The prostate gland is an important part of a male's reproductive system. It is responsible for secreting fluids that aid in transporting sperm. The prostate gland is located in front of the rectum, below the bladder and surrounding the urethra. When different kinds of infections irritate the prostate gland, it could cause inflammation and swelling. Prostate infection, also known as prostatitis, usually occurs in men within 30 to 50 years old.

Prostate infection is the most common prostate-related problem in men younger than 55 years old. One out of three men is estimated to experience prostate infection at some time in their lives.

Causes and Symptoms of Prostate Infection

Infections of the prostate gland are classified into four types - acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic a bacterial prostatitis and pain in the prostate known as "prosttodynia". The causes and symptoms of prostate infection vary depending on the classification of swelling or inflammation. Some patients experience no symptoms, while others suffer from severe symptoms. Acute bacterial prostatitis is the least common of all classes of prostate infection. Bacteria found in the large intestines or urinary tract cause acute bacterial prostatitis. Usually, the swelling originates in the prostate gland, but can also spread to the bladder. Patients may experience fever, chills, body aches, painful or difficult of urination, back pains and frequent urination. Fortunately, doctors can easily detect this condition and treat it using antibiotics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve swelling.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is another type of prostate infection. It is a prostate condition associated with a particular defect in the gland and persistence of bacteria in a man's urinary tract. It is caused by trauma to the urinary tract or various infections from other parts of the body that have spread to the prostate. A patient may experience testicular pain, lower back pains, difficulty to urinate and frequent urination. Although this is an uncommon type of prostate infection, it can be treated by proper removal of the prostate defect and antibiotics and NSAIDs to treat inflammation.

Although the two classes of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis occur approximately 90% of all prostatitis cases, researchers have not yet found a possible link to the causes of these conditions. However, researchers believe that chronic nonbacterial prostatitis occur because of infectious agents that are not seen in lab tests. Experts believe that intense exercise, heavy lifting and operating heavy machinery may cause these nonbacterial prostate infections. If you feel any of the symptoms listed above, seek medication attention immediately. Be aware that these infections could lead to a more serious problem, such as prostate cancer. For this reason, it is necessary to treat these infections and prostate defects as early as possible.