Effective Treatments for Prostate Inflammation

Effective Treatments for Prostate Inflammation

Prostate inflammation, or prostatitis, may be caused by several different factors. Choosing an effective treatment depends upon an accurate diagnosis of the type and cause. Short-term and long-term infections are usually treated with antibiotics. A type of prostate inflammation called chronic pelvic pain is sometimes treated with antibiotics, but often requires other medicines or treatments.

Acute Bacterial Prostatitis

Bacteria from the urethra or rectum may enter the body through the penis and settle in the prostate gland. A new onset infection is treated with antibiotics directed at the invading organisms. E. coli is the most common germ isolated from the infected prostate gland. A typical, healthy male may be treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or ciprofoxacin for two weeks. Sometimes, an antibiotic course of up to six weeks may be advised. In men younger than age 35, the incidence of certain sexually transmitted infections is increased, and treatment recommendations differ. A regimen of an injection of ceftriaxone combined with 10 days of oral doxycycline is often effective in this circumstance. Intravenous ampicillin plus gentamicin is often the first-line treatment for those patients whose illness is severe enough to require hospitalization, as noted in "American Family Physician."

Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis

Persistent prostate infections lasting more than three months are termed chronic, and require a different treatment strategy. In some cases, the antibiotic does not enter the prostate gland well, and longer courses of medication are necessary. The causative organisms tend to be the same as in acute infections, but the strains are often more stubborn.



The quinolone drugs ciprofoxacin and levofloxacin are generally a first-line of treatment and continued for at least four weeks, but sometimes as long as 12 weeks, according to "The Sanford Guide to Antimmicrobial Therapy." Second-line antibiotics such as doxycycline, azithromycin or clarithromycin may also be chosen. Some men are treated with a lower dose of antibiotic for a period of 6 to 12 months, or longer, as suppressive therapy.

Chronic Pelvic Pain

This syndrome, also termed chronic noninfectious prostatitis, is not well understood and may be caused by multiple factors. This makes choosing an effective treatment challenging. Sometimes it is related to infection and an antimicrobial regimen discussed above may be useful. Other prostate medications such as tamsulosin, afluzosin, doxazosin or terazosin may prove beneficial. These drugs are in the class called alpha blockers and help to relax muscles in the area of the prostate. Two prostatic anti-inflammatory prescriptions, pentosan and finasteride, may prove useful in some cases. Nonpharmacologic treatments like biofeedback or physical therapy could lead to improvement in recalcitrant cases.

source : livestrong.com