting fluids that help transport sperm. The gland lies just below the bladder and surrounds the urethra .
Prostate infections may irritate the prostate and cause inflammation and swelling of the gland. Prostate infections occur most often in men aged 30-50 years but can occur in older men. Unfortunately, many people equate the terms prostate infection and prostatitis, but prostate infections comprise only two of the four major classifications of the term “prostatitis,” and infectious types comprise only a few of the total number of prostatitis diagnosed patients.
The National Institutes of Health consensus panel has designated four types of prostatitis classifications.
The NIH has established extensive criteria for chronic pelvic pain syndrome that excludes infection and other problems and is as follows:
Inclusion Criteria
- male, at least age 18
- pain or discomfort in the pelvic area for at least 3 months
Exclusion Criteria
This classification system is important to understand because about 90% of men with prostatitis symptoms are diagnosed with chronic pelvic pain syndrome and, by definition, do not have infectious prostatitis.
Stress and depression are common in men with chronic infectious prostatitis.
Complicated & Recurrent Uti
Antibiotics should never be selected empirically for complicated UTI without culture susceptibility results . Management of pyelonephritis, prostatitis, and relapsing or recurrent UTI is often unsuccessful without therapy guided by culture and susceptibility results. However, therapy should be instituted while culture and susceptibility results are being awaited. Rational initial drug choices for complicated UTI include amoxicillin, fluoroquinolones, or trimethoprim-sulfonamide.3
When To Seek Medical Care For Prostate Infections
Contact a doctor for any of the following symptoms. These symptoms are even more significant if accompanied with high fever and chills:
- Urinary burning or pain
- Difficulty or pain when starting urination
- Pain in the genital area
- Pain with ejaculation
Doctors usually diagnose and treat prostate infections on an outpatient basis. If a person develops high fever with chills or a new onset of difficulty in urinating, seek medical care immediately or go to a hospital’s emergency department because the infection may be spreading to other areas of the body.
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Make Some Lifestyle Changes
There are a number of things you can try that other men have found helpful. You might want to plan your day more, to allow for things like toilet trips. Trying different things can help you feel more in control, and that you are actively doing something to improve your health. If one thing doesnt work, try something else. Here are some suggestions.
- Watch what you drink. Drink plenty of fluids about six to eight glasses of water a day. And cut down on fizzy drinks, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and drinks that contain caffeine as these can irritate the bladder and make some urinary problems worse.
- Watch what you eat. Some foods may make your symptoms worse. Try to work out what these are so you can avoid them. Theres some evidence that spicy foods can make the symptoms of CPPS worse.
- Avoid cycling. Its a good idea to avoid activities that put pressure on the area between your back passage and testicles , such as cycling. They can make symptoms worse. If you want to keep cycling, you could try using a different saddle, such as one made from gel.
- Keep a diary. This can help you spot things that make your symptoms worse, and can be a useful way of showing your doctor what youre experiencing. Record things like food, drink, exercise, how stressed you feel and your symptoms.
Avelox Prostatitis Antibiotic :
Avelox is Used to Treat Acute & Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis , This Antibiotic is Generally used as the First Treatment for The Acute & Chronic Prostatittis , In some cases some patients with non bacterial Prostatitis Conditions Have been treated with Avelox as some symptoms are similar to Bacterial and non bacterial Prostatitis .
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Infection By Germs That Normally Live In Your Bowel
This is the usual cause. Some bacteria that live harmlessly in the bowel commonly get on to the skin near to the anus when we pass stools . In some people they may then multiply. Some of these bacteria may then travel up the urethra and cause infection anywhere in the urinary tract – that is, the kidneys, bladder, prostate, or urethra. This is called a ‘urinary tract infection‘.
A prostate infection may also occur with or without other parts of the urinary tract being infected. Some conditions that cause pooling or blockage of urine increase the risk of a urinary tract infection. For example, having an enlarged prostate or kidney stones. This is because bacteria often thrive and multiply quickly in pooled urine.
What Are The Types Of Prostatitis
Types of prostatitis include:
- Acute bacterial prostatitis : A UTI causes an infection in the prostate gland. Symptoms include fever and chills. You may experience painful and frequent urination or have trouble urinating. Acute bacterial prostatitis requires immediate medical treatment.
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis : Bacteria become trapped in the prostate gland, causing recurrent UTIs that are difficult to treat.
- Chronic pelvic pain syndrome, or CPPS : CPPS is the most common prostatitis type. Prostate gland inflammation occurs in approximately 1 out of 3 men. As the name implies, this type causes chronic pain in the pelvis, perineum and genitals.
- Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis : This condition causes prostate gland inflammation but no symptoms. You may learn you have this condition after getting tests to find the cause of other problems. For example, a semen analysis for infertility may detect asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. This type doesnt need treatment.
