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Put simply, prostatitis hurts. This painful condition—an inflamed, swollen, and tender prostate—can be caused by a bacterial infection or other factors.

The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that about 25% of all men who see a doctor for urological problems have symptoms of prostatitis. An estimated half of all men will experience some of these symptoms during their lifetime. Prostatitis is the most common cause of urinary tract infections in men. In fact, American men make about two million trips to the doctor each year seeking help for the symptoms of prostatitis or other irritative prostatic conditions.

The major complaint in men with prostatitis is pain in the perineum (the area between the rectum and the testicles). They may also experience aches, pain in the joints or muscles and lower back, blood in the urine, pain or burning during urination, and painful ejaculation.

In its own way, prostatitis is every bit as difficult and frustrating as BPH—not only because of the symptoms, but because there is not always an apparent cause. Prostatitis is a benign ailment—it is not cancer, and it does not lead to cancer. It is not always curable, but it is almost always treatable.

There is a common belief that inflammation of the prostate may lead over time to the development of prostate cancer. Current studies are examining ways of reducing inflammation to prevent prostate cancer. While there has been a recent link between a new virus (called XMRV) and some cases of prostate cancer, most prostate cancer is likely caused by a combination of factors, such as diet, lifestyle, genetics, and environmental exposures. Many of these factors can also lead to prostatitis.

(The information on this page is adapted from Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer.)

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