This is an unpleasant disease that women are more likely to suffer from. Cystitis appears due to inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bladder, which occurs against the background of a bacterial infection.
A urological disease can become chronic without treatment and lead to changes in the bladder tissue, provoke the development of serious diseases.
Causes of cystitis
The causes of cystitis can also be a decrease in general immunity, chronic stress, the onset of sexual activity, narrowing of the urethra, hypothermia, stagnation of urine in the bladder (the habit of enduring to the last), unbalanced nutrition, hormonal disorders, pregnancy, childbirth, operations on the organs of the urinary system.
Another reason is medication. The causes of cystitis can also be a decrease in general immunity, chronic stress, the onset of sexual activity, narrowing of the urethra, hypothermia, stagnation of urine in the bladder (the habit of enduring to the last), unbalanced nutrition, hormonal disorders, pregnancy, childbirth, operations on the organs of the urinary system.
Inflammation in the bladder can also cause the body to react to certain allergens. In women, cystitis is most common. This is due to the physiological characteristics of the female sexual structure. The urethra is close to the entrance to the vagina and anus. Therefore, it is very important to constantly monitor the quality of intimate hygiene.
Symptoms of cystitis
- frequent urge to urinate - during the process of urination, pain and burning in the urethra, as well as a feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestine, may appear.
- pain in the lower abdomen - there is a feeling of overcrowding of the bladder. And also a sign of cystitis is itching and burning in the perineum. In some cases, patients do not attach importance to pain and discomfort if they are not too pronounced. This can lead to chronic disease and complications.
- the appearance in the urine of pathological impurities (mucus, blood, pus) - the color of urine can be from pale pink to brick. The presence of impurities indicates the presence of a virus in the human body. With the development of cystitis, a sharp pain in the urethra may appear.
How does cystitis manifest during pregnancy?
During the period of bearing a child, the protective functions of the immune system decrease in a woman. Therefore, getting into the body, a pathological organism causes an inflammatory process much faster.
The development of cystitis is facilitated by the peculiarities of female physiology. The shorter and wider shape of the urethra, its proximity to the vagina and intestines, contribute to the rapid transmission of infections from neighboring organs.
With this disease, the walls of the bladder become inflamed, which leads to a violation of its functions. Symptoms of cystitis are quite specific - they are difficult to confuse with other pathologies. A woman may experience frequent, painful urination, blood in the urine, and fever.
First of all, a woman should visit a urologist. He will prescribe the necessary tests, examinations and advise you to undergo an additional consultation with a gynecologist. This allows you to exclude the presence of infections of the genital area, which can lead to bacterial vaginosis, colpitis, thrush.
How to treat cystitis in pregnant women? The diet, immunity and hormonal status are corrected, blood circulation is improved. Then it is necessary to start the fight against pathogens (E. coli, Candida fungi, STIs, viruses), restore the damaged structure of the bladder.
Cystitis in children
Given the fundamental anatomical differences between the sexes, cystitis occurs in girls almost 4-10 times more often than in children of the opposite sex.
Signs of pathology in children are varied. There are pains during urination, in the urethral canal, in the lower abdomen or in the side. Also, the number of urination may increase, as well as urinary incontinence and leakage that have not been observed before.
Children show capriciousness, which increases during urination, bowel movements. At the same time, appetite is disturbed, anxiety appears if it is necessary to sit on the potty because of the fear of pain, burning, pain. Intoxication of the body occurs, which is manifested by increased body temperature, chills.
Clinical manifestations vary with the age of the child. In young children, general symptoms predominate. In addition, children at a young age are not always able to indicate what worries them. In older children, signs of intoxication are no longer observed, here urination disorders and pain syndrome come to the fore.
Types of cystitis
There are several classifications of pathology: according to the course, type of inflammation, causes. We will dwell in more detail on the classification according to the course of the disease.
- Acute cystitisappears a few hours after exposure to the body of a harmful factor. It has pronounced symptoms of the inflammatory process with a tendency to progression. If acute cystitis is not treated or the wrong therapy is used, there is a high probability of developing a chronic form.
- Subacute cystitishas a blurred clinical picture. Symptoms are mild or absent. It can be accompanied only by pain and urination disorders, while symptoms of intoxication of the body (fever, aches, chills) are not observed.
- Chronic cystitisoccurs due to untreated acute cystitis. It is characterized by a sluggish course, the symptoms are unexpressed, and sometimes it is completely asymptomatic. That is, the inflammation-provoking factor in the bladder persists without giving itself away, but at some point there is a sharp exacerbation with all the ensuing consequences: frequent and painful urination, burning, itching, cloudy urine, malaise, etc.
Diagnosis of pathology
A urologist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of cystitis. Only a specialist knows how to properly treat this disease in order to avoid chronic inflammation and not harm health.
You can go for an examination and diagnosis at the nearest clinic. However, this takes time, since you need to wait 2-3 weeks for an appointment with a doctor. But in the presence of acute or subacute cystitis, time is the most valuable resource. Therefore, the best option is to contact a specialized medical clinic. Here you can sign up for an examination and get to a professional doctor in the near future.
The urologist will determine your general health, ask about past illnesses, frequency of urination, and medications taken. Next, the specialist probes the abdomen and kidney area, lower back.
Cystitis in men - looks through and feels the genitals. Examines the prostate gland - rectally.
Cystitis in women - evaluates the condition of the mucosa, female genital organs, probes the bladder and ureters.
The following tests may be needed for diagnosis:
- general urine analysis
- urinalysis according to Nechiporenko
- bacteriological examination of urine
- cystoscopy
- Ultrasound of the bladder and abdominal organs, including the kidneys
How is cystitis treated?
After a repeated appointment with the urologist and a diagnosis, the specialist will prescribe an individual treatment program, which includes medications for cystitis. It depends on the disease itself and the degree of its course.
In the treatment of cystitis, the following principles must be observed:
- bed or semi-bed rest throughout the entire period of acute symptoms of the disease.
- medical food. The diet for cystitis should be lacto-vegetarian, that is, the daily diet of the patient should be dominated by dairy products, vegetables and fruits. Fried, spicy, salty and spicy dishes, as well as alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited.
- antibiotic therapy. Inflammatory processes can be treated with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. Antibiotics for cystitis are prescribed first with a broad spectrum of action, and after receiving the result of urine culture and antibiogram. An antimicrobial drug is used, to which the causative agent of cystitis is sensitive.
- pain therapy. With severe pain in the bladder, patients are prescribed painkillers and antispasmodics.
- physiotherapy treatment (electrophoresis, phonophoresis, inductothermy, UHF and others).
We recommend that you do not self-medicate in any case, but consult a urologist in such a delicate matter. Make an appointment with a urologist and be sure that your problems will remain outside the walls of the clinic.