Prostatitis

What is prostatitis?

Prostatitis means swelling in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small gland that sits just below the bladder in men. When this gland becomes swollen, it can cause pain and problems with passing urine.

This condition can be serious and may need urgent medical help, so it's important to know what to look out for.

What are the symptoms?

Prostatitis can cause several different symptoms:

Problems with passing urine:

• Pain when you pee that feels like stinging or burning
• Finding it hard to pee or having to strain
• Needing to pee more often than usual

Pain in different areas:

• Pain in your penis, scrotum, testicles or bottom
• Pain when you ejaculate (have an orgasm)

General symptoms:

• High temperature (fever)
• Feeling unwell

Don't feel embarrassed about these symptoms. Your GP deals with these problems regularly and will be comfortable discussing them with you.

When to see your GP

See your GP if you have any symptoms of prostatitis. Early treatment is important and can help prevent the condition from getting worse.

When to get urgent help

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if:

• You can't pee at all
• You've been taking antibiotics for prostatitis for 48 hours but your symptoms haven't improved or have got worse

When to call 999 or go to A&E immediately

These are emergency symptoms that could mean you have a serious infection:

• You suddenly feel confused, have slurred speech, or aren't making sense
• Your skin, lips or tongue look blue, grey, pale or blotchy
• You have a rash that doesn't fade when you roll a glass over it
• You have severe difficulty breathing - you can't get your words out, you're choking or gasping

These symptoms might mean you have sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition that needs immediate treatment.

How is prostatitis treated?

Most cases of prostatitis are treated with antibiotics. You'll usually start feeling better within 2 weeks, but it may take several weeks for all symptoms to disappear completely.

If you've had symptoms for 3 months or longer (called chronic prostatitis), your GP might refer you to a specialist called a urologist. Treatment might include different types of medicines, talking therapy, physiotherapy, or alternative treatments like acupuncture.

What you can do to help yourself

If you've been diagnosed with prostatitis:

• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid getting dehydrated
• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with pain
• Finish your full course of antibiotics even if you feel better - this is very important

What causes prostatitis?

Prostatitis is usually caused by an infection, often a urinary tract infection (UTI). For long-term prostatitis, doctors aren't always sure of the exact cause, but it's thought to be related to infection or ongoing inflammation.

Remember, if you're worried about any symptoms, speak to your GP. They can properly assess your situation and provide the right treatment for you.

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Based on NHS.uk guidance. Written by Dr Krishnan Pasupathi, NHS GP.