Prostatitis

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, a walnut-sized organ located below the bladder that surrounds the urethra in males. The condition can be bacterial (acute or chronic) or non-bacterial (chronic pelvic pain syndrome). Acute bacterial prostatitis is caused by bacteria ascending from the urethra or bladder into the prostate gland, triggering an intense inflammatory response with swelling, pain, and systemic infection (fever, chills). The inflamed prostate swells and compresses the urethra, causing urinary symptoms such as dysuria, frequency, urgency, and potentially urinary retention. Chronic bacterial prostatitis involves recurrent or persistent bacterial infection of the prostate. Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (the most common form) involves prostatic pain and urinary symptoms without identifiable bacterial infection.