Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis causes and symptoms
Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis is exactly as its name describes. There
are no symptoms. The cause of asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis is not
clearly understood.
How is prostatitis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of prostatitis relies on a careful history and physical
examination by the health care practitioner.
The most important laboratory test is a urinalysis to
help differentiate the types of prostatitis. The need for other blood tests or
imaging studies like ultrasound,
X-ray, and
computerized tomography (CT) will depend upon the
clinical situation and presentation.
Acute bacterial prostatitis diagnosis
After taking a history, the health care practitioner will likely have a directed
physical examination concentrating on the scrotum, looking for inflammation of
the testicle(s) or epididymis, and the flank and mid-back, where the kidney is
located. If a rectal examination is performed, the prostate may be swollen and
boggy, consistent with acute inflammation.
Laboratory testing may include urinalysis, looking for
white blood cells and
bacteria, signifying infection. The urine may also be cultured to identify the
bacteria that are responsible for the infection, but results will take up to
seven days to return. The results will help confirm that the antibiotic chosen
is correct and may help choose an alternate antibiotic should the illness
progress.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis diagnosis
The diagnosis is made by finding an abnormal urinalysis. Sometimes, a
urinalysis is collected after prostate examination. This may allow some
prostatic fluid to be expressed into the urine and cultured.
A blood test called PSA (prostate surface antigen) may
be elevated in this type of prostatitis. While PSA is used as a prostate cancer
screening tool, it
can also be elevated whenever the prostate is inflamed.
Chronic prostatitis without infection diagnosis
To make the diagnosis of chronic prostatitis without infection, symptoms
should be present for at least three months. The cause of chronic prostatitis
without infection (chronic pelvic pain
syndrome) is not known.
This is a frustrating condition for the patient and the health care
practitioner
since there is controversy as to the aggressiveness of testing, and
exactly what tests should be done. Often, this is a diagnosis of exclusion,
meaning that blood tests, urine tests, x-rays and ultrasounds tend to be normal,
yet the patient continues to suffer.
Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis diagnosis
There are no symptoms with this type of prostatitis, however, when routine
lab tests are performed, white blood cells (a sign of inflammation) are found in
the urine, but there are no associated bacteria or infection.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the kidney, ureter, bladder, and/or urethra. Not
everyone with a UTI has symptoms. Common symptoms include a frequent urge to
urinate and a painful, burning when urinating.
Kidney infection (pyelonephritis) usually is caused from bacteria that have spread from the bladder from a UTI (urinary tract infection), poor hygiene, sexual intercourse, pregnancy, catheter, cystoscope exam, surgery, kidney stones, or prostate enlargement. Symptoms of kidney infection include: back pain, frequent urination, pain during urination, fever, and or pus or blood in the urine. Kidney infection is usually treated with antibiotics.
E. coli is the most common cause of bladder infections. Bladder infection symptoms and signs include frequent urination, burning urination, and foul smelling urine. Mild bladder infections may go away by increasing one's intake of fluid. More severe infections may be treated with a few days of antibiotics.
Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, is a common
problem among men characterized by the consistent inability to sustain an
erection sufficient for sexual intercourse or the inability to achieve
ejaculation, or both. Impotence can have emotional causes but most often it is
due to a physical problem.
Blood in semen is also known as hematospermia. Blood in semen can be caused by many conditions affecting the tubes that distribute semen from the testicles (seminal vesicles) or the prostate gland. Symptoms that may accompany blood in semen include blood in the urine, fever, painful urination, pain with ejaculation, tenderness, and swelling in the testes or groin area. Urinalysis, ultrasound, and MRI may be used to diagnose blood in the semen. Treatment depends upon the underlying cause of blood in the semen.
Prostate cancer is an uncontrolled (malignant) growth of cells in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the second
leading cause of death of males in the U.S. Prostate cancer is often initially
suspected because of an abnormal PSA blood test or a hard nodule (lump) felt on
the prostate gland during a routine rectal examination.
Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are infections that are transmitted during any
type of sexual exposure, including intercourse (vaginal or anal), oral sex, and
the sharing of sexual devices, such as vibrators. Although treatment exists for many STDs, others currently are
usually incurable, such as those caused by HIV, HPV, hepatitis B and C, and HHV-8.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH or enlarged prostate) is very common in men over 50 years of age. This noncancerous enlargement of the prostate can impede urine flow, slow the flow of urine, create the urge to urinate frequently and cause other symptoms like complete blockage of urine and urinary tract infections. Treatment may involve watchful waiting, medication, or surgery.
Reactive arthritis is a chronic, systemic rheumatic disease characterized by three conditions, including conjunctivitis, joint inflammation, and genital, urinary or gastrointestinal system inflammation. Inflammation leads to pain, swelling, warmth, redness, and stiffness of the affected joints. Non-joint areas may experience irritation and pain. Treatment for reactive arthritis depends on which area of the body is affected. Joint inflammation is treated with antiinflammatory medications.
Enjoying a satisfying sex life as we age is important to both physical and mental health. As we age, diseases and conditions may pose challenges in our sexual health, and sexual experiences. Learn how to manage your conditions and still have a gratifying sex life as you age.
A urethral stricture, or narrowing of the urethra, may cause decreased urine output. Symptoms include painful urination, urinary retention, and pelvic pain. Surgery is the only treatment for people with uncontrolled symptoms of urethral narrowing.
Sexual health information including birth control, impotence, herpes, sexually transmitted diseases, staying healthy, women's sexual health concerns, and men's sexual health concerns. Learn about the most common sexual conditions affecting men and women.
Men's health is an important component to a happy lifestyle and healthy relationships. Eating healthy, exercise, managing stress, and knowing when to have medical tests for a particular age is key to disease prevention in men.
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