Visits to the toilet are more and more frequent, but less and less productive: only a small amount of urine can flow out, sometimes mixed with blood.There is pain during and after urination.Sometimes there is a shooting pain above the pubis.These are all symptoms of cystitis, a disease that most commonly affects women.And although cystitis does not pose a danger to life, it is quite capable of ruining many of one's days.
The purpose of this article is to tell you how to treat cystitis at home and how to deal with this disease as quickly as possible.
What is cystitis?
Cystitis is an infectious disease.But its pathogens live in our own bodies.In 85 to 95 percent of cases, the cause of urinary tract infections is E. coli, a common inhabitant of the intestines.Another typical pathogen is Staphylococcus saprophyticus, a representative of the skin microflora.And they enter the bladder via an ascending route: from the skin or from the rectum via the urethra.
How to prevent cystitis?
It is the anatomical characteristics (larger bladder volume and short urethra) that determine the prevalence of cystitis in women.
It’s clear why women suffer from cystitis more often: it’s all a question of anatomy.The urethra in women is much shorter than in men and the bladder is larger, meaning it can be emptied less often.But a stream of urine quite effectively removes microorganisms that have entered the urinary canal.Hence the first rule for women: if you don't want to get cystitis, go to the toilet every 3-4 hours.
Another common cause of cystitis is microtrauma to the female urethra during sexual intercourse.So-called defloration cystitis often spoils the honeymoon.Advice to loving men: don't forget about intimate hygiene.Tip for smart women: Emptying your bladder before and after sex greatly reduces your risk of infection.
When should you consult a doctor?
Not a single woman is safe from isolated cases of cystitis.However, if dysuria returns, it is worth undergoing a complete examination.
Pregnancy is a particularly dangerous time.The functioning of the immune system and hormonal levels change, the growing uterus displaces the bladder, disrupting the flow of urine and, as a result, infection.During this time, bacteriuria increases the risk of premature birth by 2 times - so cystitis during this period is not at all harmless.
If symptoms of the disease appear in a man, you should consult a specialist immediately and without fail;cystitis in men is almost always secondary.And the root cause may be prostate disease, diabetes or urolithiasis.In addition, symptoms similar to cystitis can occur with non-gonococcal urethritis (its probable causative agents are chlamydia, mycoplasma, trichomonas) and tuberculosis of the bladder.
The doctor will perform urine and blood tests, microflora cultures, probably refer you for a bladder ultrasound, possibly a cystoscopy, and perform urethral smears.If the examination proves that cystitis is not complicated, you will probably be trusted to manage its symptoms yourself.
What to do if you have cystitis?
- It is very advisable to stay in bed during an exacerbation, under a warm blanket, with a heating pad in the lower abdomen (if the blood is not excreted in the urine, then the heating pad is canceled).
- Drink as much as possible.Tea - only with milk, coffee and beer are excluded.Fruit drinks from cranberry, lingonberry and blueberry are welcome (the proantyanides contained in them prevent bacteria from attaching to the wall of the bladder), a decoction of oats, bearberry, birch buds is good, and if blood appears, from nettle.Herbal medicine is most effective in the form of preparations;the pharmacy will always offer ready-to-use products.
- The diet involves avoiding spices, canned foods, and pickles, but dairy products, fruits (especially watermelon), and vegetables will be beneficial.
- If you suffer from cystitis, you should not go to a bathhouse or sauna, but washing with warm water and special intimate hygiene products will help reduce discomfort after urination.
- You can put suppositories containing papaverine - this often relieves pain.
But in all cases, antibacterial drugs are necessary to treat the infection.
If cystitis is recurrent, the patient is elderly or suffers from diabetes mellitus, the course of uroseptics should be longer - at least a week.
Attention!Antibiotics are prescribed to pregnant women only by a doctor after an examination - this is safer for both the woman and the child.
What should you be wary of?
If left untreated, a bladder infection via the ureters can spread to the kidneys, leading to pyelonephritis.
If frequent and painful urination is accompanied by pain in the lower back and fever, then it is possible that the infection has spread to the kidneys, and here you cannot do without a doctor.
Which doctor should I contact?
From the first episode of cystitis, you can consult a therapist.If the disease progresses recurrently or chronically, you should consult a urologist and be sure to undergo a cystoscopy.