Patient's question:
Recently, a friend has been saying that he seems to have prostatitis, always complaining about weak urination and incomplete emptying of the bladder. So, what are the signs of the prostate, and what exactly is prostatitis?Doctor's answer:
What are the symptoms of prostatitis?1. Weak urine flow: This is a relatively obvious symptom of prostatitis, caused by the bladder's detrusor muscle losing compensatory ability when the prostate is affected. During urination, urine cannot be expelled immediately and requires waiting for a period of time before gradually applying force to empty the bladder. It may also manifest as prolonged urination time, reduced, and thinning of the urine stream.
2. Urinary incontinence: When the sphincter loses control, urine leaks uncontrollably at any time, a condition known as urinary incontinence. Unlike other types of incontinence, patients with this condition still have a significant amount of residual urine in the bladder while experiencing incontinence.
3. Urinary tract irritation symptoms: This is caused by inflammation in the bladder trigone area or cystitis accompanying prostatitis. It is characterized by a burning or stinging sensation in the urethra, along with symptoms of frequent urination and urgency. Severe contractions of the bladder neck during the end of urination can cause pain.
4. Unclear dripping during urination: This is due to pressure on the bladder neck and the urethra of the prostate, leading to increased urinary resistance. During urination or at the end of urination, urine cannot flow in a continuous stream but instead drips. Even with forceful holding of breath and increased abdominal pressure, the urine stream may not form a line.
5. Perineal pain: Discomfort, heaviness, or a sense of fullness in the perineal area may also be accompanied by sharp or severe pain. The pain can radiate to the lower back, penis, suprapubic area, and inner thighs. Pain may worsen during bowel movements or cause rectal pain, primarily due to the stimulation of pelvic nerves by prostatitis.
6. White discharge from the urethral meatus: This is more common in inflammatory diseases of the prostate. A small amount of white secretions may leak from the urethral meatus. Sometimes, the urethral meatus is found to be stuck with white secretions in the morning. At other times, white secretions may drip from the urethral meatus before or after urination, or during straining during bowel movements. It is worth noting that chronic prostatitis can lead to sexual dysfunction such as premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. When the seminal vesicles are severely infected, a reduction in sperm count may result in infertility.