Cystitis (Cyctitis) is a common disease of the urinary system associated with an inflammatory process in the lining of the bladder. It is important to note that every fourth woman has faced the symptoms of cystitis at least once in her life, while every tenth woman suffers from a chronic form of this disease. It is also worth comparing the frequency in women and men: only 0. 5% of men suffer from cystitis, which is mainly due to the difference in the structure of the urinary canal and the difficulty of introducing the infection into it.
Causes of disease
Cystitis in women most often occurs due to the penetration of an aggressive opportunistic pathogen into the urethra, as well as ascending sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia, ureaplasma, fungal infections of the genus Candida, etc. A short and wide urinary tract is often susceptible to such infections. The appearance of cystitis in women can also occur due to the movement of pathogens through the bloodstream. This path of disease development is called hematogenous.
Another possibility of infection is the entry of bacteria into the bladder with pathologies of the kidneys and ureters. Usually, such a development can be observed in pyelonephritis.
It should be noted that there is a rarer, but still present variant of the development of the disease, caused by anomalies in the development of the urinary system. Also, reducing the contractility of the bladder muscles can lead to cystitis.
Signs of infection can appear especially actively in the presence of predisposing factors. This includes:
- Sitting work. In a sitting position for more than three hours in a row, stagnation of urine occurs, which leads to a possible infection of the bladder. Therefore, if your job involves sitting in one place for a long time, you need to get up every hour and do a little warm-up every three hours.
- Prison.
- Presence of sand and stones in the bladder.
- Tight underwear that can disrupt normal blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
- Frequent hypothermia of the body.
- Lower back injury, spinal cord injury.
- Early onset of sexual activity.
- Metabolic disorders, hormonal changes in the body (for example, menopause or pregnancy). During hormonal surges, the body's immune system can malfunction. Remember: when carrying a child, the expectant mother is especially exposed to the risk of infection and the development of cystitis. Therefore, during pregnancy, you must carefully monitor your health and consult a doctor at the first sign of illness.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Therapy with immunosuppressive drugs.
- Oncological diseases.
- Unbalanced and improper diet: abuse of spicy and fried food, alcohol.
- Improper hygiene procedures (especially improper washing in the direction from the anus to the vagina).
- The possibility of bladder infection is high with insufficient personal hygiene (long-term wearing of the same pad or tampon during menstruation, untimely change of underwear, constant use of daily pads).
- Stress, chronic lack of sleep, which seriously affects the state of immunity.
- A general decrease in immunity caused by the presence of a chronic focus of inflammation in the body (stomatitis (Stomatitis), caries (Caries), rhinitis (Rhinitis), tonsillitis (Tonsillitis). As a result, this can lead to a violation of the sterility of the urethra
Special mention should be made of such a form of inflammation of the bladder as interstitial cystitis, which is a consequence of serious disorders in the work of the immune system and is a serious chronic disease.
Symptoms and signs
The symptoms of cystitis are very characteristic and allow you to immediately make the correct diagnosis. First of all, these are frequent urination (the patient visits the toilet up to several times an hour) and pain at the end of the bladder emptying process. Also, the most striking symptoms include:
- a feeling of fullness of the bladder even after urination;
- admixture of blood or pus in the urine;
- urine with cystitis in women acquires a sharper smell;
- cloudy urine and the presence of flakes in it;
- lower abdominal pain;
- when the infection spreads, including the upper parts of the urinary tract, pain in the kidneys and lower back is possible;
- quite rarely, but still there are difficulties with retention of urine
If you find these symptoms in yourself, you should consult a doctor for diagnosis and further treatment, because the advanced form of the disease is full of numerous complications.
Symptoms of cystitis give a woman not only physical, but also psychological discomfort, leaving a mark on her personal and social life. Therefore, it is necessary to react as soon as possible to the appearance of the first signs of the disease and start therapy.
If the inflammation caused by the infection spreads to the muscle layer of the bladder, the appearance of the interstitial form of cystitis, which has already been mentioned, is possible. In this case, urine is introduced into the walls of the organ, as well as its reflux into the ureters.
If left untreated and if the infection spreads vertically, kidney disease, pyelonephritis, can develop.
Types of cystitis
It is necessary to distinguish between types of diseases that differ in the manner of origin, course, morphological changes and nature of spread.
All types of cystitis are divided according to the nature of the course into acute and chronic. We will consider both options for the course of the disease.
