Why do you get epididymitis?

Epididymitis is a disease with a high incidence rate in men. There are many causes of this disease, the most common of which are prostatitis or urinary tract infection. In addition, sterile urine reflux or prostatectomy can also lead to epididymitis, a male disease. However, epididymitis can be treated. Below, we will introduce the causes and treatments of epididymitis!

1. Causes of Epididymitis

①Secondary to prostatitis or urinary tract infection.

② Prostatectomy, especially transurethral surgery, can cause bacteria to remain in urine for 8 to 12 weeks after surgery. During urination, urine can flow back into the ejaculatory duct, causing retrograde infection and leading to epididymitis. The infection can also invade the epididymis through the surrounding lymphatic vessels.

③ Sterile urine refluxes into the ejaculatory duct, causing chemical epididymitis. Recent studies have found that urine can reflux into the seminal vesicles.

The third cause is not specific. It should explain how sterile urine enters the epididymis and causes chemical epididymitis. Also, will the ejaculatory duct and vas deferens prevent sterile urine from flowing back into the epididymis? How do they prevent it?

2. Treatment of acute epididymitis

(1) General treatment: Resting in bed and using a scrotal support or a homemade cushion to lift the scrotum can alleviate symptoms. Painkillers can be used for severe pain, and local heat therapy can relieve symptoms and promote the disappearance of inflammation. However, using heat therapy too early can aggravate pain and has the risk of promoting the spread of infection. Therefore, it is advisable to use ice packs for local cold compresses in the early stage. Sexual intercourse and physical labor can aggravate the infection and should be avoided.

(2) Antibacterial drugs should be selected to treat bacteria that are sensitive to them. Usually, they are given intravenously for 1 to 2 weeks, followed by oral administration for 2 to 4 weeks to prevent the condition from turning into chronic inflammation.

(3) If antibiotic treatment is ineffective and testicular ischemia is suspected, epididymotomy should be performed to relieve pressure. Multiple longitudinal or transverse incisions should be made in the epididymal tunica vaginalis, but injury to the epididymal duct should be avoided.

3. Treatment of chronic epididymitis

Chronic epididymitis may not be cured by medication alone. In addition to the use of effective broad-spectrum antibiotics, physical therapy such as local hot compresses is also necessary. Local application of berberine or neomycin plasma ionization therapy can also be used. If there is chronic prostatitis, it must be treated at the same time. For recurrent epididymitis caused by chronic prostatitis, vasectomy can be considered before treatment. For those who have repeated episodes, epididymectomy can also be considered.