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If you have prostatitis, you get pain in your pelvis or genitals. You may also have problems urinating. The word chronic means that the condition can last a long time. Your doctor may say you have chronic prostatitis if your symptoms last for six months or more.

You may get pain or aching:¹

• In the area between your anus and your testicles (this area is called the perineum)
• In or around your penis or testicles
• Low down in your pelvis (the part of your body between your two hip bones)
• In your lower back.

You may also have problems urinating. These problems include:²

• Urinating more often than usual
• Feeling that you can't hold onto your urine and have to go urgently
• A burning pain when you urinate
• Having to wait to start urinating
• A weak stream
• Stopping and starting when you urinate.

And you may have pain after an orgasm.¹

There are other conditions that can cause these symptoms. So your doctor will check whether you have a bladder infection, an enlarged prostate, prostate cancer or a narrowing inside your penis that makes it hard to urinate. Your doctor can usually tell whether you have any of these other problems by examining you and asking about your symptoms.

Prostatitis can last a long time and make you feel miserable. It isn't dangerous, but it can affect how much you enjoy life just as much as some serious illnesses.³

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.