prostatitis is often described as an infection of the prostate. it can also be an inflammation with no sign of infection. just 5% to 10% of cases are caused by bacterial infection. it does not raise the risk of getting prostate cancer. prostatitis can affect men of all ages. according to the national institutes of health prostatitis may account for up to 25% of all office visits for complaints involving the genital and urinary systems from young and middle-aged men. in fact chronic prostatitis (which means it doesn't go away) is the number-one reason men under the age of 50 visit a urologist. in some cases chronic prostatitis follows an attack of acute prostatitis. chronic prostatitis may also be related to other urinary tract infections. the primary symptom of chronic infectious prostatitis is usually repeated bladder infections. prostatitis is considered chronic if it lasts more than three months.
what is prostatitis?