Prostatitis causes a lot of discomfort even in the early stages of the disease. Painful burning sensation, night itching, problems with urination, sexual dysfunction are the inevitable companions of chronic prostatitis. It is much easier to prevent prostatitis than to treat it. Simple recommendations will help you avoid prostatitis at any age.
What to do to prevent prostatitis at home
Chronic prostatitis rarely bothers men under 30. Men over 40 are at risk: according to statistics, out of 10 men in this age group, four suffer from prostatitis. In men over 80, the picture is even worse: chronic inflammation of the prostate is detected in 9 out of 10 patients.
How come even men who do not have a hereditary tendency to prostatitis suffer from prostate inflammation in old age? A common misconception concerns the hormone testosterone. Prostatitis is thought to develop due to an age-related decline in testosterone levels. This is fundamentally wrong: testosterone does indeed affect the health of the prostate, but only in case of deficiency does not develop prostatitis, but an adenoma. This is an independent disease and to prevent prostate adenoma, the doctor may prescribe regular use of the hormone testosterone.
Prostatitis requires suitable conditions for the infection to develop. Age-related testosterone deficiency is not enough to trigger the inflammatory process. Several factors must coincide:
- Decreased blood circulation in the pelvic organs.Occurs with a sedentary lifestyle and lack of regular physical activity. The main risk factor is sedentary work: if at home a man gets up and stretches when he is tired of sitting, then at work it is not always possible to take the necessary break.
- Failure to respect basic rules of sexual or intimate hygiene.Women may have an infection that causes prostatitis without even knowing it. In this case, the best means of prevention will be contraception. In addition, you can get an infection in the toilet of a public place, during a medical examination with non-sterile instruments, etc.
- Decreased immunity.Prostatitis, like any inflammation, often develops against the background of a weakened immune system. A lack of vitamins and microelements prevents prostate cells from coping with the inflammatory process at an early stage.
- Reduce the body's overall resistance to external threats.Chronic fatigue, stress, lack of sleep are the main factors that can trigger prostatitis at any age. The body needs rest to fight infections, so remember to relax. Even training will become an indirect cause of prostatitis if you do not give your muscles time to recover.
Prevention is always easier than treatment: there is no need to take antibiotics or other medications with serious side effects. If you can normalize your sleep, exercise daily, eat healthily and reduce your stress level, prostatitis will not bother you. Of course, you should also monitor sources of infection: if possible, avoid using public toilets in unsanitary conditions; control sex life.
These preventive measures may seem too simple, but it is easier to prevent prostatitis in men without medication than to treat it with medications.
What to take for prevention
In such an area as the prevention of prostatitis in men, medications play a role if the patient has a predisposition to prostatitis. However, the different types of prostatitis are not considered interchangeable. If your loved ones suffer from bacterial prostatitis, then you need to select preventive measures specifically for this disease.
Acute bacterial prostatitis
This form of prostatitis always appears unexpectedly, and even at the most inopportune moment. To avoid dealing with inflammation during your long-awaited vacation, take medications and organic supplements that boost your immune system. Treat colds and flu at the first signs of illness: In young people, prostatitis often first appears due to seasonal illnesses.
Acute prostatitis can be caused by chlamydia, which occurs in men after casual sex. If you think you have chlamydia, see your doctor for antibiotics. The specialist will check the organs for the first signs of prostate damage: in its embryonic form, acute prostatitis is almost invisible to the patient and can easily be confused with general discomfort. To treat chlamydia, an antibiotic from the tetracycline group and other drugs from the same series are prescribed for 1-2 weeks. During treatment, you will need to follow a diet with restrictions on calcium-containing foods.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis
Although the prevention of chronic prostatitis does not require the prescription of medications, for men predisposed to chronic inflammation of the prostate, stimulants and dietary supplements will be useful. To avoid treating a sluggish inflammatory process, use the following products regularly:
- Means that normalize the functioning of the prostate.The purpose of these drugs is to restore active blood flow in the pelvic organs, start tissue healing processes and regulate secretion. Although they are usually used for therapeutic purposes, it is also possible to prevent prostatitis with their help, especially against the background of a male predisposition. Before using medications for the first time, consult your doctor.
