Your doctor has just handed you a diagnosis of prostatitis. Perhaps before now you had never heard of prostatitis. Or maybe you had heard of it, but didn’t know there were several different kinds. In either case, one of the big questions in your mind may be, Now what?
First of all, prostatitis is a benign condition, meaning it is not cancerous, nor does it increase your risk of prostate cancer. The word “prostatitis” means “inflammation of the prostate,” and about half of all men will be diagnosed with the condition at some time during their lives. Prostatitis affects as many as 35 percent of men who are older than 50.
Second, there are four different types of prostatitis, and your treatment for prostatitis depends on the type of prostatitis you have. You should make sure your healthcare provider fully explains your condition.
Third, there are several important things you can do to minimize the impact of prostatitis on your life and significantly reduce and eliminate symptoms. These include lifestyle and treatment choices that can improve your prostate health and quality of life:
Be an informed prostatitis patient
Talk to your doctor(s) and make sure he or she fully explains your current state of prostate health and what to expect in both the short- and long-term. Read and learn as much as you can about the type of prostatitis you have and prostate health. The Internet has made it easy to stay up to date by receiving notifications whenever studies or articles about prostate health and prostatitis are released to the media. Establish a file as new information is released so you can talk to your doctor(s) about it.
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Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Prostatitis [PDF]
Make lifestyle changes
Just because you have prostatitis does not mean you should stop doing things that can help prevent it or to preserve your prostate health generally. With that in mind, here are 24 lifestyle and dietary steps you can take right now to promote prostate health. These steps are based on more than 200 studies over 15 years and are part of the foundations of The Prostate Diet and the 6 Pillars of Prostate Health. They provide maximum protection for you and your prostate.
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Maximize fruit and vegetable servings: Fruits and vegetables contain high levels of antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which can help fight infections and inflammation and contribute to overall health. Poor general health is a risk factor for prostatitis, and fruits and vegetables are an antidote. Read more about maximising fruit and vegetable servings |
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Eat healthy fats: A low-fat diet that includes healthy fats (omega-3s, monounsaturated) promotes prostate health, while a high-fat diet activates a protein complex that promotes inflammation. (Vykhovanets) Read more about healthy fats |
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Choose plant protein over animal protein: Plant protein gives you all the nutrients and health benefits needed for maximum prostate health. Diets rich in plant protein have been shown to reduce rates of prostate disease. Read more about choosing plant over animal protein |
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Consume green tea: Green tea contains substances called catechins that have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Research indicates that these catechins can be helpful in reducing infection and inflammation in prostatitis. (Yoon) Read more about green tea |
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Avoid foods and additives that are harmful to prostate health: Some foods, supplements, additives and nutrients are especially harmful to the prostate, including but not limited to red meat, calcium, chondroitin, and foods high in sugar. Read more about food and additives to avoid for prostate health |
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Take the right supplements: Several natural supplements are especially helpful if you have prostatitis as they can assist in reducing both inflammation and the symptoms associated with this disorder. Supplements that have been proven to be effective in clinical trials include Saw Palmetto, Quercetin, Rye grass pollen, Vitamin D, Zinc, indole-3-carbinol, Beta sistosterol, Pygeum africanum, Stinging Nettle Root and Green tea extract . See also Top Supplements for Prostatitis |
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Hydrate often: Drinking pure water and staying properly hydrated is essential for prostate health, as dehydration and urinary tract infections are risk factors for prostatitis and can worsen symptoms. Read more about hydrating |
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Achieve and maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight is detrimental to overall prostate health and can place the body in a state of inflammation. Read more about maintaining a healthy weight |
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Exercise regularly: Physical activity has a preventive effect on prostatitis and inflammation. Exercise should be a part of your daily routine if you have prostatitis. Read more about exercising regularly |
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Manage stress: Chronic stress can be very detrimental to the body, weakening the immune system, altering your hormonal balance, and overall exacerbating prostatitis symptoms and making you more susceptible to disease. Recent research has shown the beneficial effects of managing stress in patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) Read more about stress management |
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Experiment with natural therapies: Natural prevention and treatment approaches for prostatitis include acupuncture, biofeedback, myofascial trigger point release, homeopathy, and nutritional supplements. |
