Why does the prostate become inflamed? Causes and Symptoms

• The prostate can suffer from different disorders, the most common of which are enlargement, infection or tumours.
• The three main disorders that can inflame the prostate are: Prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.
• Prostatitis is not directly related to the possibility of suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or Prostate Cancer.

First of all, it is important to differentiate between prostate inflammation and prostate enlargement. Typically, many patients and even some doctors use the term prostate inflammation to make it easier for patients to understand why the prostate has become enlarged and causes problems related to urination.

Here are the different causes of an enlarged prostate:

• Infectious inflamed prostate or prostatitis: this is the most common type of prostate inflammation in men under the age of fifty. Usually caused by bacterial infections inside the prostate.
• Enlargement of the prostate due to benign hyperplasia: this is common in men over the age of fifty. This enlargement is mainly caused by an alteration of the man's sex hormones.
• Prostate cancer: this is one of the most common types of cancer in older men, although this disease is much less common than prostate enlargement.

Well, now that we know how to differentiate between the pathologies that can increase the size of the prostate, we invite you to continue reading about other aspects you should bear in mind about these conditions, their causes and symptoms.

The causes of inflammation of the prostate gland will depend mainly on the type of inflammation we are referring to.

In the case of prostatitis, this inflammation can be caused by bacteria, which we would call bacterial prostatitis, or, on the other hand, non-bacterial prostatitis, which, as its name suggests, is not due to bacteria. The causes can be classified as follows:

• Obstruction: caused by a narrowing of the urethra and the neck or wall of the bladder.
• Intraductal flow abnormality: caused by part of the urine leaking into the prostate gland.
• Autoimmunity: caused by an immune system reaction triggered by the bacteria themselves or the urine.
• Venous bypass: caused by impaired venous return, e.g. from haemorrhoids or varicocele.
• Infection: caused by germs entering the prostate through the urethra. It may also occur via the bloodstream.

In men over 35 years of age, E. Coli and other common bacteria are often the main cause of prostatitis.

As for benign prostatic hyperplasia, the cause of prostate enlargement is due to alterations in male hormones, which cause hyperactivity in prostate growth and thus lead to prostate enlargement or inflammation.

Depending on the duration of the inflammation, the symptoms of an inflamed prostate due to infection such as prostatitis may include:

Urinary disturbances

• Dysuria: difficulty urinating.
• Increased frequency and urgency of urination.
• Painful urination and acute retention of urine.

Sexual symptoms

• Total or partial loss of erection.
• Premature or painful ejaculation.
• Hemospermia: detection of blood in the semen.
• Infertility.
• Decreased sexual desire.

Most frequently, together with voiding disorders, there is the presence of perineal pain that may radiate towards the pubis, lumbosacral region, scrotum, penis and inner thighs.

Symptoms of acute prostate infection

• Fever
• Dysuria
• Perianal pain
• General malaise.
• Acute retention of urine

As for the symptoms of an inflamed prostate due to benign prostatic hyperplasia, the signs are usually related to urination. Among them we can find:

• Intermittent urination.
• Frequent and urgent need to urinate.
• Difficulty in starting to urinate and emptying the bladder completely.
• Decreased force of the urine stream.
• Presence of small amounts of blood in the urine.

Men aged 50 years and older who have an enlarged prostate, BPH, are at increased risk of prostatitis.

Despite the fact that the symptoms of prostatitis are solvable with appropriate pharmacological treatment and the problems caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia are eliminated with various surgical procedures. There are possible complications of the inflammation, especially if measures are not taken to resolve it in time. 

Complications usually include:

• Abscesses: this is an accumulation of pus in the infected area, increasing inflammation.
• Inability to urinate. A blockage of the base of the bladder occurs, preventing the flow of urine into the urethra.
• Sepsis: spread of bacteria from the prostate into the bloodstream.
• Chronic pain and discomfort.
• Erectile dysfunction
• Bladder stones or diverticula.
• Urinary tract infections
• Haematuria: blood in the urine.
• Renal failure.

If you have a diagnosed case of prostate inflammation due to benign prostatic hyperplasia and you want to know the specialist's surgical assessment, Operarme offers you a first consultation free of charge.

We also put at your disposal our private consultations with renowned specialists in urology, so that they can assess your case, and then you can decide the best solution to put an end to the problem. 

You can request an appointment with one of our urologists by clicking on the image below or by calling at +34 91 141 33 56 so that our Patient Service team can explain the steps to follow.

• GIMÉNEZ SERRANO, S. (2003, enero). Patologías de la próstata - Revisión. Recuperado de https://www.elsevier.es/es-revista-farmacia-profesional-3-pdf-13042399
• LEÓN TORRES, K. (2017, enero). PROSTATITIS. Recuperado de https://www.medigraphic.com/pdfs/sinergia/rms-2017/rms171e.pdf
• TAGUCHI, Y. (2003). LA PRÓSTATA: Todo lo que necesita saber sobre la glándula masculina [Libro]. Recuperado de https://bit.ly/2Ufr7ZU