Prostatitis is a general term for conditions caused by an inflammation of the prostate gland. There are four types of prostatitis--acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. While specific symptoms may vary across men and type of disease, each form of prostatitis may cause serious symptoms, ranging from pelvic pain to infection to infertility.
Pain in the Pelvic Region
Prostatitis can cause a number of general symptoms of pain that can be severe at times. Some men experience pain or burning when urinating (dysuria) and pain in the abdomen, groin or lower back. Pain or swelling in the penis or testicles, pain in the area between the penis and the rectum (perineum) and pain during ejaculation may also be present, according to the Mayo Clinic. If left untreated, your pain could worsen and lead to more serious complications, so you should contact your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.
Infection
Acute bacterial prostatitis is the rarest but most serious and potentially life-threatening form of prostatitis, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). It is often accompanied by symptoms such as fever, chills, general malaise (feeling ill and weak), nausea and vomiting that signify a generalized infection throughout the body.
Infection of the urinary tract and white blood cells and bacteria in the urine may provide confirmation of this infection. According to the Mayo Clinic, this type of prostatitis can also become chronic and may lead to serious complications such as bacteremia--a bacterial infection of the blood. Infection can cause the prostate cavity to fill with pus and, in some cases, the tube that stores and carries sperm (epididymis) can become inflamed and coiled, causing painful ejaculation and urination, groin pain and swelling on the affected side, swollen scrotum, a lump in the testicle, fever and blood in the semen.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis may also lead to frequent urinary tract infections which may cause severe symptoms in some men, including pain and burning during urination, feeling an urgent need to urinate and having difficulty urinating (including dribbling or hesitant urination).
Infertility
According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome may lead to abnormalities in semen and infertility. The NKUDIC notes that asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis---a condition that generally causes no pain but can be identified by the presence of infection-fighting cells in the prostate fluid and semen---is often diagnosed when men having problems with fertility start to undergo testing. A review published in the March 2006 issue of "Current Prostate Reports" highlights the fact that, while a link has been established between infertility and prostatitis, research has not yet definitively identified prostatitis as the cause of infertility. The authors note that there is increasing data to suggest that prostatitis has a negative impact on male fertility potential, but more research is needed to clarify this effect.
References
- NKUDIC: Prostatitis
- Mayo Clinic: Prostatitis
- "Current Prostate Reports;" Prostatitis and male factor infertility: A review of the literature; DS Engeler et al.; March 2006