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Maintain hormone balance: Hormone management and hormone balancing play a major role in prostate health. |
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Practice safe sex: Some sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhea, can cause bacterial prostatitis. Prostatitis may also be caused by the transfer of bacteria between sexual partners and the invasion of that bacteria into the urethra. |
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Maintain a healthy sex life: Sex seems to be healthy for your prostate and for prostatitis. Ejaculating two to three times a week is often recommended, especially if you are taking antibiotics for prostatitis such as Cipro. |
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Practice good hygiene: Keep your penis and surrounding area clean to reduce the risk of infection. |
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Be aware of urinary tract symptoms: See your doctor if you develop any new or worsening symptoms involving your urinary tract or prostate. More on urinary tract infections and prostate health |
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Avoid injury to the perineal area: Activities such as riding a horse or a bicycle may cause injury or restrict blood flow to the perineal area and exacerbate symptoms. Also avoid any blunt trauma to reduce the risk of injury. |
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Avoid exposure to BPA: This toxin has been linked to an increased risk of prostatitis. In addition, it is best to stay away from other environmental chemicals that can increase the risk of developing prostate cancer as well. More on BPA and prostate health |
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Drink cranberry juice: Cranberry juice can help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. These small fruits have antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and other infection-causing organisms. Read more about cranberry juice |
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Don’t hold it: Use the bathroom regularly to avoid irritating your urinary tract or possibly causing a urinary tract infection. When you do use the bathroom, do not strain to empty your bladder, as this can cause irritation as well. |
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Limit or avoid alcohol: Moderate intake of alcohol (1 to 2 drinks daily) may be safe for some men, but if possible, avoid alcohol, as it can make your symptoms worse. |
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Avoid constipation: Include high-fiber foods in your diet every day, and drink plenty of water as well to facilitate movement through the intestinal tract to avoid constipation. Straining to eliminate can trigger prostatitis symptoms if your prostate is inflamed. |
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Avoid spicy foods: These can worsen your prostatitis symptoms. |
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Cut caffeine intake: Coffee, colas, some energy drinks, tea, and chocolate are likely caffeine sources and can irritate your prostate and worsen prostatitis symptoms. |
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Try a sitz bath: This is a treatment approach you can use daily. Sit in just enough warm water to cover your buttocks, and this “heats” up your pelvic area to help relieve prostatitis symptoms. Read more on sitz baths for prostatitis treatment |
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Develop a social support system: Enlisting the assistance and understanding from family, friends, and support groups can be helpful. |
Review Your Treatment Options
Treatment for prostatitis depends on which type you have: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain, or asymptomatic inflammatory prostititis.
Become knowledgeable about your treatment options by (1) reading all you can about both conventional and complementary treatments so you can (2) be an informed patient when you talk with your doctor(s) about those options, which include:
- Antibiotics for acute bacterial prostatitis
- Anti-inflammatory drugs, including steroids and nonsteroids, for nonbacterial prostatitis
- Muscles relaxants and/or tranquilizers for nonbacterial prostatitis
- Supplements for prostatitis
- Sitz baths, which involves exposing the perineum to hot water for 20 minutes, as directed by your physician
- Ice packs or placing a small ice cube in the rectum may relieve pain for hours
- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including herbal and nutritional supplements, acupuncture, biofeedback, myofascial trigger point release, prostate massage and others.
Read more on Treatments for Prostatitis
Manage your medical records
- You should have copies of all your medical records both for your own knowledge and so you can make copies available for other medical professionals as needed.
- Get copies of all test results, including PSA tests, blood tests, and any others
- Keep an up-to-date record of any medications that you take, over-the-counter and prescription, as well as any supplements.
Establish and maintain a support network
A social network of family, friends, colleagues, medical professionals, and support group participants is critical for emotional, mental, and physical health. Go to www.prostate.net Facebook page
More reading
BPH, Prostatitis and Urinary Tract Infections in Men
Top Supplements for Prostatitis
← Diagnosing Prostatitis | Risk Factors and Prevention →
References
Vykhovanets EV et al. High-fat diet increase NF-kB signaling in the prostate of reporter mice. Prostate 2010 July 14
Yoon BI et al. Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects of nanocatechin in a chronic bacterial prostatitis rat model. J Infect Chemother 2010 Aug 7
