Inflammatory diseases of the male reproductive system arise due to concomitant disorders of an infectious and inflammatory nature. Pathology is accompanied by soreness, problems may occur in an intimate life. Often, vesiculitis accompanies prostatitis. In the absence of adequate and timely treatment, the situation may be complicated by male infertility.
Vesiculitis: what is this pathology
Seminal vesicles are an organ of the male reproductive system that is located above the prostate. They are located on the posterior surface of the prostate on the sides of it, behind the bladder, in front of the rectum. Bubbles can slightly change their location depending on fullness. The functions of the body are to provide sperm with energy and their protection, as well as the removal of the remains of seminal fluid from the body. The secretion of the vesicles is half or slightly more than half of the semen. A significant substance in secret is fructose, which supports locomotor activity and sperm metabolism. By the level of fructose in the seminal fluid, one can judge the hormonal balance and the ability of a man to conceive. In a healthy man, sperm contains at least 13-15 mmol of fructose per liter.
Inflammation of the vesicles that are located behind the prostate is called vesiculitis in medical practice. Sperm cells and other components of seminal fluid accumulate in the seminal vesicles. During ejaculation, the vesicles contract, and their contents enter the back of the urinary canal. In men who suffer from vesiculitis, the walls of the seminal vesicles become thinner and more sensitive, which is the reason for premature ejaculation, which can occur even from slight sexual arousal. Vesiculitis, as a rule, develops as a complication of other infectious and inflammatory diseases, but can also be caused by common infections, such as flu or tonsillitis. Most often, symptoms of chronic vesiculitis and prostatitis occur simultaneously, that is, diseases accompany each other.
Causes of the disease
The disease affects not only middle-aged men (36-46 years old), but also young people under 25 years old and older men. The incidence is increasing among the older population due to the increase in duration and improvement of quality of life. Among young people, pathology is increasingly being diagnosed due to promiscuous sexual intercourse and unwillingness to use contraceptives, which is associated with a high risk of contracting an urogenital infection. In general, the causes of vesiculitis symptoms in men can be divided into two large groups: stagnant and infectious.
Most often, the process is associated with the ingress of infection into the male body. The causative agent (mycoplasmas, fungi, chlamydia, viruses, trichomonads, ureaplasmas, and so on) can enter the seminal vesicles from the bladder or urethra, kidneys, together with blood from injuries of other organs or injuries. But in medical practice, such infection paths are not so common. As a rule, the cause of symptoms of chronic vesiculitis in men is inflammation of the prostate. In the predominant number of cases, the disease is diagnosed not as a separate disease, but as an accompanying pathology in the presence of other inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system. Therefore, treatment should be aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology.
Stagnation phenomena usually do not provoke vesiculitis directly, but act as provoking factors that lead to the active reproduction of the pathogen and the intensive development of inflammation. The local or general hypothermia of the body negatively affects the reproductive system. Lack of harmony in sexual life, excessive sexual activity or a complete rejection of sex for any reason. Frequent satellites of a sedentary lifestyle - congestion in the pelvis - also provoke vesiculitis and other pathologies. Improper nutrition, as a result of which there are regular constipation, can also provoke inflammatory processes. Chronic infectious and inflammatory diseases, such as sinusitis or even common caries, lead to additional problems.
Chronic vesiculitis in most cases (60%) is caused precisely by urogenital infections. In 3% of cases, the pathology develops under the influence of herpes, and in 9%, inflammation is provoked by mycoplasmas. The viral nature of the disease is confirmed if the patient has recently had ARVI, and pathogenic microflora is not found in the secretion of seminal vesicles. In elderly and middle-aged patients, E. coli is most often detected in the analyzes, which is explained by age-related disorders of the outflow of fluid from the bladder. In young people, in most cases, a staph infection or STD occurs.
In rare cases, the causes of acute or chronic vesiculitis in men can be an allergic reaction, metabolic disorders, mechanical injuries of the pelvic organs, the effects of chemical factors (taking drugs or chemical poisoning), a malfunction of the immune system (in this case, the doctor talks about autoimmune vesiculitis). Contributes to the pathology of immoderate sexual activity, frequent masturbation, lack of exercise, and so on.
