Chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Prostatitis is an infection or inflammation of the prostate that often causes pain or discomfort. The pain may be in the penis, around the rectum, or in the pelvic area. It may occur during urination or ejaculation. Prostatitis is the most common prostate problem for men younger than 50. Prostatitis can come on suddenly, or it can keep going away and coming back. There are different types of prostatitis. A sudden infection can give you symptoms such as:

Fever, chills, and nausea
Pain and burning when urinating and during ejaculation
Strong and frequent urge to urinate, but only being able to pass small amounts of urine
Lower back or abdominal pain
Blood in the urine
See your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. An acute infection can be life-threatening, but it can be easy to diagnose and treat.

Chronic prostatitis is the most common but least understood form of prostatitis. It is also called chronic pelvic pain syndrome. It is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are not the same for every patient, and many of the symptoms — such as painful or burning urination and incomplete emptying of the bladder — could be signs of another disease. Chronic pelvic pain cannot be cured, but treatment helps many men manage their symptoms.