Page 147 - Urological Health

Prostatitis and Male Chronic Pelvic Pain

Syndrome

Dr. J. Curtis Nickel
Urologist
Kingston General Hospital
Professor of Urology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
Dr. G. Gregory Roberts
Urologist
Kingston General Hospital
Kingston, ON, Canada

What is the prostate?
The prostate is a small gland about the size and shape of a
chestnut. It is just below the bladder and surrounds the
urethra, the passage that carries urine from the bladder
through the penis during urination. It lies just in front of
the rectum and can be felt through the rectal wall. Women
UNDER REVIEW
do not have a prostate.
The prostate gland consists of hundreds of tiny glands
(acini) that secrete a fluid called prostatic fluid. This fluid is
collected in larger ducts and then secreted into the urethra
mixing with sperm during ejaculation. The fluid made by
the prostate is important for sperm to be effective in
reproduction (Figure 1).

What is prostatitis (pros-tuh-ty-tis)?
Figure 1. The prostate.
The simplest definition of prostatitis is like any word with
“itis” on the end—inflammation of the prostate. Like
“appendicitis” (inflammation of the appendix), “tonsillitis” (inflammation of the tonsils) or “arthritis”
(inflammation of the joints),“prostatitis” was initially considered simply inflammation of the prostate
gland.

At one time, it was believed that the inflammation of prostatitis was always caused by infection, usually
with bacteria that causes bladder and kidney infections. However, this simple explanation proved to
be, well too simple. Table 1 shows the categories that scientists use to classify the condition.
Everyone experiences prostatitis a bit differently. Table 1 gives researchers common ground to use
when studying prostatitis, but unfortunately patients don’t always fall neatly into one of these
categories.

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