The relationship of vesiculitis and prostatitis
The symptoms and treatment of chronic vesiculitis in men at the doctor’s appointment will be recognized by those patients who suffer from prostatitis. As mentioned earlier, the diseases are interconnected. Often, these diseases are also accompanied by urethritis - inflammation of the urinary tract. Both the symptoms and treatment of vesiculitis in men are the same as with prostatitis. Partially clinical picture coincides with urethritis. In this disease, patients also complain of the appearance of atypical discharge from the urethra, which is accompanied by discomfort, pain during urination, itching and burning. In the chronic course of the disease, the symptoms are not so pronounced.
Vesiculitis and prostatitis have a similar clinical picture, flow patterns and can be completely asymptomatic. These two pathologies have the same risk factors, which to some extent contribute to the development of the inflammatory process. In medical practice, doctors even use the combined name for these pathologies - chronic prostate vesiculitis. Vesiculitis is one of the frequent complications of prostatitis in the chronic course, because in the presence of a disease in the prostate, pathogens are most easily able to get into the seminal vesicles.
Symptoms of acute vesiculitis
The inflammatory process can occur in acute or chronic form. In the acute form, symptoms of vesiculitis in men usually appear suddenly. Body temperature rises, chills and headache. Patients complain of unilateral or bilateral above the pubis, in the groin and in the rectum. Pain can sometimes be given in the lower back. When urinating, defecating or ejaculating, the discomfort intensifies. When defecation, mucus may be released , in semen, sometimes tests show the presence of blood in a small amount. Some patients have problems with urination, frequent and prolonged nocturnal erections.
Signs of chronic inflammation
Symptoms of chronic vesiculitis are moderate or weak. Patients complain of aching pain in the perineum and in the rectum, which are given to the genital area. Night erections and frequent urination are characteristic; blood may appear in semen. Often with chronic vesiculitis, sexual dysfunction occurs. The quality of the orgasm decreases to complete disappearance, ejaculation occurs prematurely, the quality and duration of the erection are reduced. The severity of symptoms of vesiculitis in men can vary. In some patients, the inflammatory process may be asymptomatic or accompanied by unexpressed symptoms. Sometimes the chronic form of the disease is diagnosed at a preventive appointment or when going to the hospital with another problem. Vesiculitis is generally characterized by a chronic course. In this case, many patients report common symptoms, namely they complain of increased fatigue, weakness and headaches, decreased working capacity and attention span, and a periodic increase in temperature to 37 degrees Celsius.
Signs of the disease with premature ejaculation
Chronic vesiculitis can be determined in the absence of the main symptoms, if a man complains only of premature ejaculation. In this case, periods of normal duration of contact are replaced by periods of premature ejaculation, the problem developed gradually, and before that sex life was normal. Also, the second and subsequent contacts with vesiculitis are much longer than the first, ejaculation for the first time can occur even before the start of sexual intercourse from stimulation or touching the head. Drinking alcohol in this case does not change the situation or even exacerbates it. A man’s orgasm is usually experienced, but at a much lower intensity, ejaculation can be accompanied by pain. The use of condoms, lubricants or even a special lubricant with anesthetics does not affect the duration of sexual contact in chronic vesiculitis.
Possible complications of the disease
At the first symptoms, treatment of vesiculitis in men should be started immediately. The sooner the pathology is diagnosed, the faster it will be possible to normalize the state of health. At the same time, the quality of life, including sexual life, will improve. If vesiculitis is not treated, then exacerbation is possible. Body temperature can increase significantly, other symptoms will intensify. Further, suppuration of the seminal vesicles is possible, and further surgical intervention is required. Inflammation can go to other organs of the male reproductive system. This is fraught with male infertility.
Diagnosis of vesiculitis
Acute or chronic vesiculitis is diagnosed by characteristic symptoms and test results. Usually, a history is enough to make a diagnosis. The urologist also conducts a rectal examination. It will take the results of general blood and urine tests. An informative diagnostic method is ultrasound (performed transrectally). A spermogram is also prescribed to determine the presence of blood in the seminal fluid.
For rectal examination, the patient takes a position on the stool, squatting. The doctor conducts diagnostic manipulations using the index finger. With inflammation, painful neoplasms are detected over the prostate gland. A bladder catheter is placed to examine the secret. After the organ is washed and filled with a solution of sodium chloride. Then the doctor massages the seminal vesicles, and then the patient is invited to urinate. The fluid is examined visually and under a microscope.
