What is and what causes prostatitis?
Prostatitis is an inflammatory reaction in the prostate, which is a gland surrounding the urethra located just below the bladder. Prostatitis is a “catch-all” term used for a group of problems that manifest as persistent irritable symptoms whose source appears to be the prostate. A variety of agents may cause prostatitis. The most obvious cause would be an acute bacterial infection, which clears with antibiotic therapy. Chronic prostatitis, however, can be more troublesome and may need further evaluation or longer-term antibiotic therapy. If the cause of the prostatitis is non-bacterial, the problem may be more elusive. However, one’s own immune mechanisms will frequently clear non- bacterial problems. In addition, a large variety of seemingly unrelated factors can increase irritability of the prostate including diet, stress, muscular spasm, and fatigue. How do you make an accurate diagnosis? If a single episode of prostatitis resolves quickly with standard antibacterial treatment, the
