Prostatitis (cont.)
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
In this Article
- What is the prostate gland?
- What is prostatitis?
- What are the types and symptoms of prostatitis?
- Acute bacterial prostatitis causes and symptoms
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis causes and symptoms
- Chronic prostatitis without infection causes and symptoms
- Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis causes and symptoms
- How is prostatitis diagnosed?
- What is the treatment for prostatitis?
- What is the prognosis for prostatitis?
- Find a local Urologist in your town
What is the treatment for prostatitis?
Acute bacterial prostatitis treatment
Treatment for acute bacterial prostatitis is a prescription for antibiotics by mouth, usually ciprofloxacin (Cipro) or tetracycline (Achromycin). Home care includes drinking plenty of fluids, medications for pain control, and rest.
Learn more about: Cipro
If the patient is acutely ill or has a compromised immune system (for example, is taking chemotherapy or other immune suppression drugs or has HIV/AIDS), hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics and care may be required.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis treatment
Chronic bacterial prostatitis treatment is with long-term antibiotics, up to eight weeks, with ciprofloxacin (Cipro, Cipro XR), sulfa drugs [for example, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, (Bactrim)], or erythromycin. Even with appropriate therapy, this type of prostatitis can recur. It is uncertain as to why, but it may be due to a poorly emptying bladder. A small amount of stagnant urine allows the potential for recurrent infection to occur. This situation can be caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), bladder stones, or prostate stones.
Chronic prostatitis without infection treatment
Chronic prostatitis without infection treatment addresses chronic pain control and may include physical therapy and relaxation techniques as well as tricyclic antidepressant medications.
Other medication possibilities include alpha-adrenergic blockers. Tamsulosin (Flomax) and terazosin (Hytrin) are drugs that block the non-heart adrenaline receptors and are used in treating BPH and bladder outlet obstruction. Allowing better bladder emptying may help minimize symptoms.
Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis treatment
Treatment is not required for this type of prostatitis.
In patients undergoing infertility assessment, this inflammation may be treated with a course of either a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil) or antibiotics.
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