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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
Bacterial prostatitis
The most frequent causes of acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis are common strains of bacteria. The bacteria are likely transported in urine that "leaks" from the urethra and into the prostate.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis may be the result of small amounts of bacteria that "hide" in the prostate and aren't eliminated with treatments.
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain
No single factor has been clearly identified as a cause of chronic prostatitis. Some men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain have no evidence of inflammation of the prostate.
More than one factor may be at work. Possible causes of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain may include:
- Immune system disorder
- Nervous system disorder
- Psychological stress
- Infection
- Pressure on prostate from other diseased tissue
- Traumatic injury
Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis
The cause of asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis isn't known, and there's little research about the disorder.
- Meyrier A, et al. Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
- Pontari MA. Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
- Schaeffer AJ. Clinical practice. Chronic prostatitis and the chronic pelvic pain syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine. 2006;355:1690-1698.
- Prostatitis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments. Linthicum, MD: American Urological Association Foundation; 2005.
- Nickel J. Inflammatory conditions of the male genitourinary tract: Prostatitis and related conditions, orchitis, and epididymitis. In: Wein A, et al., eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/117299121-3/794153691/1445/12.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50011-X--cesec1_747. Accessed Jan. 21, 2009.
- Pontari MA. Etiologic theories of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Current Urology Reports. 2007;8:307-312.
