A reader asks: I'm a 77-year-old man and was recognized with prostatitis at 49. I had a yr with no signs, however they've returned once more and are not going away. On the recommendation of my earlier physician I’ve had a PSA check yearly (my studying final May was 0.6) however my new GP doesn’t appear very involved and instructed me that if I had prostate most cancers I might most likely die with it not of it and that I didn’t want one other PSA check. I've been prescribed tamsulosin which appears to be working however is that this simply masking the issue? 

DR ROSEMARY SAYS: Prostatitis is the medical time period for irritation of the prostate gland. There are two major sorts – acute, the place the signs come on and go away rapidly, and persistent, the place signs are extra persistent, which is what you've gotten.

The major symptom is ache, which can be across the base of the penis or anus, within the decrease stomach or within the decrease again. Though this may typically be extreme - and worse throughout intercourse - it tends to fluctuate from everyday. 

Other signs can embrace a have to cross urine extra incessantly, with a poor stream, tiredness and basic aches and pains. Not surprisingly many males really feel anxious or depressed. 

The reason for persistent prostatitis is unclear and it's now sometimes called persistent pelvic ache syndrome, or CPPS, as some males with signs of prostatitis would not have an infected prostate. Treatment is aimed toward relieving ache, both with customary painkiller corresponding to paracetamol, or medication that block ache messages to the mind, corresponding to pregabalin. Medications that calm down the muscular tissues of the bladder, making it simpler to cross urine (such because the tamsulosin you take) are additionally prescribed. There have been some research which have steered that males with irritation of their prostate is perhaps extra more likely to get prostate most cancers, however extra analysis is required to make certain if the 2 are linked. 

PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. Levels rise slowly with age and abnormally excessive ranges can happen when the gland is enlarged or infected, and in some (however not all) instances of prostate most cancers. Your degree final May was very low, which means that your gland will not be infected, which is nice news and makes it impossible that you've got prostate most cancers. Even in the event you did, as your GP has steered, it will be so gradual rising that it will be a severe risk to your well being. 

So in reply to your query, the tamsulosin will not be masking an issue and whether it is serving to your signs you must proceed to take it.

● If you've gotten a well being query for Dr Leonard, e-mail her in confidence at yourhealth@categorical.co.uk. She regrets she can't enter into private correspondence or reply to everybody