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What Is A Prostate Infection
A prostate infection occurs when your prostate and the surrounding area become inflamed. The prostate is about the size of a walnut. Its located between the bladder and the base of the penis. The tube that moves urine from the bladder to the penis runs through the center of your prostate. The urethra also moves semen from the sex glands to the penis.
Several types of infections can affect the prostate. Some men with prostatitis experience no symptoms at all, while others report many, including intense pain.
How Are Bacterial Forms Of Prostatitis Managed Or Treated
Antibiotics can kill bacteria that cause bacterial types of prostatitis. Men with acute bacterial prostatitis may need 14 to 30 days of antibiotics, starting with IV antibiotics in the hospital. Rarely, men need surgery to drain an abscess on the prostate.
Treating chronic bacterial prostatitis is challenging. You may need up to three months of antibiotics to sterilize the prostate. If the prostate cant be sterilized, low-dose antibiotics can be used long term to prevent recurrences. Some men need surgery to remove prostate stones or scar tissue in the urethra. Rarely, surgeons remove part or all of the prostate gland .
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Chronic Nonbacterial Prostatitis/chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
It has been widely reported that more than 90 percent of men with prostatitis meet the criteria for chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome .10 However, these estimates come from urologic referral centers and are likely to over-represent more complex cases and under-represent more straightforward cases of acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis. Because of these referral biases, the true incidence and prevalence of these syndromes are unknown.
Like many such poorly understood conditions, CNP/CPPS remains a challenging syndrome. Patients usually have symptoms consistent with prostatitis, such as painful ejaculation or pain in the penis, testicles or scrotum. They may complain of low back pain, rectal or perineal pain, or even pain along the inner aspects of the thighs. They often have irritative or obstructive urinary symptoms and decreased libido or impotence. As a rule, these patients do not have recurrent urinary tract infections. The physical examination is usually unremarkable, but patients may have a tender prostate.
The treatment of this condition is challenging, and there is limited evidence to support any particular therapy. Given the high rate of occult prostatic infection, an antibiotic trial is reasonable, to see if the patient responds clinically. Because Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis have been identified as potential pathogens, treatment should cover these organisms.
Urine Drug Concentration & Clinical Efficacy
Antimicrobial drugs must achieve an adequate urine concentration, which must be maintained for a sufficient time for a drug to be effective in treating UTI.16 It has been suggested that clinical efficacy is observed when the urine drug concentration is maintained at a concentration 4-fold higher than the isolates MIC throughout the time between doses.9
Experimental studies in rats have shown that the time for which the plasma drug concentration exceeds the isolates MIC correlates to the magnitude of bacterial colony count reduction the longer the time for which the drug concentration remained above the MIC, the lower the urine colony counts.12 Successful eradication of bacteria within the renal parenchyma or urinary bladder wall is correlated to the plasma, not urine, drug concentration.
When prescribing time-dependent antibiotics, shortening the interval between drug administration is the most effective method to allow the tissue/urine drug concentration to exceed the MIC for the majority of the dosing interval.
- Drug elimination follows first-order kinetics, where 50% of the drug is lost in 1 half-life.
- In contrast, doubling the dose would only add 1 half-life to the dosing interval.
- To add 2 half-lives to the dosing interval, the initial dose would have to be increased 4-fold. The peak serum drug concentration achieved by this approach may exceed the window of safety, producing adverse drug effects.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Prostatitis
Symptoms differ depending on whether the prostatitis is acute or chronic.
Symptoms of acute prostatitis may include:
- Pain around the penis, testicles, anus, lower abdomen or lower back. May be severe
- Pain when defecating
- Pain when urinating , frequent urination (especially at night, urgent urination, problems starting or “stop-start” peeing, or blood in the urine
- Complete inability to urinate
- Feeling unwell, with aches, pains and possibly a fever
- Thick discharge from the penis
Symptoms of chronic prostatitis generally last for at least 3 months and may include:
- Pain around the penis, testicles, anus, lower abdomen or lower back. May be severe
- Pain when urinating , frequent urination (especially at night, urgent urination, problems starting or “stop-start” peeing, or blood in the urine
- An enlarged or tender prostate on rectal examination, although in some cases it may be normal
- Erectile dysfunction, pain when ejaculating or pelvic pain after sex.
Who Needs Antibiotics For Uti
While the question seems like it answers itself, treatment of UTIs is not always a straightforward affair. There are different bacteria involved, infections are discovered at different points in their pathology, and different people respond to antibiotics differently. So, while anyone suffering from a UTI will probably need to consider antibiotics, which one is the right one will vary from case to case and from person to person.
How the antibiotic is administered will also need to be determined on a case by case basis. As will the duration of treatment. These days, single-dose antibiotic treatment may also be a viable alternative.
