Chronic prostatitis is a serious disease that occurs with intermittent exacerbations and requires long-term complex treatment. Inadequate or lack of therapy leads to a variety of complications, one of which is calculous prostatitis, one of the most serious forms of the disease. Calculus prostatitis develops from indolent congestive prostatitis and is diagnosed in men over 65 years of age.
Calculous prostatitis
Any form of prostatitis is characterized by inflammation of the prostate, which can occur in acute or chronic form. Calculitis of the prostate is a form of inflammation caused by tartar (stones) in the iron deferents of the prostate.
Chronic inflammatory prostatitis is a rare, complex inflammation of the prostate gland. It is preceded by many years of inadequate therapy for chronic congestive prostatitis or prostate adenoma.
In most cases, complications are found in men who have tried to treat prostatitis on their own or have not followed their doctor's recommendations. Arbitrary discontinuation of therapy, lack of complex treatment, or independent, uncontrolled medication can lead to complications. Often, the calculated form of inflammation of the prostate develops in the background of concomitant pathologies of the kidneys and urinary tract.
The formation of stones in the prostate gland is due to two factors. The first of these is urolithiasis. In this case, they speak of secondary or false stones that do not form in the prostate but migrate downward with the urine. This occurs in the background of a violation of the urinary system and due to a decrease in the tone of the prostate, which causes the reverse reflux of urine with fragments of stones.
Primary or real stones are formed directly in the prostate. This is due to a chronic violation of the trophism of the organ. At the same time, salts and phosphates accumulate in the prostate, forming dense salt deposits - stones - in the background of the thickening of the secretion of the gland.
Calculous prostatitis does not appear immediately. This is usually the result of failure to treat chronic prostatitis.
Causes of the disease
The development of calculous prostatitis is caused by long-term dysfunction of the prostate or concomitant diseases of the male genitals. Factors that can cause this form of the disease include:
- congestive prostatitis is chronic;
- chronic infectious prostatitis;
- BPH;
- malignant tumors in the body;
- urolithiasis disease;
- kidney disturbance.
The structure of the stones can be organic and inorganic, their diameter rarely exceeds 4 mm. The organic structure of the stones is due to the stagnation of the secret of the prostate, such stones are formed directly in the secret of the prostate.
Inorganic stones enter the prostate due to urethro-prostate reflux. This phenomenon is observed when the tone of the prostate gland weakens and the return of urine from the urethra to the channels of the prostate. This results in the formation of dense tartar, which is made up of salts and phosphates that are excreted in the urine.
Factors predisposing to the development of calculous prostatitis include lifestyle violations in the background of chronic prostatitis. These include an unbalanced diet rich in fatty and heavy foods, and a lack of regular sex life.
Calculitis of the prostate is diagnosed in men who have been living with chronic prostatitis for more than 10 years. The development of this form of the disease is in many ways related to the improper or premature treatment of the sluggish inflammatory process.
Urolithiasis increases the likelihood of calculous prostatitis.
Symptoms of the disease
The symptoms and treatment of chronic calculus prostatitis are not much different from the signs of inflammation underlying congestion in the pelvic organs. Patient complaints include:
- frequent urination;
- feeling of difficulty in the rectum;
- pain after urination;
- weakening of potency;
- ejaculatory disorders;
- blood in urine and semen.
The presence of blood in the urine or semen makes it possible to suspect a calculus form of the disease before visiting a doctor. At the moment of proper muscle tension, during ejaculation or urination, the stones move and damage the tissues of the prostate. As a result, there is blood in the urine.
Usually, the calculated form of prostatitis is always accompanied by a violation of sexual function. This can be manifested in weakened potency and problems with ejaculation. Men often complain that it is impossible to reach a climax during intercourse.
However, in some cases, calculous prostatitis may be asymptomatic. This is observed in the formation of small stones.
The distinguishing feature of this form of prostatitis is the presence of blood in the urine.
Diagnosis of the disease
The diagnosis of calculous prostatitis is based on the same tests that reveal chronic inflammation.
The following tests should be performed to make a diagnosis:
- rectal palpation of the prostate;
- Ultrasound or TRUS;
- MRI;
- analysis of prostate secretion.
