Prostatitis — What to Watch For and What to Do

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate. It can show up suddenly with severe symptoms, or stick around as a long-term problem that wears you down. Knowing the signs and quick actions can save you time, pain, and unnecessary tests.

Common symptoms

Symptoms differ by type, but the ones people report most are:

• Pelvic or lower back pain that feels deep or aching.
• Burning when peeing, frequent urination, or feeling the need to go right away.
• Pain during or after ejaculation.
• Fever, chills, or general flu-like symptoms with acute bacterial prostatitis.
• Feeling of incomplete bladder emptying or weak urine stream.

If you have fever and severe pain, treat it as urgent and contact a doctor right away.

What causes prostatitis?

There are a few common causes. Bacterial infections can move up from the urinary tract and trigger acute or chronic bacterial prostatitis. But many cases are nonbacterial — often called chronic pelvic pain syndrome — where infection isn’t found. Muscle tension in the pelvic floor, past infections, or bladder problems can also play a role.

Age matters. Younger men more often get bacterial prostatitis. Older men may have chronic inflammation or other prostate issues that mimic prostatitis symptoms.

How doctors figure it out: they’ll ask detailed questions, do a physical exam including a prostate check, and test your urine. A urine culture helps spot bacteria. Sometimes imaging or referral to a urologist is needed when symptoms are unclear or don’t improve.

Treatment depends on the type. For bacterial prostatitis, doctors usually prescribe antibiotics and may add pain control or anti-inflammatories. For chronic nonbacterial cases, treatment focuses on symptom relief: pelvic floor physical therapy, alpha-blockers to help urination, pain meds, and lifestyle changes. Recovery can be quick for acute cases, but chronic prostatitis may need a few weeks to months of care.

Simple self-care steps that help right away: sitz baths (warm, short soaks), drinking plenty of water, avoiding spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine while symptoms are active, and using a cushion or soft seat to reduce pressure on the prostate. Light exercise and relieving constipation also ease symptoms.

When to see a doctor: high fever, blood in urine, severe urinary retention, or sudden worsening of symptoms. If pain or urinary issues last more than a few weeks, get evaluated — earlier follow-up usually makes treatment easier and faster.

Want more reading? Check related articles on UTI prevention and antibiotic options on our site, and always talk to your healthcare provider before starting or changing treatment. If you need help finding medications or learning more about safe options, ADW Diabetes Pharmaceutical Centre has resources and support to guide you.