Prostatitis Symptom Checker

Prostatitis means inflammation or infection of the prostate — the small gland below the bladder in men — and it's the most common prostate problem in men under 50. Unlike an enlarged prostate (BPH), which is mainly about urinary flow, prostatitis is centered on pain: discomfort in the perineum (between the scrotum and anus), the lower abdomen or pubic area, the testicles or tip of the penis, pain when urinating, and pain with ejaculation, often alongside urinary urgency and frequency. There are several types. Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis are caused by bacteria and may need antibiotics; chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is the most common type and is not caused by a proven infection; and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis causes no symptoms at all. It's a real, treatable condition — not something to simply put up with.

The core symptom is pelvic or genital pain: in the perineum, the lower abdomen or pubic area, the testicles, or the tip of the penis. Alongside it come urinary symptoms — pain or burning when you urinate, needing to go often or urgently, a weak or hesitant stream, and a sense you haven't fully emptied — and pain or discomfort during or after ejaculation. The NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, which this checker is informed by, groups these into three domains: pain, urinary symptoms, and how much they affect your quality of life. Symptoms can come on suddenly (more typical of acute bacterial prostatitis, which can also bring fever) or build gradually and linger for months (more typical of CP/CPPS). How much they bother you matters as much as the symptoms themselves.

No — but they overlap, which is exactly why testing matters. Prostatitis is inflammation or infection of the prostate itself. An STI such as chlamydia or gonorrhea infects the urethra (urethritis) and can cause very similar symptoms — painful urination, urgency, and sometimes discharge. Because the symptoms overlap, and because some STIs can be involved in prostate and pelvic symptoms, a clinician will usually want to rule an STI out, especially if you have penile discharge, a new partner, or a possible recent exposure. Unlike CP/CPPS, an STI is something you can test for and treat directly. If discharge or a recent exposure is part of your picture, working out which STI test you need is a sensible step alongside seeing a clinician.

Acute bacterial prostatitis can be serious and sometimes needs urgent care. Seek same-day or emergency care if you have a fever with chills together with pelvic or urinary symptoms, if you suddenly cannot urinate at all (or can only pass a little with great difficulty), or if you have severe pain in the pelvis, genitals, or lower back. These can signal an acute bacterial infection that, untreated, can lead to a blood infection (sepsis) or a blockage that stops you passing urine — both of which need prompt in-person treatment, not a questionnaire. Sudden or severe pain in one testicle, or a new testicular lump or swelling, is a separate emergency worth acting on the same way: it can be testicular torsion, which needs surgery within hours to save the testicle, or an infection called epididymo-orchitis that needs same-day care. This checker is mainly for ongoing, milder symptoms; acute, severe, testicular, or feverish symptoms always warrant urgent evaluation.

With a clinical evaluation, not a questionnaire. A clinician — your primary-care doctor or a urologist — reviews your symptoms and this kind of pattern, examines you (often including a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate), and checks a urine sample to look for infection. They may add a urine culture, tests to rule out an STI, and sometimes further tests, to work out which type of prostatitis you have. Treatment depends on the type: antibiotics for bacterial prostatitis (a longer course for the chronic form), and for CP/CPPS a combination approach that can include medications that relax the prostate and bladder, pain relief, pelvic-floor physical therapy, and other measures. Because the right path depends on the cause, this is a decision to make with a clinician.

Yes. This checker runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are read on your own device and are never sent to a server, saved, or shared — close the tab and they're gone. It's general educational information informed by the public NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index and patient guidance from the Urology Care Foundation and MedlinePlus; it can't diagnose you, isn't a test, and doesn't replace an evaluation by a licensed clinician.