Male Reproductive System Disorders

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• QHow does nonbacterial prostatitis affect the body?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Nonbacterial prostatitis affects the body in two general ways. First, nonbacterial prostatitis can create quality of life issues as a result of abnormal urinary symptoms and pain in the lower abdomen, lower back, genitals, and/or perineum. Second, nonbacterial prostatitis can cause fertility problems due to related defects in sperm movement, or motility.

• QWhat causes phimosis?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Phimosis in uncircumcised boys is a natural result of youth and immaturity. In newborns, the foreskin is attached to the tip of the penis. The ability of the foreskin to draw back develops as children age. In most boys, the foreskin is loose enough to be pulled below the tip of the penis by age five. Apart from the normal phimosis that comes with age, a more troublesome case of phimosis can be caused by inflammation or irritation of the foreskin or head of the penis, such as a skin condition called balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO). A lack of cleanliness can lead to infections that can lead to phimosis. It can also be caused by scarring resulting from forcing the foreskin of a child to retract before it's ready to do so naturally.

• QWhat is epididymitis?

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  A Johns Hopkins Medicine answered

  The epididymis is an elongated organ on the surface of a testicle. Infections in the epididymis, called epididymitis, are common. These may be recur and cause chronic pain in the scrotum. The usual treatment is with antibiotics, however, a prolonged course may be necessary in certain individuals. In severe cases that do not respond to medication, surgery may be necessary to remove nerves going to the testicle or to actually remove the testicle in an effort to relieve pain.

• QWhat is testicular torsion?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  

  This happens when the testicle twists on its own blood supply, and it hurts like the dickens. If you get sudden pain in your groin or in the testicle, it needs fixing that hour, or you risk losing the testicle. See your doctor
  immediately. Not tomorrow.

  

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  YOU: The Owner's Manual for Teens: A Guide to a Healthy Body and Happy Life
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• QWhat kind of exercise is best for a man with chronic prostatitis?

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  A Dr. Marc B. Garnick, MD , Hematology & Oncology, answered

  Italian researchers randomly assigned 231 sedentary men with chronic prostatitis to one of two exercise programs for 18 weeks: aerobic exercise, which included brisk walking, or nonaerobic exercise, which included leg lifts, sit-ups, and stretching. Each group exercised three times a week. At the end of the trial, men in both groups felt better, but those in the aerobic exercise group experienced significantly greater improvements in prostatitis pain, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. Aerobic exercises are those that make your heart beat faster for a sustained period, such as brisk walling, swimming, or bicycling.
• QHow is prostatitis diagnosed?

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  A RealAge answered

  Prostatitis (acute or chronic inflammation of the prostate gland) is diagnosed by a digital rectal exam (DRE), possibly with a sample of prostate gland secretions obtained by massaging the prostate, and a urine sample. The urine and prostate gland secretions are analyzed for infectious organisms.

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• QWhat are the symptoms of prostatitis?

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  A Aurora Health Care answered

  Symptoms of prostatitis (an inflammation of the prostate that may be caused by the presence of a bacterial infection) may include:
  

  • the need to urinate frequently
  • difficulty in beginning to urinate and decreased strength and force of the urinary stream
  • dribbling after urination
  • waking at night to urinate
  • chills and fever (in acute infections)
  • pain or burning during urination
  • pain in the abdomen, groin, or lower back

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• QWhat is prostatodynia?

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  A Dr. Marc B. Garnick, MD , Hematology & Oncology, answered

  Category IIIB (noninflammatory) prostatitis is often referred to as prostatodynia. This term means "pain in the prostate" and, not surprisingly, that's the main symptom of the condition. But what's causing this pain is not clear; the prostate feels normal when it's examined, the urine is free of infection, and prostate secretions don't contain white blood cells. The pain can be persistent and debilitating, and is often accompanied by depression, anxiety, or sexual dysfunction. Urine flow can also be abnormal -- with an interrupted or weak stream, an urge to urinate (even when you can produce little urine), or frequent urination (often in small amounts). Although it can occur at any age, prostatodynia is most common in young to middle-aged men.
• QHow is prostatodynia treated?

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  A Dr. Marc B. Garnick, MD , Hematology & Oncology, answered

  Alpha blockers are the medications most likely to reduce symptoms of prostatodynia or noninflammatory prostatitis. A review published in Urologia Internationalis found that alpha blockers were more likely to be effective for men who were newly diagnosed with chronic pelvic pain syndrome; that an extended course of treatment (three to six months) was more effective than a shorter course; and that broader alpha blockers such as doxazosin (Cardura) and terazosin (Hytrin) were more effective than the more selective agents. However, other studies have been unable to confirm these findings.
  
  Studies of myofascial trigger release, a form of massage, and biofeedback, a technique that helps patients become more aware of their body's signals, indicate that these therapies may reduce pain and other urinary symptoms. However, these studies have been small: a study of myofascial trigger release in The Journal of Urology included just 47 participants, about half of whom were women. (Women can develop a form of chronic pelvic pain, too.) Many patients report that the therapies are beneficial, so they might be worth trying if all else fails. One challenge, however, might be finding an experienced and qualified provider in your area.
  
  Three phytochemicals, substances derived from plants, may provide some therapeutic benefit for men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS): cernilton, a pollen extract; quercetin, a chemical that contributes to color in plants; and an extract from the saw palmetto berry. Despite the generally positive findings, none of these substances has been thoroughly studied, and trials that have been completed have been small. They may also cause side effects or interact with other medications -- the herb saw palmetto may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulants and other drugs, for example -- so be sure to tell your doctor if you take any supplements, no matter how benign they may seem.
• QHow effective are steroid ointments in treating phimosis?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  A popular nonsurgical treatment for phimosis is a steroid ointment, such as betamethasone. It's applied directly to the foreskin two or three times a day, usually in conjunction with careful stretching of the foreskin. The steroid speeds up the natural growth of the foreskin enough to allow it to retract. It's been reported that steroid ointments are successful at healing phimosis upwards of 90 percent of the time. However, it may take up to three months for the ointment to fully work.