Acute cystitis
Against the background of the manifestation of the symptoms described above, acute cystitis gives a low temperature, general weakness. The blood vessels of the bladder dilate, which leads to swelling of the walls of the organ. In this case, spot bleeding and hyperemia (hyperemia) are observed. In the acute phase of the disease, the mucous membranes and submucosal membranes of the urinary bladder are most often damaged, and their epithelium is sometimes rejected, and there may also be admixture of blood in the urine. The color of urine in the hemorrhagic form of the disease can vary from light pink to dull brown.
Chronic cystitis
When the disease goes into a chronic phase, the inflammation spreads and moves from the mucosa and submucosa to the muscle layer of the bladder. In this case, the color of the mucous membrane takes on a whitish or grayish hue. If the disease is not treated for a long time, sclerotic processes occur in the organ, due to which its volume can decrease.
In the chronic form, all the previously mentioned signs can be "blurred" and weakly expressed, which makes it difficult to establish a diagnosis. If chronic cystitis is suspected, it is necessary to focus on the data of anamnesis, macro- and microscopy of urine, cystoscopy and bacteriological examination. A parallel gynecological examination is especially important in the detection of chronic cystitis, because it is often genital infections that cause the appearance of chronic forms of cystitis.
Acute and chronic cystitis: which doctor should I contact?
Standard tests for the diagnosis of cystitis in older women, mature women and girls are general urinalysis, urine culture to detect pathological flora (bacteriuria), Nechiporenko analysis. As additional measures, modern clinics often offer ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys, cystoscopy and examinations for sexually transmitted diseases. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe a urine sample for analysis not by the standard method, but by using a catheter. This may be necessary to prevent vaginal discharge from entering the urine.
Treatment of acute cystitis is carried out on the basis of antibacterial drugs. Due to the fact that such drugs are excreted by the kidneys, it is very easy to achieve the desired concentration of antibiotics in the bladder, so the effect of the treatment occurs as quickly as possible. Two important factors must be taken into account:
The doctor should prescribe antibiotics after obtaining the results of the urine culture, which will determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to the selected drug.
Even after alleviating the condition, the prescribed course of antibiotics should be taken to the end, which will avoid relapse and transition of the disease into a chronic form.
The following are used as auxiliary measures for the treatment of cystitis:
- medicines to relieve bladder spasms, general anti-inflammatory medicines;
- physiotherapy;
- ozonotherapy;
- acupuncture.
For the treatment of the chronic form of cystitis, local application of drugs that prevent the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms can be used. Tea tree essential oil gel can be used as an aid. The gel is recommended for eliminating vaginal complaints, normalizing the microflora and restoring the mucous membrane of the vagina after infectious and inflammatory diseases and in the period after antibiotic treatment.
Acute cystitis
It is worth noting that the treatment of acute cystitis is always bed rest. Treating the inflammatory process in the bladder "on the run" without issuing a sick leave, especially in the cold season, means risking a possible transition of the disease into a chronic form. The disease is always accompanied by severe stress for the body, which requires rest and rest. At the same time, ignoring the disease and postponing a visit to the doctor can "result" in pyelonephritis, the treatment of which will require constant medical supervision.
Diet
In order to reduce the inflammation as quickly as possible, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids: the minimum amount of fluid you drink should be 1. 5 liters per day.
Diet for cystitis has a number of limitations. Shutting down angry and angry will contribute to recovery and avoid a repeat of the situation. During the treatment, it is necessary to completely exclude alcohol. This applies to all alcoholic beverages.
If you have painful and frequent urination, blood impurities, flakes or pus in your urine, do not rush to panic. Indeed, according to statistics, female cystitis is a very common phenomenon.
The most important thing is not to delay and consult a doctor on time.
As a rule, this disease is determined when there are frequent painful emissions of urine in small portions, with impurities of blood. Such processes are often accompanied by an increase in body temperature. Cystitis is dangerous due to the possible transition to a chronic form or the development of inflammation in the kidneys. Most often, cystitis is of an infectious nature.
Cystitis is widespread in women and men, but the fairer sex is more likely to suffer from this disease due to the anatomical characteristics of the female body. The female urethra is shorter and wider than the male urethra, which makes it easier for pathogens to enter the bladder. This explains the frequent cases of cystitis in women. Women of reproductive age are most susceptible to cystitis. There are many cases of recurrence of cystitis, which significantly worsens a woman's health and affects her life.
