Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

Which symptom is not typically associated with acute prostatitis?

1. Fever and chills

2. Tenderness of the scrotum on the affected side

3. Perineal pain

4. Slow onset of symptoms

The correct answer is: Slow onset of symptoms

Acute prostatitis is characterized by a sudden onset of symptoms, often leading to an acute inflammatory response in the prostate gland. The correct answer highlights the inconsistency of a slow onset of symptoms with acute prostatitis. In acute prostatitis, patients frequently experience an abrupt emergence of various symptoms such as fever and chills, which indicate systemic involvement, and perineal pain, which stems from the inflammation of the prostate and surrounding structures. Tenderness of the scrotum on the affected side can also occur due to the proximity of the scrotal structures to the inflamed prostate and the associated pain referral patterns. In contrast, a slow onset of symptoms would be more indicative of chronic prostatitis or other conditions that develop more gradually over time, rather than the acute presentation that characterizes acute prostatitis. This distinction is crucial in clinical practice for appropriate diagnosis and management of the condition.