What is Prostatitis?

Prostatitis Infections

Prostatitis exists as a painful, and sometimes chronic, condition occurring in men of all ages. Prostatitis is essentially an infection within the prostate gland, and can be caused by a variety of reasons. Most cases of prostatitis are due to a bacterial infection, often resulting from sexual contact; however prostatitis that is not due to a bacterial infection may be referred to as asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. This type of prostatitis is still quite misunderstood by general practitioners as well as urologists, but its symptoms may or may not be the same of bacterial prostatitis.

Those that suffer from a prostate infection may experience pain in the urinary tract, pelvic floor, anus, and pelvis area. As well, men with prostatitis may have pain upon evacuation, either through urination or defecation. Pus cells may be found within urine or semen, as the prostate gland is directly connected to the urinary tract and any infected tissue surrounding the area may be affected. Diagnosis is often done by administering traditional digital exams, as well as through blood and urinalysis tests.

Men that experience prostatitis may be administered antibiotics in the case of a bacterial infection, but may have limited options in the case of non-bacterial prostatitis. Some men suffer from chronic prostatitis, meaning they may experience multiple infections throughout their life, and if these infections do not present bacterial origins, there are few treatment options. In a worst case scenario, removal of the prostate gland is possible to alleviate symptoms.

Thankfully, there are other treatment options available to men suffering from prostate infections. Natural remedies can often have a great impact on not only relieving symptoms, but also doing away with the related infections. By strengthening the body's immune system, as well as strengthening the prostate, natural treatment options can allow the body to defend itself against bacterial infections, and in the case of non-bacterial infections, to correct any underlying problems that are causing a prostate infection, including reducing inflammation.

As well, these natural treatments are usually less expensive than prescriptions offered by physicians, and the side effects are usually less severe. Because natural remedies employ supplements found in nature, they are less likely to suffer from contaminants or cause reactions, and many men that use natural supplements see improvement of symptoms in the same amount of time as if they were using prescription drugs. While there is no proven "cure" for recurring prostatitis, natural supplements are a great way to improve symptoms while saving money.