prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate. This walnut-sized gland secretes fluid into semen. Prostatitis is widespread and affects men of all ages. According to a study published in the World Journal of Urology, about two out of every 100 men worldwide suffer from chronic prostatitis.
The type of prostatitis you have -- chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) -- is the most common type. Yet we don't know what causes it. Doctors have suspected that a bacterial infection causes the condition, but so far, no clear evidence of a bacterial cause has been found. Other types of infections, such as with viruses, have not been studied very often.
White blood cells, a sign of infection, are usually found in urine and prostate secretions. However, no bacteria are evident. Still, doctors often prescribe antibiotics in case there's an undetected bacterial infection. But as in your case, such treatment is generally ineffective.
CP/CPPS may result from a cascade of events. The initial event may be an undetected infection (from some sort of microbe that we haven't discovered yet), or a physical trauma that causes inflammation. Over time, the inflammation leads to heightened pain sensitivity. The condition may extend beyond the prostate. The chronic inflammation may affect the nerves near the prostate gland. This, in turn, could affect bowel, bladder and sexual function. These are all reasonable theories, but they are unproven.
