Visits to the toilet are more and more frequent, but less and less productive: only a little urine, sometimes mixed with blood, can be squeezed out.There is pain during and after urination.Sometimes there is pain above the pubis.These are all symptoms of cystitis, a disease that mostly affects women.And although cystitis is not life-threatening, it is very capable of ruining a few of your days.
The purpose of this article is to tell you how you can treat cystitis at home and how to deal with this disease as quickly as possible.
What is cystitis?
Cysitis is an infectious disease.But its pathogens live in our body.In 85-95% of cases, the cause of urinary tract infections is E. coli, a frequent inhabitant of the intestine.Another typical pathogen is Staphylococcus saprophyticus, representative of skin microflora.And they enter the bladder via the ascending route: from the skin or from the rectum through the urethra.
How to prevent cystitis?
Anatomical characteristics (larger bladder volume and short urethra) determine the prevalence of cystitis in women.
It is clear why women suffer from cystitis more often - it's all in the anatomy.The urethra in women is significantly shorter than in men, and the bladder is larger, which means that it can be emptied less often.But the stream of urine quite effectively washes away the microorganisms that have penetrated the urinary canal.Hence the first rule for women: if you don't want to experience cystitis, go to the toilet every 3-4 hours.
Another common cause of cystitis is microtrauma of the female urethra during sexual intercourse.So-called defloration cystitis often spoils the honeymoon.Advice to beloved men: don't forget intimate hygiene.Tip for smart women: Emptying your bladder before and after sex greatly reduces the risk of infection.
When should you see a doctor?
No woman is immune from isolated cases of cystitis.However, if dysuria recurs, it is worth undergoing a comprehensive examination.
Pregnancy is a particularly dangerous period.The functioning of the immune system and hormonal levels change, the growing uterus displaces the bladder, disrupts the flow of urine, and as a result, infection occurs.Meanwhile, bacteriuria increases the risk of premature birth by 2 times - so cystitis in this period is not at all harmless.
If the symptoms of the disease appear in a man, you should contact a specialist immediately and without fail;Cystitis in men is almost always secondary.And the root cause can be prostate disease, diabetes or urolithiasis.In addition, cystitis-like symptoms can occur in non-gonococcal urethritis (probable causes are chlamydia, mycoplasma, trichomonas) and bladder tuberculosis.
The doctor will perform urine and blood tests, microflora cultures, probably refer you to an ultrasound of the bladder, possibly a cystoscopy and take a swab from the urethra.If the examination shows that the cystitis is uncomplicated, then they will most likely trust you to deal with its symptoms on your own.
What to do if you have cystitis?
- It is highly recommended to stay in bed during an exacerbation, under a warm blanket, with a heater in the lower part of the abdomen (if blood is not excreted in the urine, we cancel the heater).
- Drink as much as possible.Tea - only with milk, coffee and beer are excluded.Cranberry, cranberry and blueberry fruit drinks are welcome (the proanthyanides they contain prevent bacteria from attaching to the bladder wall), a decoction of oats, bearberry, birch buds, and if blood appears, nettles are good.Herbal medicine is most effective in the form of preparations;the pharmacy will always offer ready-made ones.
- The diet includes avoiding spices, canned foods and marinades, but dairy products, fruits (especially watermelon) and vegetables will be beneficial.
- If you have cystitis, you should not go to the bath or sauna, but washing with warm water and special products for intimate hygiene will help reduce discomfort after urination.
- You can put suppositories with papaverine - this often relieves pain.
But in any case, antibacterial drugs are necessary to treat the infection.
If cystitis is repeated, or the patient is an elderly person, or has diabetes mellitus, then the course of uroseptic should be longer - at least a week.
Attention!Antibiotics are prescribed to pregnant women only by a doctor after an examination - it is safer for the woman and the child.
What should you watch out for?
If left untreated, infection from the bladder through the ureters can spread to the kidneys, resulting in 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?
At the first episode of cystitis, you can contact a therapist.If the disease has a recurrent or chronic course, you should consult a urologist and be sure to undergo a cystoscopy.