Prostatitis is a common and painful condition that can afflict men of all ages. As a matter of fact, prostatitis is the most common urologic diagnosis in men who are younger than 50 years old. Although many cases of prostatitis have an infectious etiology, acute or chronic inflammation of this organ creates the same symptoms.
Symptoms of prostatitis can include pelvic, suprapubic, testicular, penile, urethral pain as well as pain with urination or ejaculation. Sometimes a man may develop fevers, chills, nausea, and vomiting.
If you have the above symptoms, your urologist will be able to further evaluate you by performing a detailed physical exam and obtaining a urine culture. A blood test known as prostate specific antigen (PSA) may also be obtained which is often elevated in cases of acute prostatitis.
Your physician may treat you with antibiotics for 4-6 weeks and also provide you with other medications such as Flomax and anti-inflammatory medication for symptom relief. Occasionally you may require imaging and more invasive treatments depending on your presentation and progression.
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