Chronic prostatitis is the swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland that develops slowly and persists for a long time. A long-term bacterial infection is the main cause of chronic prostatitis, notes MedlinePlus, and symptoms include decreased urinary stream, urinary hesitancy, frequent and painful urination, incontinence, low-grade fever and pelvic pain. Treatment involves a combination of drugs, surgery and lifestyle changes. However, new research is casting doubts on the efficacy of some traditional treatment methods.
Alpha-Blockers
Alpha-blockers, or alpha-adrenergic antagonists, work by preventing the hormone noradrenaline from tightening certain muscles in the body. Until recently, the medical community believed that alpha-blockers help relax the muscles of the urinary tract and improve urine flow in older men with chronic prostatitis. However, two studies, one published in the October 2004 edition of the "Annals of Internal Medicine" and another published in the December 2008 edition of the "New England Journal of Medicine," showed no significant improvements in men who used alpha-blockers when compared to those who did not use them. As a result, the role of alpha-blocker drugs such as aflozocin and tamsulosin may not be as significant as it was once thought to be.
Quinolones
Quninolones such as ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin are antibiotics that act by preventing the replication of the bacterial DNA, thereby preventing the multiplication of the bacteria. Ciprofloxacin is a broad spectrum antibiotic that is effective against a variety of bacteria, and was used to treat the underlying infection associated with chronic prostatitis. However, the October 2004 study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" also looked into the impact of a 6-week therapy regimen with quinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin to treat chronic prostatitis, and found that no significant difference in outcome was seen in men on ciprofloxacin regimen versus men with no ciprofloxacin.
Pregabalin
Pelvic pain and discomfort are often associated with chronic prostatitis, and are believed to be a nueropathic condition that occurs due to the damage to the nerves in the region. Pregabalin, which acts by decreasing the number of pain signals that are sent out by the damaged nerves, used to be prescribed to provide relief from the pain. However, a study published in the September 2010 edition of the "Archives of Internal Medicine" found that there is no significant improvement in patients with 6 weeks of pregabalin therapy in comparison to those who did not receive the drug.
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