Prostatitis is a painful condition for men. It is characterized by inflammation of the prostate gland, which results in pain and painful urination. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearing House (NKUDIC) lists four different types of prostatitis, all with both similar, and different, symptoms and causes.
Chronic Prostatitis Causes
Chronic prostatitis is also referred to as chronic pelvic pain syndrome. It is the most common type of prostatitis. While there is not one specific cause of chronic prostatitis, the Mayo Clinic reports that it can be caused by inflammation from a bacterial infection, or a faulty response from the immune system, which can also cause inflammation. Chronic prostatitis can also occur without the presence of inflammation. In these cases, the cause can be from psychological stress, an injury to the prostate or pressure on the prostate from other tissues.
Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis Causes
Chronic bacterial prostatitis refers to prostatitis that is known to be the result of bacteria. The NKUDIC explains that in the case of chronic bacterial prostatitis, bacteria find an area of the prostate in which they can adapt and survive. The infection will go away with treatment, and then return again, which gives it the classification of "chronic."
Acute Bacterial Prostatitis Causes
Acute bacterial prostatitis is the rarest type of prostatitis. It is caused by bacteria entering the prostate gland, which leads to a sudden onset of fever, pain, chills, and the frequent urination. A report from the "New York Times Health Guide" states that acute prostatitis can also be caused by bacteria from sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, as well as trauma that may come to the prostate from catheterization or biopsy.
Asymptomatic Inflammatory Prostatitis
The NKUDIC reports that because there are no symptoms with this type of prostatitis, it is usually only found when the patient is being screened for prostate cancer or infertility. There is evidence of inflammation and cells that fight infection in the prostate fluid, as well as the semen. The Mayo Clinic states that there is no known cause of asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis.
