What STDs Cause Prostatitis?

If you’ve been dealing with painful urination, a fever, and bloody urine, you may have contracted prostatitis. This prostate infection commonly affects men between 30 and 50 years old. 

Prostatitis symptoms can be very uncomfortable. The good news is that with treatment, you don’t have to suffer for the rest of your life.

Prostatitis isn’t an STD but can develop as a side effect of certain STDs. Are you wondering, “What STDs cause prostatitis?” You’ll learn the answer to that question below. You’ll also learn about conditions other than STDs that could lead to prostatitis.

All About Prostatitis

Prostatitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the prostate. Prostatitis has two variants: acute and chronic. The acute version comes on quickly, while symptoms of chronic prostatitis can last for three months or more.

Prostatitis Symptoms and Signs

Chronic and acute prostatitis have slightly different symptoms. The chronic variety can cause pain or discomfort in any of these areas:

• The penis
• The scrotum
• The area between your anus and scrotum
• The lower back
• The central lower abdomen

The pain may be centralized in one area or spread out in different areas of your body. It can come on gradually or suddenly. Sometimes, it may vanish for a while, only to flare up again.

Chronic prostatitis can cause pain after ejaculation. Urination may also be rather painful.

The urge to use the bathroom more than usual is a classic symptom of chronic prostatitis. This happens because your bladder starts to contract even when it holds a small amount of urine, which means you feel the need to go often. When you urinate, you might have a weak or interrupted urine stream.

If you feel the need to urinate more than eight times a day for no reason (beyond drinking too much water or coffee), it’s possible you have prostatitis. Contact your doctor or order a 10-panel STD test from Rapid STD Testing.

Acute prostatitis causes sudden and severe symptoms. Some symptoms, such as urinary urgency, a weak urine stream, and painful urination, also occur with the chronic variety. But if you have acute prostatitis, you may also experience:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Uncontrollable urination while sleeping
• Chills
• Fever
• Body aches
• Pain in your lower abdomen
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Don’t wait to see a doctor if you have any of these symptoms. Without prompt care, you could eventually develop an infection that spreads to your blood or spine. 

Risk Factors

Some people have a higher risk of developing this condition than others. If you have many sexual partners or practice sex without a condom, there’s a chance you could develop prostatitis. You could also develop the condition again if you’ve had it before.

STDs and Prostatitis

STDs don’t always cause prostatitis, but it’s not unheard of. Certain STDs can cause prostatitis if the bacteria enter your urinary tract. The bacteria can spread to your bladder, prostate, and the tube in your testicles that carries sperm (called the epididymis).

Causes of Prostatitis

Wondering what STDs cause prostatitis? The most common ones that can lead to prostatitis are genital herpes, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Trichomoniasis and HIV may also cause bacterial proliferation associated with prostatitis.

Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Many people infected with HSV don’t know they have it. Those who do experience symptoms might have small, painful blisters around their genitals, anus, or mouth. During your first outbreak, you might have flu-like symptoms while your immune system works overtime to fight the virus.

Gonorrhea is an STD caused by bacteria entering the rectum, throat, or urethra. Men with gonorrhea might experience pain in one testicle, discomfort when urinating, and a pus-like discharge from the tip of their penis. If the infection spreads, you might also experience swollen joints, eye pain, a sore throat, and bloody bowel movements.

Chlamydia is another bacterial STD that can cause prostatitis. Lots of infected people don’t know they have it. If you do have symptoms, they can include painful urination, pain in your testicles, and penile discharge. You can verify whether you have chlamydia by ordering a rapid STD test or visiting your doctor.

STDs aren’t the only cause of prostatitis. E. coli infections are among the most common causes of prostatitis in men 35 years and older. You can get infected with E. coli by eating contaminated foods, such as raw milk, undercooked meat, and unwashed vegetables. Contracting E.coli via person-to-person contact with someone who didn’t wash their hands is also possible.

Acute prostatitis can occur even if you haven’t been infected with an STD. You could develop the condition if you’ve injured your perineum (the area of skin between your anus and scrotum). Urinary blockages may also lead to prostatitis.

If you’re uncircumcised, you could develop a condition called phimosis, which causes your foreskin to tighten so much that it can’t retract. This condition commonly causes prostatitis in men.

Ureaplasma urealyticum is a bacterium that can cause prostatitis and infertility, although it’s not considered an STD.

Protecting Yourself From Prostatitis

Because prostatitis can develop through STD infection, one of the best ways to protect yourself is to practice safe sex. Always wear a condom, especially if you’re not monogamous and don’t know the STD status of your partners.

It’s also wise to regularly test yourself for STDs (and ask your partners to get tested, too) even if you don’t have any symptoms of an infection. Left unchecked, STDs can cause prostatitis and other serious symptoms.

If going to the doctor is inconvenient, or you’re too embarrassed to ask for an STD test, you might want to consider ordering same-day STD testing online. All it takes is a quick visit to a nearby lab, and you’ll get your results in just one to two days.

How Is Prostatitis Diagnosed?

Your doctor will diagnose prostatitis by performing a physical exam. They’ll look for swelling in your scrotum, enlarged lymph nodes in your groin, and discharge from your urethra.

They’ll also want to perform a rectal exam. During this exam, your doctor will insert a finger into your rectum and feel for an enlarged prostate. This test may be a little uncomfortable, but it is not painful enough to require anesthesia.

If the doctor notices anything wrong, they’ll probably send you to a urologist for more testing. The urologist may test your urine, semen, and blood for abnormalities. They may also perform a biopsy, which involves taking a small piece of your prostate tissue to look for problems under a microscope.

Prostatitis Treatment

Prostatitis is caused by a bacterial infection, which means a course of antibiotics can clear it up. Depending on how long you’ve had the infection, you might take antibiotics for four to six weeks. If you have the acute variety, you may need to get intravenous (IV) antibiotics in the hospital.

If your doctor detects HIV, they’ll also want to start you on an antiretroviral therapy (ART) drug regimen. Your doctor may also prescribe you pain medication and other drugs, such as alfuzosin or tamsulosin, to make it easier for you to urinate. 

Order Discreet STD Testing From the Privacy of Home

Now that you know what STDs cause prostatitis, you might be worried that you’ve been infected with one of them. Prostatitis-causing STDs are all easily detectable with STD testing, and the sooner you get your results, the faster you can get treatment and start feeling better.

Order your test today or call (866) 872-1888 to find out more.