Infectious prostatitis is a common disease of the prostate gland that can lead to complications. Antibiotics for prostatitis are the main focus of treatment and are selected based on test results. It is impossible to take antibacterial drugs without a prescription. Every man who is faced with this disease needs to know what groups of drugs exist and how they differ.
When do you need antibiotics?
Before using medication, you should definitely consult your doctor.
There are several types of diseases:
- Acute infectious (bacterial) prostatitis;
- chronic bacterial prostatitis;
- chronic non-infectious prostatitis.
It is not always advisable to take antibiotics. Drugs of this group are active only against pathogens, but do not have a general anti-inflammatory effect.
Antibiotics for prostatitis are indicated only if the inflammation of the organ is caused by the activity of pathogenic microorganisms in the prostate gland. In all other cases, an antibiotic for prostatitis in a man will be ineffective.
The main problem in treating prostatitis is that many men are wary of antibiotic therapy as they consider them harmful or dangerous. It is important to remember: neglected prostatitis is dangerous and it is not a properly selected antibiotic that is taken on the recommendation of a doctor according to the dose and therapy regimen.
The antibiotic for prostatitis and adenoma is prescribed only in the presence of bacterial inflammation. The drugs of this group are effective only against bacteria and do not show activity against viruses or fungi.
Antibiotics for chronic prostatitis are prescribed only if there is a focus of chronic infection in the prostate gland. Chronic bacterial prostatitis develops due to improper or insufficient treatment of acute bacterial prostatitis. Most often, the disease becomes chronic due to the fact that the man self-medicated and took drugs that were ineffective against a certain pathogen. As a result, pathogenic microorganisms develop resistance to drugs and the disease becomes chronic, reminding itself of periodic complications.
The main indication for antibiotics for the treatment of prostatitis in men is acute bacterial inflammation of the prostate.
In case of congestive or chronic non-infectious prostatitis, it is not advisable to take these drugs. This is due to the mechanism of development of said inflammation. Congestive prostatitis is a consequence of a sedentary lifestyle and other reasons that lead to a violation of the trophism of the prostate and the thickening of the prostate secretion. Inflammation is due to the fact that the secret of the prostate cannot get out of the lobes of the organ, it begins to accumulate and squeeze the gland. There is no infectious focus with such a disease, which means that there is no point in taking antibiotics. To treat this form of inflammation, special anti-inflammatory drugs are used that should not be confused with antibiotics.
The most effective drugs
No doctor will tell a patient about the best antibiotics for prostatitis, as there simply are no such medications. There are several groups of antibiotics for men that are used in the treatment of prostatitis. In each group, there are many names of active substances that are active against various bacteria. An effective antibiotic for prostatitis is a drug selected taking into account the characteristics of the course of the disease in a particular man.
When prescribing a drug, the following criteria are followed:
- disease-causing agent;
- form of prostatitis;
- medications the man has taken in the last few months;
- presence of other chronic diseases.
To determine which antibiotic is best for prostatitis, a bacterial culture of the secretion of the prostate gland is necessary. This analysis allows you to identify the causative agent of the disease and determine its sensitivity to various active substances.
In general, acute bacterial prostatitis is treated quite effectively with the right antibiotics. Usually a two-week course of therapy is enough to get rid of the disease for good.
The treatment of chronic bacterial inflammation is often complicated by the resistance of microorganisms to antibacterial drugs. In this case, synthetic antimicrobial agents or antibacterial therapy combined with several different drugs are prescribed at once. The first option is preferable, but the course of therapy is increased to 28 days or more.
What are fluoroquinolones and when are they used?
The pills are convenient for treating prostatitis with antibiotics at home, although injections are usually more effective and faster. At the same time, it is important to choose a drug that effectively penetrates the tissues of the prostate, despite oral administration. Since recently men have started to treat various diseases with antibiotics, often using drugs for other purposes, quite often resistant forms of pathogenic microorganisms are found that are not sensitive to conventional antibiotics. In this case, doctors give preference to drugs from the group of fluoroquinolones.
