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The main symptom of prostatitis is pain, which can be different and occur in the most unexpected places. Until this symptom appears, many do not pay attention to minor inconveniences and do not rush to the doctor.
Establishing a diagnosis and starting treatment as soon as possible helps information about the points at which the pain occurred and its intensity. You need to listen to your feelings during illness and remember how often and at what moments unpleasant sensations appear, where they are concentrated. In addition, you need to pay attention to urination disorders, discomfort during intercourse.
Why pain can occur with prostatitis
The prostate, or prostate gland, is an organ that produces certain substances necessary for the male body. The seminal fluid formed in special vesicles, acini, must be excreted from the body and not stagnate. With an infection, inflammation of the prostate, an accumulation of inflammatory cells – leukocytes – is formed. They stick together with the exfoliating inner layer of the ducts of the seminal vesicles, clog them and the fluid stops being removed from the gland.
Gradually, the seminal vesicles stretch, and the vessels are compressed – the blood supply to the prostate is disturbed. At the same time, there are no nerve endings in the prostate itself, so it does not hurt. But nearby are other organs – the bladder, rectum and others. They contain nerves that, due to inflammatory edema in the prostate, are “pinched” and pain occurs.
How to find out where the pain occurs with prostatitis
Pain with prostatitis usually radiates to the pelvis, lower back, scrotum and groin. If the disease is chronic, sluggish, then the pain is aching, prolonged, often given to the anus. In the acute form of prostatitis, sharp painful spasms occur. Sometimes the discomfort is so strong that it is difficult to endure and it is almost impossible to empty the bladder, because after that the pain intensifies.
Scrotum, testicles
Basically, the first symptoms occur in the testicles. The intensity of painful spasms depends on the severity of prostatitis. If there are ulcers, the pain is acute. Also join fever, chills, problems with urination.
Small of the back
This is one of the most typical points of pain in inflammation of the prostate gland. In the lower back, depending on the degree of the disease, the pain can be either almost imperceptible and aching, or strong and sharp. “Shooting” pain is easily confused with sciatica. However, the lower back can really hurt from problems with the spine, hernias and osteochondrosis, so the urologist can additionally send for examination to the surgeon.
Crotch
The pain can cover several points nearby, and it becomes difficult to establish where exactly it hurts. Unpleasant sensations extend to the groin area, can affect the pubis, joints, sacrum. Pain in the perineum is usually quite strong.
anus
The rectum fits snugly against the prostate gland, so there are strong shooting pains in the anus with prostatitis. They increase during bowel movements, constipation or flatulence, difficulty with emptying may occur. These symptoms indicate both chronic and acute prostatitis, although they can also be caused by hemorrhoids or intestinal diseases.
Stomach
Most often, the lower abdomen hurts, especially after ejaculation. Part of the seminal fluid is released from the gland, so it decreases in size and inflammatory processes cause pain.
Abdominal pain is one of the most insidious – there are many organs in the abdominal cavity, and all of them can cause the same pain as with prostatitis. During the examination, the doctor excludes bowel disease, appendicitis, constipation and other possible problems.
Side
The side with inflammation of the prostate rarely hurts, but this is also possible. The doctor necessarily excludes other possible causes – diseases of the intestines and liver, an atypical heart attack, and even pneumonia.
Coccyx
If the inflammation has affected the coccygeal nerves, pain may also occur in this area. This manifestation of prostatitis is easily confused with damage to the coccyx, hemorrhoids, pinched nerves.
Legs
Occasionally it happens that even the inner or back of the thigh hurts. In this case, the pain usually radiates to the anus or testicles. Usually occurs with chronic prostatitis, and can last for months.
Popular questions and answers
At the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to consult a urologist and undergo an examination. It is important to give your doctor as much information as possible about the nature of your pain in order to rule out other illnesses. Similar pains can also be caused by hemorrhoids, tumors, kidney stones, spinal hernia.
Answered popular questions from patients about prostatitis pain urologist-andrologist Sergey Trubin.