Urinating is supposed to be no big deal – just unzip, aim and shoot. But sometimes things don’t go exactly that way, such as when a guy finds that urinating is accompanied by penis pain – a burning sensation, perhaps. And sometimes there’s penis pain even when not urinating, making a guy feel even more nervous about the state of his penis health. Many things can be responsible for penis pain – including prostatitis.
About prostatitis
As most men may deduce from its name, prostatitis is a medical condition involving the prostate gland. The prostate is a small gland, about the size of a walnut, which is located directly below the bladder and in front of the anus. Only men carry a prostate gland, for the perfectly sensible reason that it plays a significant role in creating semen, which in turn protects and energizes sperm on their journey.
Simply put, prostatitis means that the prostate has become swollen and inflamed. And that can cause a few problems.
Symptoms
Symptoms commonly associated with prostatitis include, as mentioned above:
1) Pain in the penis, either when urinating or when at rest – or both;
2) Difficulty urinating, such as “dribbling” or may experience difficulty getting things going;
3) The need to urinate more often than usual greater urgency;
4) Cloudy or pinkish urine (indicating the presence of blood);
5) Blood in the semen and/or painful ejaculation.
In addition to these symptoms, a man may experience pain near the penis – in the perineum (the area between the balls and the anus), in the balls themselves, or in the stomach or pelvis. Occasionally, there may be some general aches and pains that can resemble flu symptoms. Sometimes men with prostatitis may experience erectile issues.
Causes
So, prostatitis is a real pain – but what brings it about? Much is still being learned about it, but one of the most common causes of prostatitis is a bacterial infection. Sometimes that bacteria is chlamydia, a serious sexually-transmitted infection (STI). But more often it is bacteria which is not sexually transmitted. For example, bacteria in urine may leak into the prostate, causing the infection. This may happen for several reasons, one of them being not completely eliminating urine from the body when urinating.
Sometimes trauma to the lower urinary tract might cause nerve damage that creates a non-bacterial form of prostatitis.
Treatment
When the cause of prostatitis is bacterial, doctors typically prescribe antibiotics to treat it. Most often this takes the form of a 4-to-6 week course of oral antibiotics. Severe or persistent cases may require an IV form of antibiotics. Alpha blockers and non-steroidal inflammatory drugs may also be used to help deal with pain symptoms. Sometimes lifestyle changes – such as eliminating certain foods or drinks, utilizing warm water baths, etc. – may also be recommended.
The penis pain associated with prostatitis may require that the penis be given soothing treatments to help ease the soreness. Regular use of a first rate penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) may help. For example, often making sure the penis is well-moisturized can prove soothing, in which case a crème that includes both a high-end emollient (such as shea butter) and a natural hydrator (such as vitamin E) is urged. In addition, a crème with L-arginine can help to allow penile blood vessels to more easily expand, thereby providing nutrients and oxygen to nourish and strengthen penile cells.
