What causes non-bacterial prostatitis?
Various theories have been proposed over the years to explain the cause of non-bacterial inflammatory prostatitis (category IIIa). As mentioned above, it may be due to an occult bacterial infection that cant be detected. Although unproven, other theories include genetic factors, hormonal imbalance, aging, chemical irritants, fungal infections, and an autoimmune response (where the body makes antibodies against itself). In the final analysis, though, the exact etiology of chronic prostatitis remains obscure in most cases. The etiology of its non-inflammatory cousin (category IIIb) is just as mysterious. Although opinions vary, non-inflammatory prostatitis (also called prostatodynia, which literally means pain, dynia, in the prostate) is blamed on muscle spasms of the pelvis muscles (called the levator ani muscles), external urethral striated sphincter muscle (muscle used to stop urination), and muscles that surround the bladder neck (place where the prostate and bladder connect). Chroni
