Going to the toilet becomes more and more frequent, but becomes less and less effective: only a little urine can be expressed, sometimes mixed with blood.There is pain during and after urination.Sometimes there is persistent pain above the pubic bone.All of these are symptoms of cystitis, a disease that commonly affects women.And although cystitis is not life-threatening, it is very capable of ruining a few days of it.
The purpose of this article is to tell you how to treat cystitis at home and how to cope with this disease as quickly as possible.
What is cystitis?
Cystitis is an infectious disease.But its pathogens live in our bodies.In 85–95% of cases, the cause of urinary tract infections is E. coli bacteria, a common resident of the intestines.Another typical pathogen is Staphylococcus saprophyticus, which represents the skin microbiota.And they enter the bladder via an upward route: from the skin or from the rectum through the urethra.
How to prevent cystitis?
It is the anatomical features (larger bladder volume and short urethra) that determine the incidence of cystitis in women.
It's clear why women get cystitis more often – it all has to do with anatomy.The urethra in women is much shorter than in men, and the bladder is larger, which means it is emptied less often.But the stream of urine will quite effectively wash away microorganisms that have entered the urinary tract.Therefore, the first rule for women: if you do not 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 ovulatory cystitis often ruins honeymoons.Advice for loving men: don't forget to clean private areas.Advice for smart women: Emptying the bladder before and after sex significantly reduces the risk of infection.
When should you see a doctor?
No woman is immune to isolated cases of cystitis.However, if dysuria recurs, a comprehensive examination is needed.
Pregnancy is a particularly dangerous time.As immune system activity and hormone levels change, the growing uterus displaces the bladder, disrupting urine flow and leading to infection.Meanwhile, bacteriuria increases the risk of premature birth by 2 times - so cystitis during this period is not completely harmless.
If symptoms of the disease occur in men, you should immediately consult a specialist;Cystitis in men is almost always a secondary disease.And the underlying cause could be prostate disease, diabetes, or urinary stones.In addition, symptoms similar to cystitis can occur with non-gonococcal urethritis (the causative agents may be chlamydia, mycoplasma, trichomonas) and bladder tuberculosis.
Your doctor will do urine and blood tests, bacterial cultures, and may refer you for a bladder ultrasound, possibly a cystoscopy, and a smear from the urethra.If the test results prove that cystitis is uncomplicated then you will most likely be trusted to deal with its symptoms on your own.
What to do if you have cystitis?
- It is highly recommended to lie in bed when the attack is severe, cover yourself with a warm blanket, and apply heat to the lower abdomen (if the blood is not excreted through urine, we cancel the hot compress).
- Drink as much as possible.Tea - only milk, coffee and beer are excluded.Drinks from cranberry, lingonberry and blueberry fruits are very welcome (the proantyanides contained in them prevent bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall), decoctions from oats, strawberries, birch buds are good, and if blood appears, then nettle.Herbal medicines are most effective in dosage form;The pharmacy will always provide ready-made products.
- The diet includes avoiding spices, canned foods and sauces, but dairy products, fruits (especially watermelon) and vegetables will be beneficial.
- If you have cystitis, you should not go to the bathroom or sauna, but wash with warm water and special intimate hygiene products that will help reduce the feeling of discomfort after urinating.
- You can put suppositories with papaverine - this often helps relieve pain.
But in any case, antibacterial drugs are needed to treat the infection.
If cystitis recurs, or the patient is elderly, or has diabetes, the duration of treatment with urinary antiseptics will be longer - at least a week.
Attention!Pregnant women are prescribed antibiotics by doctors only after examination - this is safer for women and children.
What should you be wary of?
If left untreated, the infection from the bladder through the ureters can spread to the kidneys, leading to pyelonephritis.
If urination is frequent and painful, accompanied by back pain and fever, it is possible that the infection has spread to the kidneys, and here you cannot do anything without a doctor.
Which doctor should I contact?
At the first stage of cystitis, you can consult a therapist.If the disease is recurrent or chronic, you should consult a urologist and definitely have a cystoscopy.