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Urology/chronic prostate infection

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Expert: Stephen W. Leslie, MD - 4/21/2005


Question
Doctor:

Can you tell me if 30 days of levaquin for a chronic prostate infection is the going days of treatment, i just thought it was a long time for treatment.  And if you do get it cleared up with the antibiotics what are some preventative measures that it wont come back?  Thanks


Answer
30 days or longer may be necessary for prostatitis.  Typically, we use 6 weeks.  Other treatments include avoiding caffeine, hot spicey food, alcohol and smoking; hot sitz baths, Flomax (a urinary flow enhancer and muscle relaxant), anti-inflammatories (Motrin, Advil) and avoiding cold, narrow seats like bicycle seats.

Other than the dietary advice, there is little you can really do to prevent it except to make sure the treatment is long enough to eradicate all the infection and to get medical help at the first sign of a relapse.

Some have suggested that various supplements, such as saw palmetto, pygeum africanum, selenium, antioxicants, etc., might help in treating or preventing prostatitis.  This claim has not been scientifically validated so we cannot formally recommend it.  If you want to try this approach, a good product of this type is called PEENUTS.  You can find it at: www.peenuts.com

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Stephen W. Leslie, MD

Expertise

Questions concerning erectile dysfunction, kidney stones and prostate disorders including prostate cancer. I have a special interest in kidney stone disease prevention.

Experience

Full time practicing urologist with 30 years experience. Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief of Urology at Creighton University Medical Center. Editor in Chief of eMedicine Urology internet textbook. Author of only NIH approved book written for patients by a urologist on the subject of kidney stones "The Kidney Stones Handbook". Inventor of the "Parachute" and "Escape" kidney stone baskets and the "Calculus" stone prevention analysis computer program.

Organizations
American Urological Association, Ohio State Medical Association, Sexual Medicine Society

Publications
Men's Health, Journal of Urology, Urology, Healthwatch Magazine, Emergency Medicine Monthly, eMedicine, "The Kidney Stones Handbook", and numerous articles in various newspapers. He is also the editor of the Urology Board Review by McGraw-Hill used by urologists to study for their Board Certification Examinations.

Education/Credentials
Graduate of New York Medical College with residencies completed at Metropolitan Hospital New York, Albany Medical Center and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Awards and Honors
Thirlby Award of the American Urological Association. Rated as one the country's Best Urologists by the Independent Consumer's Research Institute

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