Prostate Massage (Painful?)

[Hunter G]

Hello all,

I know most of you suffering with prostatitis have probably tried a prostate massage at least once but I'm curious to know how much pain you experienced during the drainage/massage itself. Does everyone with a prostate experience pain when average pressure is applied for a drainage or is it just people with prostatitis symptoms? The first massage I had was in Tucson, Az about 11 years ago & it hurt really bad the first few times but seemed to get slightly better with each one. The massages ultimately helped with some of my pain & fatigue but everything has essentially stayed the same since that time. I've had several prostatic massages since then but it's still really painful every time (not just uncomfortable but almost unbearable) I've asked several urologists this same question but they always say that it's hit or miss & that they just don't know. I know there are a lot of people on this board from all over the world looking for any hints as to anything that will help, so I thought it would be a good idea to see what everyone says. I realize that most people browse through this site looking for any & all helpful information, so please, if you get the chance, leave a short reply so we can get a good idea of just how painful a standard (average pressure applied) prostatic massage is for people with prostatitis.

Thanks for your time, 

Hunter   

[Dave]

I've had two whilst conscious... the actual massage didn't hurt much at all but the 2 weeks following on were some of the worst in my 14 years of this crap.  Not sure what that actually means tbh.

[Hunter G]

Hey Dave,

It sounds like something got stirred up once you had the massage but I wonder how unusual it is for someone with prostatitis to not have pain while having a prostatitc massage. That's why I'd like to see as many responses to this discussion as possible. What are your symptoms if you don't mind me asking or what were they at the time? Hopefully Dr. Krongrad can chime in & give us some more insight.

 

[Dave]

I recall my primary symptoms at that time, and as a result of that massage, were very hard to describe! But my best shot would be a horrible dull  yet overwhelming & sickening discomfort that was so vague I could not tell you precisely where it felt like it was coming from but roughly the prostate area, and yet so intense that it filled my whole abdomen like a giant sphere.  The only feeling I can equate it to was the feeling I used to get as a kid, when you've been out in the snow and you come inside and stick your hands under a hot tap and it feels like every bit of flesh is throbbing, yet nothing specific hurts.   Add to that a large helping of more localised right sided testicular & perineum pain.  At that time I had no urinary urgency etc. 

One of the key triggers is ejaculation... Around that period 5 years ago I was okay for the next 24 hrs or so following an ejaculation, but then that same deep, dull discomfort would start building. Could that be a pressure build up? - who knows.   These days the discomfort is less but I get urinary symptoms instead.

The only thing that has really helped has been pregabalin to mask the symptoms, and antibiotics to eradicate them, albeit temporarily. Oh and occasionally an ejaculation will result in a period of several months without symptoms.

Dr. Krongrad may be able to offer opinions, but I think what this forum needs is a specialist urologist who is an expert in prostatitis and similar flavoured conditions. Dr. Krongrad - (and do correct me if I am wrong, Dr K) - is a "urological surgeon with an interest" because he has been able to offer a "way out" to some people in the absence of any alternative, albeit a fairly drastic one.

[Hunter G]

I've heard before, although I cannot verify, that antibiotics can act as anti-inflammatories as well. So, it may be that people that appear to be getting better with abx are actually feeling better because of the anti-inflammatory effects. I'm not sure if this is the case but antibiotics have never really seemed to help me, even after I had several types of bacteria cultured from my EPS, mainly strep. Are these bacteria normal? Who really knows? The one thing about Dr. Krongrad is that he's seen several patients with prostatitis & I would think that most of his patients have a had a prostatitc massage by the time they make it to him. I wonder if the massage was painful for the majority of those patients. I believe having a prostatitis specialist (or specialists) contribute to this forum would certainly be beneficial to everyone that visits here. The more the merrier in my opinion.      

[Rick Hall]

I had a prostate massage last year and outside of the obvious discomfort, all I felt was a burning in my penis.  The Dr. said that was normal and based on that, he decided I did not have prostatitis.