Chronic prostatitis is a difficult-to-treat condition that causes pain in the pelvic area and urinary symptoms, including a burning during urination or a frequent need to empty the bladder, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse---NKUDIC. There are two types of chronic prostatitis: bacterial and nonbacterial.
Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis
This type of prostatitis isn't common but it has a simple cause, a bacterial infection, according to the NKUDIC. However, when the patient is given antibiotics, the bacteria find a way to hide in the prostate gland and survive to reinfect the patient. So a man with this form of prostatitis experiences frequent outbreaks that come and go.
Chronic Nonbacterial Prostatitis
Also known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome, this is the most common form of prostatitis but its cause is not well understood, according to the NKUDIC. There may be signs that the body is fighting an infection but no bacteria can be detected, or there may be no indication that there's any infection at all.
Theories
Though the exact causes of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis are unknown, researchers believe it may have one of several causes, according to the American Urological Association Foundation. The disease could be caused by hard-to-detect or atypical organisms like fungi, viruses, parasites or chemicals. It might be due to an immune system reaction to a previous infection or injury. It's also possible the problem is caused by irritation, perhaps because of urine backing up into the prostate, muscle spasms or nerve disorders in the pelvic area. It's also possible that stress and psychological factors play a role, according to MedlinePlus.
