Prostatitis is the most common urologic diagnosis in men younger than 50. While the prostate may indeed be a source of pelvic pain, it is likely that in many cases that pain in the male pelvis does not stem entirely (or in some cases at all) from issues with the prostate itself.

A more accurate terminology has been promoted by the National Institute of Health, USA; in this classification scheme for Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS), men may be diagnosed with, Acute Bacterial Prostatitis, Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis, Prostatodynia or presence of inflammation in urine.