Prostate

What is prostatitis?
Prostatitis means “inflammation of the prostate”, and is one of the most common reasons men visit the doctor in the western world.

Who gets prostatitis and who is at risk?
Acute bacterial prostatitis affects about two in every 10 000 men. Genetics do play a role. Black men are more at risk, as are men with a family history of prostatitis.

How is prostatitis diagnosed?
Triple void urine specimens are collected – in other words the doctor will collect samples of initial stream, midstream, and post-stream urine.

Treatment of prostatitis
Some treatments or therapies are common to all types of prostatitis.

When to call the doctor (prostatitis)
The sooner treatment is received, the better, particularly for acute forms of prostatitis. Contact your doctor as soon as you notice any symptoms.

What causes prostatitis?
The causes of prostatitis are not very well understood, although the three main types of prostatitis are based on generally accepted causes.

Symptoms and signs of prostatitis
There are some general symptoms that are common to all forms of prostatitis.

Can prostatitis be prevented?
Prostatitis cannot reliably be prevented, however lifestyle precautions – such as remaining fit and healthy – will be of benefit.

What is the outcome of treatment of prostatitis?
Cases of acute prostatitis are usually completely resolved by appropriate antibiotic treatment. A two-week course of antibiotics is usually sufficient. Recurrence or persistent infection is rare.