Visits to the toilet become 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 a dull pain above the pubis.These are all symptoms of cystitis, a disease that most often affects women.And although cystitis is not life-threatening, it is very capable of ruining several 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 own body.In 85–95% of cases, the cause of urinary tract infections is E. coli, a common inhabitant of the intestine.Another typical pathogen is Staphylococcus saprophyticus, a representative of the skin microflora.And they enter the bladder in an ascending way: from the skin or from the rectum through the urethra.
How to protect yourself from cystitis?
It is the anatomical features (larger bladder volume and short urethra) that determine the frequency of cystitis among women.
It is clear why women suffer from cystitis more often - it's all a matter of anatomy.The urethra in women is much shorter than in men, and the bladder is larger, which means it can be emptied less often.But a 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 have cystitis, go to the toilet every 3-4 hours.
Another common cause of cystitis is microtrauma to the female urethra during intercourse.The so-called defloration cystitis often ruins the honeymoon.Advice to loving men: do not forget about 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 time.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 during this period is not at all harmless.
If symptoms of the disease appear in a man, you should immediately consult a specialist;Cystitis in men is almost always secondary.And the main reason may be prostate disease, or diabetes, or urolithiasis.In addition, cystitis-like symptoms can occur with non-gonococcal urethritis (probable causes are chlamydia, mycoplasma, trichomonas) and bladder tuberculosis.
The doctor will do urine and blood tests, microflora cultures, probably refer you for an ultrasound of the bladder, possibly a cystoscopy, and take swabs from the urethra.If the examination proves that the cystitis is not complicated, then you will most likely be trusted to deal with its symptoms yourself.
What to do if you have cystitis?
- It is highly recommended to stay in bed during an exacerbation, under a warm blanket, with a heating pad in the lower abdomen (if blood is not excreted in the urine, then we cancel the heating pad).
- Drink as much as possible.Tea - only with milk, coffee and beer are excluded.Cranberry, cranberry and blueberry fruit drinks are very welcome (the proanthanides contained in them prevent bacteria from attaching to the bladder wall), a decoction of oats, bearberry, birch buds is good, and if blood appears - nettle.Herbal medicine is most effective in the form of preparations;the pharmacy will always offer ready-made ones.
- The diet includes avoiding spices, preserves and marinades, but dairy products, fruits (especially watermelon) and vegetables will be helpful.
- If you have cystitis, you should not visit a 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 needed to treat the infection.
If the cystitis is recurrent or the patient is elderly or has diabetes mellitus, then the course of uroseptics should be longer - at least one 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, leading to pyelonephritis.
If frequent and painful urination is accompanied by pain in the lower back and high 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 consult a therapist.If the disease has a recurrent or chronic course, you should consult a urologist and necessarily undergo a cystoscopy.