A study of nearly 8,000 men revealed that clinicians may be able to add colonoscopy as a cause of prostatitis, or chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Other risk factors for CP/CPPS can include pelvic trauma, infections (including sexually transmitted infections), pelvic floor disorders, pelvic myoneuropathy, certain sexual activities, medical procedures, prostate stones, and stress.
The vast majority (90-95%) of men who have prostatitis have CP/CPPS, and much research has been done to investigate this condition, which affects approximately 50 percent of all men at some point during their life.
Yet experts are still uncertain about exactly what causes the symptoms that characterize CP/CPPS, which can include chronic pain and/or pain with urination, urinary urgency, and urinary frequency, among others.
Can A Colonoscopy Cause Prostatitis?
A recently published study included data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 and involved 3,933 men with CP/CPPS and 3,933 age-matched controls. The authors found that:
- 67 percent of the men with CP/CPPS had previously undergone colonoscopy
- 20 percent of men without CP/CPPS had had a colonoscopy in the past
- A relationship between CP/CPPS and colonoscopy was more likely among men younger than 40 than those older than 60
- The authors concluded “that there was an association between antecedent colonoscopy and CP/CPPS.”
In a somewhat related topic, a search of the internet reveals that men with prostatitis who undergo a colonoscopy do not typically experience any flare-ups or additional symptoms related to having the procedure. However, this information is purely anecdotal, so men who have been diagnosed with prostatitis and who are considering undergoing a colonoscopy should discuss the possibility of the consequences of having the procedure with their healthcare provider.
Read more in our Prostatitis Health Center.
Reference
Tsai M-C et al. Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is associated with previous colonoscopy. Can A Colonoscopy Cause Prostatitis? Canadian Urological Association Journal 2017 Sep; 11(9): E367-71
