webslave wrote: Why are so many men reluctant to read this research and absorb this fact?
I've been thinking about this and it has made me re-examine many of the emotions I went through when I was first diagnosed. I think a key reason many men still cling to this opinion is, quite simply, the hope for a quick fix or magic bullet to 'cure' them.
When I was first diagnosed, and read that bacterial prostatitis (but NOT CPPS) could be easily treated with ABX I
wanted to believe that I had an infection which was solely responsible for my condition, as it meant that my problem could be easily treated and would quickly clear up. In short, I too wanted a 'magic bullet'. When I was switched to a course of Doxycycline, and the intense burning/red hot coal sensation coming from my prostate started to subside, I thought I had found it and that my life would soon be back to normal.
Unfortunately, although my
prostatitis went away as a result of the ABX, I was still left with all of the usual pelvic pain and urinary problems associated with CPPS. I then was forced to face the reality that infection was no longer responsible for my remaining symptoms, and that there was not going to be any magic bullet for these.
However, the question about infection still lingered in my mind, and it was not until I saw a Physio who specialised in pelvic pain that I finally accepted that infection was in not in any way responsible for my remaining symptoms, and that now I had severe pelvic floor muscle spasm (whcih he felt was initiated by the Prostatitis). However, my hope for a magic bullet was replaced by a new hope, albeit a 'slow fix as opposed to a quick fix', that my condition would be significantly improved by a course of myofascial release.
So for those people who are long time sufferers and are still clinging to the belief/hope that, despite of all of the current research, they have an infection, I don't believe there will be any quick fix in the form of an antibiotic. Most people with chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome do not even have an inflamed prostate, let alone an infection!
I know I've stated this before, but diagnosis of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome should involve 2 key parts:
1 - Urological conditions such as UTI, strictures and bacterial prostatitis MUST be ruled out (the vast majority of sufferers) or treated - New sufferers should not jump to the conclusion about whether or not they have an infection until they have seen a specialist. I believe this is the first step in the Stanford/Wise-Anderson Protocol.
2 - After this you must have a full examination of your pelvic floor muscles comprising of a manual exam, and a computerised assessment of pelvic floor muscle function. According to high quality research, you have around a 90% chance that pelvic floor muscle spasm is a large part of your problem.
An important point is that by the time they get here, most sufferers have already been through the first stage - Some several times as Mark points out above! So, to those people who have been through the first stage, but, despite the current research, believe that they still have an infection, I have a question: How many of you have actually had your pelvic floor muscles examined by a specialist?
If you haven't I'd advise you to let go of your hopes that you have an infection which will be easily cured by ABX, and go and get a pelvic floor exam ASAP.
Take a look at the 'Success stories' forum - How many people who have had longstanding chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome are reporting significant improvements as a result of ABX?
Being right or wrong about something is not important - getting better is