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What Is The Most Effective Antibiotic Used For Prostatitis Treatment
Antibiotics, also called antibacterials, are a type of antimicrobial drug used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections, they may either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics are the most widely used medicine in modern society. They are very effective against viruses such as the common cold or influenza. As a disease that is defined as a prostate inflammation, prostatitis cure often involves into antibiotics, especially bacterial prostatitis like acute bacterial prostatitis and chronic bacterial prostatitis, and the most common used antibiotics used for prostatitis treatment include:
LevofloxacinOflaxacinCiprofloxacinDoxycycline
Which Antibiotics Are Most Effective In The Treatment Of Prostatitis
Nitrofurantoin, sulfonamides, vancomycin, penicillins, and cephalosporins do not penetrate well into the prostate.
Antibiotics that penetrate well into the acid milieu of the prostate are nonpolar and lipid-soluble and have a high measure of acid strength, a small molecular radius, and low serum protein binding. Drugs that best fit these criteria are the fluoroquinolones, doxycycline, minocycline , trimethoprim , rifampin, and erythromycin. Of this group, the fluoroquinolones appear to achieve the best tissue levels.
Erythromycin is used as a second-line agent when culture results are available.
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Monitoring Response To Therapy
Patients with a simple, uncomplicated UTI may not require rigorous monitoring. However, patients with complicated, relapsing, or recurrent infections should be monitored very closely. The following protocol is recommended to monitor response to therapy in patients with relapsing, recurrent, or refractory UTI.3
Understanding Drug Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics Is Essential When Determining The Most Effective Antibiotic Therapy For Utis In Dogs And Cats
Dr. Foster is an internist and Director of the Extracorporeal Therapies Service at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C. He has lectured around the world on various renal and urinary diseases and authored numerous manuscripts and book chapters on these topics. He is the current president of the American Society of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology.
Urinary tract infections are common in small animal practice it has been reported that up to 27% of dogs will develop infection at some time in their lives.1
Most UTIs are successfully treated with commonly used drugs, dosages, and administration intervals. However, infections can be challenging to effectively treat when they involve the kidneys and prostate . In addition, it can be difficult to create an appropriate antibiotic prescription in patients with kidney disease due to reduced drug clearance.
Understanding drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics is essential when determining the most effective antibiotic therapy. In addition, successful antimicrobial therapy requires appropriate choice of antibiotic, including dose, frequency, and duration .
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What Tests Diagnose Prostatitis What Are Prostate
Prostatitis is usually diagnosed by analyzing a urine sample and undergoing an examination of your prostate gland by your health care practitioner. This examination involves a digital rectal examination to palpate the prostate gland and feel for abnormalities of the gland. Occasionally, the physician may also collect and test a sample of the prostatic fluid.
Sometimes a prostate massage is performed to compare samples of the prostatic fluid both before and after this intervention has been performed. To perform this procedure, the doctor will stroke/massage the prostate gland during the digital rectal examination. Because there is the concern that this procedure can release bacteria into the bloodstream, this test is contraindicated in cases of acute bacterial prostatitis.
Additional tests that may be obtained include a complete blood count , an electrolyte panel, blood cultures, a swab of urethral discharge if present, and sometimes a prostate-specific antigen level. The PSA test, which is used as a screening test for prostate cancer, may also be elevated with prostatitis.
Other tests that may also be obtained include urodynamic tests , ultrasound imaging, computed tomography imaging, cystoscopy, and a prostate biopsy.
If recurring episodes of urinary tract infections and prostatitis occur, see your doctor for a more detailed evaluation of your genitourinary system for anatomic abnormalities, which may make you more prone to infections.
What Is The Treatment For Acute Prostatitis
- Antibiotics. A four-week course is needed. Antibiotics are generally started before the confirmatory urine test results are back. The first antibiotic may be changed after the result of the urine test is back. The urine test finds exactly which germ is causing the infection and the best antibiotic to treat it. Four weeks of antibiotics are thought to be necessary to reduce the chance that you develop persistent prostatitis. If you are very unwell, you may need to go into hospital to have the antibiotics given through a vein..
- Paracetamol or ibuprofen ease pain and high temperature . They are best taken regularly rather than now and then. Stronger painkillers are sometimes needed.
- Laxatives can keep your stools soft, if needed. They may help to ease pain if you have hard stools in your back passage , pressing on your infected prostate.
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What Is The Prognosis For A Prostate Infection
The prognosis for acute bacterial prostatic infections is usually good if treated appropriately with effective antibiotics. The prognosis for chronic bacterial prostatic infections is less or only fair because the recurrent disease is difficult to cure, and the cure rate is less than the acute type.
- No evidence suggests that any prostate infections increase the risk of urinalysis.
- Only a few men with acute bacterial prostatitis develop chronic bacterial prostatitis. After patients recover, their doctor should evaluate their upper urinary tract.
- Only half of the men with chronic bacterial prostatitis will be cured . Relapses are common and may lead to psychological problems, especially depression.
