Prostatitis
Medical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FAAEM
Medical Editors: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
What is the prostate gland?
The prostate is a small organ located at the base of the bladder and wrapped
around the urethra, the tube that empties the bladder through the penis. It sits
in front of the rectum, and the back
portion of the organ can be felt during rectal examination by a health care
practitioner.
The prostate's purpose is to help with the male reproductive system. It makes up
to 70% of the fluid that is ejaculated during intercourse, mixing its
secretions with the sperm that are made in the testicles. The prostate also
contracts at the time of ejaculation to prevent retrograde (or backward) flow of
semen into the bladder.
Because of its location, the symptoms of any prostate problem tend to be
associated with the bladder and can include urgency to urinate, frequency of
urination, burning with urination (dysuria), poor urine flow, or inability to
begin a urine stream.
What is prostatitis?
Prostatitis is the general term used to describe prostate inflammation
(-itis). Because the term is so general, it does not adequately describe the
range of abnormalities that can be associated with prostate inflammation.
Therefore, four types of prostatitis are recognized.
What are the types and symptoms of prostatitis?
There are four types of prostatitis:
- acute bacterial prostatitis
- chronic bacterial prostatitis
- chronic prostatitis without infection
- asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis
Next: Acute bacterial prostatitis causes and symptoms »
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