During rectal palpation of the organ, the physician clearly feels the heterogeneity of the prostate gland, manifested in the presence of tuberculosis and depression in the organ. If the stones are large, they can be clearly felt by touch. In addition, prostate massage in the presence of stones can be painful and can result in the release of blood after manipulation, which results from damage to the tissues of the organ due to the presence of dense salt deposits.
On ultrasound or TRUS, the stones are characterized by increased echogenicity. Such an examination makes it possible to accurately assess the location, size, contours and uniform structure of the stones.
In addition, renal ultrasound and urethrography may be required to rule out the secondary nature of stone formation in the background of urinary tract disease.
Ultrasound can be used to determine the presence, location, and size of stones.
Principle of treatment
Treating calculous prostatitis is a long process. The goal of therapy is to stop the inflammation, relieve the symptoms, destroy the stones, and prevent them from happening again. The duration of treatment is usually at least one month.
Treatment of calculous prostatitis begins with symptomatic therapy based on the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and alpha-blockers. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) relieve pain and improve well-being. Antibacterial therapy should only be performed if inflammatory prostatitis develops in the background of infectious inflammation of the prostate and pathogenic microorganisms are detected during the test. Alpha-blockers are indicated for the development of urinary disorders. These medications relax the bladder and make it easier to urinate.
Physiotherapy, which aims to improve the trophism of the prostate, plays an important role in the treatment of calculous prostatitis. They practice electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, shock wave therapy.
If the tartar is large, it is possible to perform an operation to remove it. Minimally invasive methods and laser surgery are usually used.
Medium-sized stones are successfully chopped with a laser. This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, is completely painless and lasts no longer than 20 minutes. If there are more stones, a procedure is prescribed.
In case of calcular prostatitis, prostate massage is prohibited as it leads to damage to the tissues of the organ when the stones move.
How to treat calculous prostatitis - it depends on the size of the stones and the symptoms of the disease. With small stones, the treatment is done with the help of medicines and physiotherapy, the purpose of which is, among other things, to crush the stones. Large stones are surgically removed. The operation is performed under anesthesia.
Possible complications
Calculitis of the prostate is dangerous with the risk of developing an abscess of the prostate. Such a complication requires immediate hospitalization and surgery, otherwise the abscess will open on its own, leading to the development of sepsis.
Lack of proper and timely therapy can lead to the development of paraproctitis. This disease is characterized by inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue surrounding the rectum. Purulent inflammation can have dangerous consequences, leading to sepsis and infection of the entire body.
In the absence of timely treatment of calculous prostatitis, one of the most common complications is erectile dysfunction. The presence of stones in the prostate often leads to infertility.
The likelihood of complications is determined during the examination and diagnosis, and the patient is presented with regular ultrasound and prostate secretion analysis to assess the effectiveness of the chosen treatment regimen during the treatment of calculus prostatitis.
The most common consequence is a violation of potency.
Disease prevention
Although calculous prostatitis can be cured, your doctor will always warn you of the risk of recurrence of the stones. To avoid this, the man should follow some recommendations.
Preventing the recurrence of the disease is reduced to a balanced diet and regular sexual activity. Fatty and spicy foods that adversely affect the functioning of the urinary system should be avoided. Be sure to stop bad habits and exercise regularly to prevent blood and lymph stagnation in your pelvic organs.
Because calculous prostatitis is most often a complication of chronic prostatitis, the specific prevention of the disease is limited to the timely treatment of prostatitis. Follow your doctor's recommendations and do not try to treat prostatitis on your own.
Often, men who face this disease do not pay enough attention to the symptoms, hoping that the discomfort will go away on its own. As a result, prostatitis is not treated and can continue in latent form for many years and progressively worsens. It is important to understand that timely visits to the doctor and appropriate therapy will alleviate the disease within a few months.
Another common mistake that leads to the development of calculous prostatitis is that treatment for chronic inflammation is stopped at the first recovery. As a result, the disease remains untreated and feels firm when immunity is reduced.
Therefore, to avoid the formation of stones in the prostate, you only need to follow a few rules:
- see a doctor in time;
- strictly follow the instructions of the specialist;
- do not let the disease take over.
All men who have had prostatitis should have an examination by a urologist every year.