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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you have signs or symptoms of prostatitis, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist in urinary tract and male sexual disorders (urologist) for some diagnostic tests and treatment. Because your time with the doctor can be brief, it's a good idea to prepare for your appointment.
What you can do
Make a list ahead of time that you can share with your doctor. Your list should include:
- Symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to pelvic pain
- Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes
- Medications that you're taking, including any vitamins or supplements
- Questions to ask your doctor
List questions for your doctor from most important to least important in case time runs out. If you think you have signs or symptoms of prostatitis, you may ask some of the following questions.
- Do I have a form of prostatitis?
- What other conditions could be causing the pain I'm experiencing?
- What kinds of tests will I need?
- What is the first line of treatment?
- At what point will we consider other treatment options?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- How severe are your symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
- Were you recently diagnosed with a urinary tract infection?
- Have you had frequent urinary tract infections?
- Have you had any recent injury to the groin?
- Does anything, such as pain medication, improve your symptoms?
- Meyrier A, et al. Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
- Pontari MA. Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
- Schaeffer AJ. Clinical practice. Chronic prostatitis and the chronic pelvic pain syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine. 2006;355:1690-1698.
- Prostatitis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments. Linthicum, MD: American Urological Association Foundation; 2005.
- Nickel J. Inflammatory conditions of the male genitourinary tract: Prostatitis and related conditions, orchitis, and epididymitis. In: Wein A, et al., eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/117299121-3/794153691/1445/12.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50011-X--cesec1_747. Accessed Jan. 21, 2009.
- Pontari MA. Etiologic theories of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Current Urology Reports. 2007;8:307-312.
