The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, classifies prostatitis into four categories, each with its own treatment approach (see Table 1). The term prostatitis, which translates to inflammation of the prostate, refers to a loose assemblage of syndromes characterized by urinary problems - for example, burning or painful urination, urgency, and trouble voiding - difficult or painful ejaculation, and pain in the perineum or lower back. Relative to other prostate conditions, little research has been conducted on prostatitis. Frustrated patients visit one doctor after another in search of a remedy, but they usually leave disappointed. Unlike benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer, which predominantly affect older men, prostatitis affects men of all ages.ĭespite its commonness, little is known about what sparks prostatitis or, more importantly, how to treat it. It’s also an “equal opportunity” disorder. Depending on how you define the term, 9% to 16% of men experience prostatitis. It accounts for about 1.8 million visits to the doctor’s office in the United States each year. Prostatitis gets little press, but it’s an all-too-common genitourinary condition in men. O’Leary, M.D., M.P.H., looks at what may be ahead
