Patient education: Bacterial prostatitis (The Basics)

What is prostatitis? — 

This is an inflammation of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is part of the male anatomy. It makes some of the semen, the fluid that is released during sex. The prostate gland forms a ring around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the end of the penis (figure 1).

What is bacterial prostatitis? — 

Prostatitis is sometimes related to a bacterial infection. When this happens, it is called bacterial prostatitis. There are 2 types:

●Acute bacterial prostatitis – This is when symptoms start suddenly.

●Chronic bacterial prostatitis – This is when symptoms last longer than 3 months, or come and go over time.

What are the symptoms of bacterial prostatitis? — 

Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis can cause slightly different symptoms.

Symptoms of acute prostatitis can include:

●Fever

●Chills

●Flu-like symptoms, like feeling very tired

●Muscle pain

●Pain when urinating

●Pain in or near the groin or genitals

●Cloudy urine

Chronic prostatitis sometimes causes no symptoms. When it does, symptoms can include:

●Pain when urinating

●Needing to urinate much more often than normal

●Needing to urinate suddenly

●Pain in or near the groin or genitals

●Low-grade fever

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — 

See your doctor or nurse if you have:

●A lot of pain in your groin or genitals

●Trouble urinating

●Fever or chills

Will I need tests? — 

Yes. Your doctor or nurse will test your urine for bacteria. Your doctor might also do a rectal exam, which involves putting a finger in your anus to feel your prostate.

If you have had symptoms of prostatitis for a long time, your doctor might recommend seeing a "urologist." This is a doctor who specializes in urinary problems. They can do more tests to figure out why you might be getting repeat infections.

How is bacterial prostatitis treated? — 

It is treated with antibiotics. The right antibiotics for you depend on the type of bacteria that are causing the infection. Most people with bacterial prostatitis take antibiotic pills for several weeks. Some people with acute bacterial prostatitis are first treated in the hospital with antibiotics given through an IV (a thin tube that goes into a vein).

If your symptoms come back after treatment, you might need another course of antibiotics.

If antibiotics do not improve your symptoms, you might have chronic prostatitis that is not caused by a bacterial infection. In this case, your doctor might do more tests, or give you other medicines.

If you have problems urinating, you might also get medicines to help make it easier to urinate.

More on this topic

Patient education: Chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (The Basics)
Patient education: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) (The Basics)

Patient education: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (Beyond the Basics)