Fluoroquinolones are the only antibacterial drugs that do not have natural analogues.
These drugs are completely synthetic, developed by chemists and are not taken in nature. They are distinguished by a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. The main advantage of using these drugs is that the disease-causing agent cannot develop resistance to fluoroquinolones, which means that these drugs remain effective with repeated treatment.
The distinguishing characteristics of this group of drugs are the following:
- wide range of activities;
- without negative impact on the digestive tract;
- convenient publication form;
- ease of use;
- minimal side effects;
- can be taken at any age;
- penetrate well into prostate tissue.
It is convenient to take these drugs, as they are prescribed one tablet per day. However, the course of treatment, as a rule, is quite long, because despite the fact that the drug penetrates the tissues of the prostate, its concentration slowly increases, so the course of administration usually lasts several weeks. Since there are practically no side effects, this does not have a negative impact on health.
In addition, the drugs of this group do not affect the functions of the liver and kidneys, so they can be used in the therapy of patients over 65 years of age, but only after prior agreement with the attending physician.
The use of penicillins in the treatment of prostatitis
One of the oldest groups of antibacterial drugs is the penicillin antibiotics. Medicines in this group are well studied, but nowadays they are no longer effective enough, since most microorganisms very quickly develop resistance to the active substance.
The advantage of these drugs is their rapid elimination from the body and their minimal effect on liver function. The main disadvantage is the low bioavailability and the poor penetration into the prostate tissue.
To date, the only drug that is still used in the treatment of prostatitis is a combined penicillin antibiotic. It contains clavulanic acid, which enhances its action and provides a certain immunostimulating effect.
It is recommended to use this group of drugs only in acute inflammation. Long-term administration of the drug is ineffective, since the causative agent of the disease quickly becomes resistant to its action. Usually the drug is prescribed for 7-10 days, no more.
Medicines of the group of tetracyclines
Tetracycline antibiotics are often prescribed for bacterial prostatitis. The benefits of these drugs:
- variety of release forms;
- a wide range of antimicrobial activity;
- fast efficiency;
- low cost.
Most of the time, pills or injections are prescribed. If it is necessary to use suppositories with an antibiotic for prostatitis, then such drugs can be found in the group of tetracyclines.
The disadvantage of these drugs is the harmful effect on the gastrointestinal tract. They must be taken together with antihistamines and probiotics, otherwise dysbiosis cannot be avoided.
Due to side effects and contraindications, urologists prescribe these drugs in a short course and only in acute inflammation.
What are the specialties of macrolides?
When asked which antibiotics are best for prostatitis, many doctors point to macrolides. The main characteristic of this group of drugs is its low toxicity and the absence of side effects. They are well tolerated by the body and do not cause allergic reactions. They are used as an independent agent, without the need for the simultaneous administration of hepatoprotectors, antihistamines or probiotics.
While some physicians actively prescribe macrolides for prostatitis, others argue that these medications are ineffective for chronic bacterial inflammation.
Macrolides have several dozen names. The latest generation of drugs of this group is distinguished by an interesting form of release - a gel or a suspension. They are convenient to take and the liquid form ensures rapid absorption of the drug. In addition, the drugs of this group are highly bioavailable and penetrate well into inflamed organ tissues.
The main contraindications are mental disorders and depression. Long-term use of drugs in this group is potentially dangerous for the development of psychopathological syndromes in people with a tendency to such diseases.
When are cephalosporins effective?
Cephalosporins are good antibiotics for prostatitis. They perfectly treat bacterial prostatitis, leaving no possibility of pathogenic microorganisms. The downside is a pretty impressive list of contraindications and side effects. Also, the drugs of this group require the correct selection of the dosage, therefore they should only be prescribed by a doctor.
Benefits of the drugs in this group:
- high efficacy against pyogenic bacteria;
- quick action;
- good penetration into the tissues of the prostate;
- no negative impact on the microflora of the stomach.
