Is it prostatitis, an STD or both?

by Lynn Beltran in Q Health | 0 comments

I am going to start this article with prostatitis 101, with the caveat that I am really branching out from STDs and into urology (the study of the male urinary tract) when I do. Although the former is really more of my area, I often have prostate-related conditions as well as STDs. This leads to much difficulty in trying to understand the relationship between the two issues, and in recognizing appropriate prevention strategies for maintaining good prostate and sexual health.

The prostate is a very small gland that sits below the bladder and rectum. It is essentially responsible for helping to produce semen and is critical in transporting urine and semen to the penis. It is recommended that all men get a digital prostate exam once a year to check for abnormalities such as swelling, irritation and lumps. Prostatitis, as the name implies, means there is some sort of inflammation of the prostate that is leading to disease. While prostatitis may be an acute or chronic issue, this diagnosis is often quite complex.

Depending on who you talk to or what you read, you may find differing opinions about the details of prostatitis. However, there is some general agreement that identifies three or four possible sources of disease: bacterial infection, an immune system disorder, a nervous system disorder or a traumatic injury. Additionally, some of the general symptoms include things like pain or discomfort when urinating, needing to urinate more frequently, having difficulty urinating, pain in the stomach, penis or groin area and painful ejaculations. Long-term consequences of prostatitis may include erectile dysfunction.

If you have been paying attention to my articles over the past two years, you may have noticed that these symptoms are very similar to those that appear when diagnosing an STD. So you can probably see how many patients struggle to understand whether they need to get checked for an STD or see a urologist. The answer may be to do both.

My first message to all men is to protect your prostate! Do the things that you can do. First, avoid traumatic injury to your parts. Since prostatitis is a common condition among HIV-positive individuals, stay on top of your prostate health if you are HIV positive. And if you are not HIV positive, protect yourself from HIV by using condoms during rectal sex. Condoms provide very effective protection from HIV, which is a known risk factor for prostatitis.

Condoms will also protect you from developing a urethral bacterial infection. Bacterial infections that start here can lead to prostatitis when the bacteria leaks from the urethra into the prostate. Quite frankly, chronic or persistent urethral infection can then lead to chronic prostatitis. How and when this occurs is where things get a little murky, but what I can say is that many men who have tested positive multiple times for an STD tell me they have been diagnosed with prostatitis. The research also shows there is a link between the two. Using a condom during rectal sex is something that you can do, and it will not only protect you from acquiring an STD, it will also protect your prostate.

Most of all, get your annual prostate exam. If you are experiencing any of the problems listed above, understand that resolving them may not be as simple as diagnosing an STD and popping a pill. Even if the root cause of your prostatitis is a bacterial infection, an infection becomes much more difficult to treat once the prostate is involved. If you are diagnosed and treated for an STD, yet symptoms persist, it is likely time to consult a urologist.