How does chronic bacterial prostatitis typically present compared to acute bacterial prostatitis?

Chronic bacterial prostatitis often presents with a nontender, boggy prostate upon examination. This presentation is distinct from acute bacterial prostatitis, where the prostate is typically tender and may be associated with severe pelvic pain. In chronic cases, patients may experience milder and more vague symptoms over a longer period, such as urinary frequency, urgency, and discomfort, rather than the acute and severe symptoms seen in the acute form.

This contrast in the tenderness of the prostate is a crucial diagnostic point. While acute bacterial prostatitis is often accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever and chills due to the acute infection, chronic bacterial prostatitis usually does not present with such constitutional symptoms. The gradual onset and a more indolent course of symptoms are characteristic, making the examination findings of a nontender, boggy prostate a key feature in differentiation.