A traditional diagnostic method is vesiculography. This eliminates tuberculosis or sarcoma of the seminal vesicles. The doctor introduces contrast into the lumen of the vas deferens using a special tube or needle. Before this, a small incision is made in the scrotum to isolate the vas deferens. After administration of the contrast medium, an x-ray is taken. In inflammatory processes, an increase in the size of an organ, a change in the relief of the surface, and thickening of the walls of the vesicles are noticeable in the image. Ultrasound is a simple non-invasive study that can be used to obtain information about structural changes.
CT gives a clearer picture of the changes, but these are expensive diagnostic methods. In most cases, the correct diagnosis can be made without expensive research methods. As for spermograms, blood and urine tests, characteristic changes are also noted in them. In the blood, an increased number of white blood cells and an accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate are determined, in the analysis of urine, white blood cells, blood and bacteria can be detected. A spermogram for vesiculitis indicates a decrease in fructose level, altered spermatozoa, the presence of microorganisms, white blood cells and red blood cells, and a decrease in the number of viable spermatozoa.
The basic principles of therapy
The approach to the treatment of vesiculitis in men is chosen depending on the accompanying factors and the causes of the disease. In most cases, conservative therapy is used, but the treatment is carried out in a hospital, and not on an outpatient basis. If infections are detected, antibacterial drugs will be prescribed, and in case of stagnant pathology, the doctor will give preference to drugs that activate blood circulation in the pelvic organs. In the latter case, antimicrobial therapy is additionally used during the treatment of chronic vesiculitis.
Vesiculitis is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, and treatment in this case is supplemented by symptomatic therapy. Prescribe laxatives, painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs. After a decrease in temperature in both chronic and acute course of the disease, physiotherapeutic procedures are useful. A massage of the prostate and vesicles, warm compresses are shown. Treatment of chronic vesiculitis in men should be comprehensive. Therapy should be aimed at curing concomitant diseases and supporting the body's immune system. To achieve the latter goal, immunomodulators, trace elements and vitamins are prescribed. Surgical methods are used in the development of severe complications, for example, with suppuration of seminal vesicles.
Treatment of the cause of the disease
The choice of medication for chronic vesiculitis depends on the factor that caused the disease. If E. coli is detected in the analyzes, antibiotics from macrolides or tetracyclines are prescribed. It can be Sumamed or Erythromycin, Doxycycline or Metacycline. Combined drugs, for example, Oletetrin, are shown. Such drugs have a selective effect on tissues, act on viruses and mycoplasmas. Sulfanilamides or nitrofurans may be prescribed.
If rare pathogens or urogenital infections are detected, treatment should be carried out with a partner. The same antibiotics are used. With mycoplasmas or chlamydia, Dalacin or Linkomycin are used, and with gardnerellosis, Macmirror or Marinem. For a specific infection, cephalosporins, rifamlicins, or penicillins are prescribed. In case of congestion in the pelvic area, UHF-therapy, microclysters with warm liquid in the volume of 10-100 ml, massage, treatment with the use of Intramag, Yarilo or Itraton devices, as well as angioprotectors: Obzidan, “ Trental, Venoruton, Dartilin, Inderal, Agopurin and so on.
Auxiliary treatment is widely used in chronic vesiculitis in men. Anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, for example) and immunomodulators (Viferon, Pyrogenal, Timalin, Levamisole, Soklourovak, Taktivin) are used. These drugs lower body temperature, eliminate pain, stop inflammation and prevent the spread of the disease. Immunomodulatory drugs enhance the body's defense against infections and effectively strengthen local protection. This reduces the likelihood of relapse.
As additional methods for chronic vesiculitis in men, electrotherapy, reflexology (acupuncture), physiotherapy, and exercise therapy can be prescribed. Sanatorium treatment is indicated. This strengthens general and local defense mechanisms, eliminates inflammatory processes, improves metabolic processes in tissues, and stimulates local tissue repair. With adequate treatment, stable remission occurs. With the ineffectiveness of conservative methods of therapy, a puncture of the vesicles is made, followed by washing. Suppurations require surgical intervention.
Important preventive measures
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