It is a condition in which the patient exhibits many of the symptoms of prostatitis without any demonstrable infection. It is believed to occur eight times more often than bacterial prostatitis. In cases of NBP, however, urinary tract infections are rare.
Symptoms come and go, disappearing and reappearing without warning or apparent reason.
The patient will experience good and bad spells. This can be frustrating and debilitating, as the patient typically will seek treatment on the basis of symptoms he and his physician assume are associated with bacterial prostatitis. Medications prescribed for bacterial prostatitis may appear to work when the condition wanes, misleading them to think the problem has been cured. This can give rise to great anxiety when symptoms return, and in fact many men report a worsening of their symptoms during times of stress. A diagnosis of NBP usually is made after repeated unsuccessful attempts to treat what is presumed to be bacterial prostatitis.