Why urinary pain?

[guy97]

So no infection perhaps, but the usual WBCs. That's par for the course.

It is? They said the WBCs were really high and pointed for sure to an infection. Plus, I did get it right after unprotected sexual contact.

How else could white blood cells have shown up and then vanished post-Cipro?

[webslave]

You may have had some sort of infection that Cipro quickly cleared, leaving you with an aftermath of CP/CPPS, or not.

WBCs do go up during infections, but WBCs can signify inflammation without infection as well, and sheer numbers of WBCs do not differentiate between infectious and non-infectious causes.

Cipro is an anti-inflammatory that could lower WBCs.
https://ucpps.men/antibiotics-are-anti-inflammatory-agents

Sexual contact in itself cannot be relied upon as a sure sign of an infectious etiology. The intensity difference between masturbation/protected sex and full-on unprotected sexual contact is sometimes enough to tip susceptible men into full-blown CPPS. If you closely question some men who report developing the condition suddenly after unprotected sex, you often find that they had little tell-tale symptoms in the years preceding (occasional burning, twinges of pain after sexual activity, etc). The intense excitement and stimulation of the unprotected sex, combined with the anxious fear of infection subsequently, is the last straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back.

[DMcU]

This is how my case started off. I did contract an infection that took 3 rounds of anti-biotics to clear. Now, and this is the interesting bit, I completely obsessed over my case while I was waiting for the anti-b's to work, I completely 'tuned in' to every sensation and read article after article on the internet about how to get rid of the infection myself.

I too had and still the odd time, burning on urination, it's mostly posturinary pain and stinging I feel. My PT is working on the connective tissue in the anal sphincter as there seems to be tight spots and TrPts in there. But stretching these causes the haemorrhoids to get very angry, but it has to be done, it's referring pain straight up the urethra.

My mind alone can create urinary frequency, if I break my routine, like the wedding I attended the other day, I find I can forget a lot of the symptoms and frequency goes right down. Detach yourself from this and just let it go its own course, live your life and you'll see that this just becomes a minor annoyance, like the bully in school - people get sick of him and start ignoring him after a while!

[SoothingSpaces]

Webslave, this is precisely how my symptoms began (or a slight variation thereof if you read my initial post:

""Tantric" sexual practices, which involve grasping the penis tighly to prevent ejaculation. Some men have reported that this started their problems."

Is there anything specifically I should focus on in PT to rectify this?

[webslave]

Tantric sexual practices can result in micro-damage in the genitourinary tract. The force of ejaculation, if blocked, can result in tiny ruptures in the prostatic ducts, and this results in forbidden antigens being exposed to the immune system. This causes production of auto-antibodies that can cause pain and inflammation. This is my theory, but it's pretty logical if you look at the chain of events, and then think of things like post-vasectomy syndrome that arises in a similar way (an immunological reaction of antisperm antibodies).

All men should be warned to avoid Tantric sexual activities!

[SoothingSpaces]

Is it reversible -- or am I in trouble here? And will PT do any good? What can be done about this? Would these ruptures show up on a trans rectal ultrasound?

[webslave]

First of all, I am not 100% sure this is what is happening in your case. It's only a possibility.

If it is the case, PT may help because you now may have a guarding response to the pain, so get that unwound. Tiny ruptures will not be visible with any imaging technique.

I don't know if it's reversible. Maybe you could try a course of steroids via the doctor?

[SoothingSpaces]

Thanks for your reply. Well as you may recall the WBCs were high in semen culture (none in urine and no infection). What kind of steroid would work for this?

[webslave]

I can't prescribe or recommend prescription medicines; let the doctor make that choice. I'm a fan of betamethasone for such experiments ... don't do it for more than a week or two, IMO, to avoid the many and serious side effects of steroids

[SoothingSpaces]

Ok now I am a little scared that I've permanently damaged myself and it's more immune system related. Ugh. I know you're not a doctor.

[webslave]

At the same time, you're clearly a very anxious person, so that may be the true etiology. Don't start panicking, it will only make it worse.

[SoothingSpaces]

Amen to that. I was happy go lucky before this hit, though. Just looking for answers and you are doing a great job of demystifying this for me.

[webslave]

Or perhaps I'm making it worse! Sometimes knowing all the possibilities is not a comfort, but the opposite!

[SoothingSpaces]

No...you are helpful. Six months into this, I just don't feel a lot of progress on the pain front. Taking the Quercetin, reading the headache book, going to internal PT, getting psychological help...but suffering from chronic pain -- all in the perineum.

[webslave]

You'll beat it, most people do, but sometimes it does take time.