Prostate inflammation, medically known as prostatitis, is one of the most common urinary tract issues for men today. Prostatitis refers to prostate inflammation and swelling. It’s a common problem for men 50 and younger, although it can appear at any age. American men schedule about 2 million urology care appointments every year because of prostatitis symptoms, including:
- Pain or burning while urinating
- Increased urinary frequency, especially during the night
- Blood in urine (hematuria)
- Cloudy urine
- Pain when you ejaculate
- Pain in the space between your scrotum and rectum
- Testicular/scrotal pain
- Flu Like symptoms
Symptoms can be sporadic or constant. You can also have prostatitis with no symptoms at all. Asymptomatic prostatitis is often discovered during diagnosis of another condition, for example, during a prostate exam.
Diagnosis: A urology specialist performs a physical exam and conducts a medical history while considering your symptoms. They may order urine and blood tests to find underlying infections. You may need prostate massage so your urologist can collect prostate fluid for testing. Imaging tests, like a computed tomography (CT) scan or prostate ultrasound, might also be needed. Although it’s not always possible to diagnose the underlying cause of prostatitis, ruling out problems like bacterial infection and nerve damage can help your urologist tailor your treatment effectively.
