Prostatitis (prostate inflammation) causes painful urination, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) increase the risk of developing the condition. Prostatitis can be referred to as an infection of the prostate, but inflammation often occurs without a known infection. Roughly five to ten percent of prostatitis cases are caused by a bacterial infection, but luckily, it does not lead to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Although an enlarged prostate commonly affects older men, men of all ages are prone to prostatitis, with 25 percent of hospital visits being accounted for by younger and middle-aged men.
There are three main types of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis. Acute bacterial prostatitis is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation that is typically uncommon but comes with severe symptoms. Chronic bacterial prostatitis occurs from recurrent urinary tract infections that enter the prostate gland. Symptoms may be similar to acute bacterial prostatitis but less severe and fluctuating. Lastly, chronic nonbacterial prostatitis is the most common form of prostatitis that presents urinary and pelvic pain for at least three to six months….