Prevalence of cystitis
The so-called acute cystitis is one of the most common urological diseases. It is not unusual to find uncomplicated cystitis, during which microbes only affect the mucosa and do not affect the submucosal layer.
Based on scientific research, it can be claimed that 26 to 36 million people fall ill with acute cystitis annually in our country.
Girls suffer from cystitis almost three times more often than boys. The disease is sometimes diagnosed in infants and children under 1 year of age, and is more common in children aged one to three years, and especially in children aged 13-15 years. As a rule, cystitis often occurs in patients aged 4 to 12 years.
Chronic cystitis is one of the most widespread urological diseases. Based on these studies, chronic cystitis can be seen in 11-21% of the population. A significant scattering of data is caused by a different approach to the definition of chronic cystitis. Some research authors write that the diagnosis of "chronic cystitis" should be considered when exacerbations occur 2 times a year or more.
cystitis in summer
There are few women who have not felt the symptoms of cystitis, when the pleasure of wonderful summer days was overshadowed by such an unpleasant disease. In addition, in the summer, especially when a woman travels long distances from home and finds herself in an unusual environment, there are many reasons for the appearance of cystitis.
Most often, cystitis occurs in the summer season due to the following factors:
- living in a new place during the vacation period, which causes problems with personal hygiene;
- hypothermia of the body, which occurs as a result of prolonged bathing in cold water;
- violation of the usual urination regime, which is associated with movement, flights or staying in a new place;
- drastic climate changes, which negatively affect human immunity.
An additional factor in the risk of developing cystitis in some cases is an increase in the activity of sexual activity, against the background of the above-mentioned conditions, which are unfavorable for the female body.
In the event that your weekend or annual vacation is spoiled by the appearance of such an unpleasant disease, it is necessary to make an appointment with a urologist as soon as possible. To clarify the diagnosis, you will have to undergo an ultrasound of the bladder, pass a urine test. Today, antibacterial drugs effectively act directly on the causative agent of cystitis and can speed up the healing process, as well as prevent the transition of acute cystitis to a chronic form.
Modern drugs, unlike the drugs of the last generation, which affected the entire body of the patient, affect only the inflamed areas of the bladder, minimally affecting other human organs. The main concentration of drugs is maximally detected exclusively in urine and the mucous membrane of the urinary bladder, which is inflamed. This allows you to reduce the toxic effect on other organs and focus the entire burden on the treatment of cystitis.
Among the drugs used to treat this disease, it is worth highlighting the drug with fosfomycin. Due to its high selectivity of action with minimal toxicological burden on the body, it has another useful quality - this drug does not subsequently cause phototoxicity. This is the name of a side effect that can be caused by many medicines used to treat cystitis. The manifestation of phototoxicity is an increase in sensitivity to sunlight, the appearance of redness or burns under the influence of ultraviolet rays, even of low intensity. Phototoxicity occurs due to the presence in preparations of substances that have the properties of photosensitizers or photoreagents. Such substances cause the appearance of a significant amount of free radicals in the skin, which cause the destruction of skin cells, inflammation and even burns.
Unlike other drugs for the treatment of cystitis, fosfomycin is not capable of causing phototoxicity, which means that it can be used without disrupting the planned regime of beach vacations. The advantage can also be called the maximum absence of side effects, which enables safe and very effective treatment of cystitis in children and pregnant women.
cystitis during pregnancy
The fair sex is very often interested in the question of how this disease affects pregnancy. In all patients, inflammation of the urinary bladder causes discomfort, and for a woman in this position, who has a weak immune system, this disease can become a serious test. Pregnant women who experience symptoms of bladder inflammation have to go through a lot of pain. Cystitis during pregnancy is undoubtedly dangerous, but timely access to a doctor can prevent unwanted consequences. Self-medication or ignoring the disease can cause a very serious complication, such as a kidney infection. Bacteria can seriously damage them. Inflamed bladder mucosa can also have a negative effect on the fetus. There is a chance that the child will be born prematurely, with a lack of weight.
Children's cystitis
It is generally accepted that only adults are affected by cystitis, but this is not so. In addition, there are no age restrictions for this type of disease. Adults, children and the elderly can also get sick. Both men and women and very young patients suffer from cystitis, but the treatment of cystitis in children has its own characteristics.
