What Happens

Prostatitis, especially if it continues for a long time, can cause stress, anxiety, and depression.

Acute prostatitis

Men with acute prostatitis have severe pain and fever and may need hospitalization. Most men recover fully when treated with antibiotics. Delaying treatment increases the risk of developing complications, such as sepsis or an abscess in the prostate.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis

Chronic bacterial prostatitis can be difficult to treat, because some medications have a hard time reaching the prostate.

Men with chronic bacterial prostatitis commonly have repeated urinary tract infections. The infection may spread to the epididymis.

The presence of infected prostate stones (prostatic calculi) can make treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis more difficult.

Chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome, inflammatory and noninflammatory

Chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome, inflammatory and noninflammatory, often get better over time without serious complications. However, the symptoms sometimes return unexpectedly.