The main disadvantage is the high hepatotoxicity and the burden on the kidneys, so drugs of this type are not prescribed for elderly patients. Another pressing problem is the long list of negative drug interactions. In other words, during therapy with these antibiotics, you must stop taking any other medications.
Antibacterial suppositories
After you have found out which antibiotics for prostatitis are used and what names may be useful for men in the future, you should pay attention to suppositories for infectious prostatitis with antibiotics.
Topical application is an advantage of such preparations. Suppositories act in the immediate vicinity of the prostate, due to which the active substance is rapidly absorbed through the walls of the rectum and penetrates directly into the tissues of the inflamed organ.
In addition to antibiotic suppositories, antiseptic drugs and anti-inflammatory suppositories may be prescribed for prostatitis.
Medications in the form of suppositories can be used together with antibiotic tablets. For example, chronic prostatitis is often treated with oral macrolides, in addition to macrolides in suppositories. You can also use drugs of the tetracycline series with suppositories.
The duration of the rectal suppository use cycle is set individually. They are usually prescribed for a period of two weeks or more.
Antibiotic suppositories for prostatitis can have side effects. Often with prolonged use of this form of the drug, intestinal dysbiosis is observed.
Natural antibacterials
In addition to pharmaceuticals, treatment can be carried out with natural remedies with antimicrobial properties. Of course, natural antibiotics are markedly inferior in effectiveness to special drugs, but they can be used in chronic bacterial prostatitis to enhance the therapeutic effect of other drugs.
Nature's Most Powerful Antimicrobial Agent:
- honey;
- propolis;
- garlic;
- celandine.
Honey has a pronounced immunostimulating effect. Men are advised to consume it for both prevention and treatment of prostatitis. Also, homemade suppositories are made from honey.
Propolis is a powerful natural antibiotic and antiseptic. You can make propolis candles yourself or buy them at the pharmacy.
Garlic helps fight chronic prostatitis of an infectious and non-infectious nature. Its use is often suggested to make candles, adding sea buckthorn oil, which accelerates the regeneration of tissues.
Celandine has pronounced antimicrobial activity and is used as decoctions and microclysters.
Make suppositories at home
Garlic is good for treating prostate problems.
To prepare candles with antimicrobial action, you need to stock up on a solid base of fat. Cocoa butter or beeswax can also be used as a base for candles.
The base should be melted in a water bath, gradually adding the active ingredient. The product is then mixed and poured into a mold. You can also pour the resulting dough into cling film, then twist the ends to form a "sausage" and leave in the refrigerator for an hour. Once the mixture has hardened, it is cut into small suppositories, approximately 3-4 cm long. The proportions depend on the active ingredient used.
- To make candles with honey, you need 50 g of base and 25 g of honey. Before using such suppositories, intolerance to bee products should be excluded.
- One of the most effective remedies for prostatitis is a suppository with propolis and honey. To prepare the drug, you need to take 50 g of beeswax, 25 g of honey and 10 g of propolis.
- Sea buckthorn oil suppositories are recommended to reduce inflammation. To prepare them, melt 2 parts of the base and add a part of sea buckthorn oil. Using the same recipe, you can prepare pumpkin oil based candles.
- Home treatments can be done with garlic. Squeeze 3 cloves of garlic, pour in 50 ml of sea buckthorn oil and leave in the fridge for 24 hours. Then 25 ml of garlic oil are mixed with 50 ml of cocoa butter and candles are formed.
Such suppositories should be used 1-2 times a day. They are injected into the rectum, after performing a cleansing enema.
Peculiarities of antibiotic treatment
A doctor compiles an antibiotic treatment regimen for prostatitis on an individual basis. Antibiotic treatment for chronic prostatitis usually takes 4 to 5 weeks, and acute prostatitis is treated in two weeks.
Each drug has its own characteristics, contraindications and side effects. They are detailed in the official instructions for use, which should be read before starting therapy.
Self-medication with antibiotics is not allowed. You need to take the prescribed medications every day, without skipping or stopping the intake until the end of the course.
It should be remembered that it is impossible to cure bacterial prostatitis without antibacterial drugs.