Prostatitis


Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. Prostatitis is classified into acute, chronic, asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, and chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
In the United States, prostatitis is diagnosed in 8 percent of all urologist visits and one percent of all primary care physician visits.

Classification

The term prostatitis refers to inflammation of the tissue of the prostate gland. It may occur as an appropriate physiological response to an infection, or it may occur in the absence of infection.
In 1999, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases devised a new classification system. For more specifics about each type of prostatitis, including information on symptoms, treatment, and prognosis, follow the links to the relevant full articles.
CategoryPain?Bacteria?WBCs?NIDDK
DescriptionMeares/Stamey
IyesyesyesAcute prostatitisAcute prostatitis is a bacterial infection of the prostate gland that requires urgent medical treatment.Acute bacterial prostatitis
II±yesyesChronic bacterial prostatitisChronic bacterial prostatitis is a relatively rare condition that usually presents as intermittent urinary tract infections.Chronic bacterial prostatitis
IIIayesnoyesInflammatory CP/CPPSChronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, accounting for 90–95% of prostatitis diagnoses, formerly known as chronic nonbacterial prostatitis.Nonbacterial prostatitis
IIIbyesnonoNoninflammatory CP/CPPSChronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, accounting for 90–95% of prostatitis diagnoses, formerly known as chronic nonbacterial prostatitis.Prostatodynia
IVnonoyesAsymptomatic inflammatory prostatitisAsymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis patients have no history of genitourinary pain complaints, but leukocytosis is noted, usually during evaluation for other conditions. Between 6 and 19% of men have pus cells in their semen but no symptoms.

In 1968, Meares and Stamey determined a classification technique based upon the culturing of bacteria. This classification is no longer used.
The conditions are distinguished by the different presentation of pain, white blood cells in the urine, duration of symptoms and bacteria cultured from the urine. To help express prostatic secretions that may contain WBCs and bacteria, prostate massage is sometimes used.