Very often, cystitis in children occurs due to hypothermia. Bacteria are the main causative agents, and fungal and viral infections are extremely rare.
Causes of cystitis
In 70-95% of patients suffering from acute cystitis, it is caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli), 5-20% is observed by Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus saprophyticus), in the remaining patients, Proteus mirabilis acts as the causative agent of the disease. ) and Klebsiella (Klebsiella spp).
As a rule, cystitis is caused by organisms of opportunistic flora. Research has confirmed that the causative agents of cystitis do not necessarily have to be bacteria, it is quite possible to get sick from cystitis caused by mycoplasma virus, chlamydia, trichomonas and other fungi.
The high prevalence of cystitis among women is not only due to the short length of the urethra, but also due to its wide lumen and physiological location in relation to other organs. The urethra in women, unlike the urethra in men, is closer to the anus. Due to such anatomical features of the female body, the body is poorly protected from pathogenic microbes that enter the urethra, and then microbes can easily migrate to the bladder, which can cause cystitis.
In men, cystitis is less common. The causes of the manifestation of this disease in men are most often inflammation of the urethra, epididymis, seminal vesicles, and prostate. It happens that the penetration of the infection into the area of the urethra occurs due to catheterization. The risk of cystitis doubles after bladder catheterization in men suffering from BPH, where frequent urinary retention is one of the symptoms. The probability of developing cystitis also increases after the introduction of a catheter in a pregnant woman or a woman who has just given birth, and this is based on a decrease in the tone of the urinary tract.
Symptoms of cystitis
In adults, cystitis usually causes frequent, painful urination. The nature of the pain is described as a burning sensation. Urine changes, can smell strongly, become cloudy and have blood impurities. At this moment, the health condition may deteriorate and you may experience constant pain in the lumbar region. In the elderly and children, the symptoms of cystitis are usually not so obvious. They can be characterized by symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain and nausea.
Diagnosis of cystitis
When diagnosing the disease, the urologist examines the results of the urinalysis, as well as the results of the bladder ultrasound. To determine the etiology of cystitis, they resort to bacterial cultures of urine, and also take a swab from the urethra. In most cases, the causative agents of cystitis can be bacteria of the opportunistic flora, i. e. staphylococci, streptococci, E. coli, etc. Cystitis often occurs due to infection with sexually transmitted pathogens - ureaplasma and mycoplasma. Treatment of cystitis involves the action of drugs on infectious agents that can cause the development of the disease.
Treatment of cystitis
A quick cure of cystitis, and even a complete rehabilitation of the mucous membrane, is possible if you do not delay the start of treatment, but immediately use sufficiently effective drugs. The chances of completely getting rid of cystitis will increase with timely correct diagnosis and the use of drugs that affect the center of infection. Starting treatment at later stages or prescribing treatment that only eliminates the symptoms of cystitis without affecting the pathogenic zone can turn acute cystitis into chronic.
The main task faced by a doctor who treats cystitis is the destruction of pathogenic microbes that have penetrated the bladder area and caused inflammation of the mucous membrane. The determination of drugs for the process of antibiotic therapy of the disease takes place according to the following parameters: duration of the disease, severity of symptoms. In addition, when choosing drugs, possible side effects, the way and speed of their excretion, absorption of the drug, the presence of additional diseases and others are taken into account.
To date, there are relatively affordable drugs for the treatment of cystitis, which selectively affect the causative agent of the disease, a qualified doctor will advise exactly such treatment. When swallowed, the medicine is concentrated inside the bladder, which makes it possible to increase its effectiveness. In addition, the use of modern antibiotics shortens the duration of cystitis treatment, protects against side effects to the greatest extent possible and reduces the risk for the patient's entire organism.
Useful tips for the prevention of cystitis
- try to avoid hypothermia;
- despite the circumstances, carefully follow the rules of hygiene;
- when performing hygiene procedures, use neutral and gentle products;
- during menstruation, change the sanitary napkin in a timely manner;
- visit the toilet on time, do not delay if there is a need;
- drink more fluids;
- it is advisable to abandon tight clothes, tk. can, by squeezing, worsen blood circulation in the pelvic area;
- try to normalize the work of the intestines. If there is a tendency to constipation, it is advisable to increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.
In this case, the symptoms and treatment of cystitis will not be a problem for you.