- Medicines with a pronounced antibacterial effecttaken in the context of vulnerability to bacterial infections. These funds are also intended primarily for treatment. Have yourself examined to find out whether you need to pay attention to the prevention of bacterial inflammation or whether general restorative medications are sufficient.
- Vitamin complexes and food supplements.Such preparations should contain vitamins C and E: they prevent inflammation by destroying bacteria and forming new cells. Products containing lycopene are also effective in prevention: it is a natural antioxidant that regulates the basic processes of the prostate.
Herbal Remedies
Prevention of prostatitis with herbs is widely used to prevent inflammation at home. Pay attention to natural components that increase the body's resistance to infections:
- radiola rose;
- echinacea;
- ginseng.
Please note: treatment with medicinal plants with similar properties is unacceptable if a man suffers from hypertension. Taking active substances against the background of high blood pressure is dangerous, because one of the effects of these drugs is an immediate increase in blood pressure.
To prevent prostatitis in men, products based on extracts - natural stimulants of venous tone are also used:
- Japanese Sophora;
- horse chestnut;
- ginkgo;
- eucalyptus;
- grape seeds;
- red vine leaves.
Their action is similar to pharmaceutical drugs - phlebotonics. A side effect of treatment of venous tone disorders is the elimination of stagnation of blood circulation in the pelvic organs. Restoring blood circulation contributes to overall prostate health.
Preventive measures in men should not be accompanied by the use of diuretic herbs: bearberry, lingonberry, etc. If you are predisposed to prostatitis, they have the opposite effect: a sharp increase in urine volume increases pressure on the prostate and can cause inflammation. Treatment of difficulty urinating with a tendency to prostatitis is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.
Prevention of chronic prostatitis in men
In order not to face the difficulties associated with the treatment of prostatitis in adulthood and old age, men should take care of their health from youth.
Unlike prostate adenoma, choosing a drug for treatment is not difficult: you just need to pass laboratory tests. The disease becomes chronic when the body is so weakened that after treating a bacterial infection, a new infection manages to break through the defenses - and everything repeats. To prevent the return of prostatitis, men need to strengthen their body in advance: in the intervals between infections it will be more difficult to strengthen the immune system.
Effective preventive measures:
- Dress appropriately for the weather.Avoid hypothermia, don't get completely wet, and if this happens, take a warm bath. A shower is not suitable: the body should receive uniform heating for at least 15-20 minutes. If you've had prostatitis before, the infection may linger on the tissues and wait in the wings even after treatment with antibiotics. Be vigilant and the disease will not return.
- Limit your alcohol consumption to 1 to 2 drinks per week.Do not combine alcoholic beverages with the treatment of colds: this is one of the common factors that provoke inflammation of the prostate.
- Eat more fibrous foods.Coarse dietary fiber forms the basis of prostate health. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is prescribed to treat constipation. Since constipation is another possible cause of inflammation of the prostate tissue, you should try to avoid it. If it is not possible to radically change your diet, add bran to your diet. 2 to 3 tablespoons before each meal have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive tract.
Moderate sexual activity is another factor in prostate health. Regular sex life normalizes the secretion of the organ and relieves excess pressure, which can lead to inflammation. Don't forget about contraception: if you are predisposed to inflammation of the prostate, you should protect yourself not from sexual intercourse, but from a common bacterial infection.
Perform the male version of Kegel exercises daily: contract the pubococcygeus muscle for 3 to 5 seconds, then release. Repeat several approaches 10-15 times. It can be difficult to find the muscle the first time because it is used unconsciously. You can feel the work of this muscle yourself if you try to stop while urinating. You need to train the very muscle that is tight. Regular exercises normalize the functioning of internal organs.