Cystitis (cyctitis) is a common disease of the urinary system associated with an inflammatory process in the mucous membrane of the bladder. It is worth noting that every fourth woman has faced symptoms of cystitis at least once in her life, while every tenth suffers from a chronic form of this disease. It is also worth comparing the incidence in women and men: only 0. 5% of men suffer from cystitis, which is mainly due to the different structure of the urinary tract and the difficulty of getting an infection in them.
causes of the disease
Cystitis in women usually occurs when an aggressive opportunistic pathogen gets into the urethra, as well as ascending sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia, ureaplasma (ureaplasma), fungal infections of the genus Candida, etc. The short and wide urinary tract are often prone to such infections. The occurrence of cystitis in women can also be caused by the movement of pathogens through the bloodstream. This path of development of the disease is called hematogenous.
Another possibility of infection is the penetration of bacteria into the bladder with pathologies of the kidneys and ureters. Usually such a development of events can be observed in pyelonephritis.
It should be noted a less common, but still occurring variant of the development of the disease, provoked by anomalies in the development of the urinary system. A decrease in the contractility of the bladder muscles can also lead to cystitis.
Signs of infection can be particularly active in the presence of predisposing factors. These include:
- sedentary workSitting for more than three hours at a time causes urine to stagnate, leading to a possible bladder infection. Therefore, if your work involves sitting in one place for a long time, you need to get up every hour and warm up a little every three hours.
- Constipation.
- The presence of sand and stones in the bladder.
- Tight underwear that can disrupt normal blood flow to 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 (e. g. menopause or pregnancy). In the event of hormonal fluctuations, the body's immune system can fail. Please note: when carrying a child, the expectant mother is particularly at risk in the event of infection and the development of cystitis. Therefore, during pregnancy, you need to carefully monitor your own health and consult a doctor at the first signs of the disease.
- Diabetes (diabetes mellitus).
- Therapy with immunosuppressive drugs.
- oncological diseases.
- Unbalanced and irregular diet: abuse of spicy and fried foods, alcohol.
- Improper hygiene procedures (especially improper washing in the direction from the anus to the vagina).
- The likelihood of cystitis is high with poor 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 in the body of a chronic focus of inflammation (stomatitis (stomatitis), tooth decay (caries), rhinitis (rhinitis), tonsillitis (tonsillitis). As a result, this can lead to a violation of the sterility of the urethra
Separately, it is worth highlighting such a form of cystitis as interstitial cystitis, which is a consequence of serious dysfunction 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. These are primarily frequent urination (the patient goes to the toilet up to several times an hour) and the manifestation of pain at the end of bladder emptying. The most noticeable symptoms also include:
- feeling of fullness in the bladder even after urinating;
- an admixture of blood or pus in the urine;
- Urine with cystitis in women acquires a more pungent odor;
- cloudy urine and the presence of flakes in it;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- If the infection spreads, including to the upper parts of the urinary system, pain in the kidneys and lower back is possible.
- quite rare, but there are still difficulties in holding the urine
If you find these symptoms in yourself, you should consult a doctor for diagnosis and further treatment, since the advanced form of the disease is fraught with a number of complications.
The symptoms of cystitis cause a woman not only physical, but also psychological discomfort, leaving an impression 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 muscular layer of the bladder, the occurrence of an interstitial form of cystitis already mentioned above is possible. In this case, urine is introduced into the walls of the organ, as well as its reflux into the ureters.
Left untreated and if the infection spreads vertically, kidney disease, pyelonephritis, can develop.
types of cystitis
It is necessary to distinguish between the types of the disease, which differ in the mode of occurrence, course, morphological changes and mode of spread.
All types of cystitis are divided into acute and chronic according to the type of course. 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 provokes a slight fever and general malaise. The blood vessels in the bladder dilate, causing the walls of the organ to swell. Punctual bleeding and hyperemia (hyperemia) are observed. In the acute phase of the disease, the mucous membranes and submucosal membranes of the bladder usually suffer, and their epithelium is sometimes shed, and admixture of blood in the urine may occur. The color of urine in the hemorrhagic form of the disease can vary from light pink to cloudy brown.
Chronic cystitis
As the disease enters the chronic phase, the inflammation spreads, moving from the mucosa and submucosa to the muscular layer of the bladder. In this case, the color of the mucous membrane acquires a whitish or grayish tint. If the disease is not treated for a long period of time, then sclerotic processes appear in the organ, which can reduce its volume.
With the chronic form, all the above signs can be expressed "blurred" and blurry, which complicates the diagnosis. If chronic cystitis is suspected, it is necessary to refer to the data of anamnesis, macroscopy and microscopy of urine, cystoscopy andAn accompanying gynecological examination is particularly important in the detection of chronic cystitis, since genital infections are often the cause of chronic cystitis.
Acute and chronic cystitis: which doctor should I contact?
Standard tests for diagnosing cystitis in elderly women, mature women and girls are a general analysis of urine, a culture of urine to detect pathological flora (bacteriuria), a Nechiporenko analysis. As additional measures, modern clinics often offer an ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys, a cystoscopy and examinations for STIs. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe a sample of urine for analysis not by the standard method, but 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 through the kidneys, it is very easy to achieve the desired concentration of the antibiotic in the bladder, so the effect of treatment will appear as soon as possible. There are two important factors to consider:
The doctor, after receiving the results of the urine culture, should prescribe antibiotics that will determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to the selected drug.
Even after alleviating the condition, the prescribed course of antibiotics should be completed in order to avoid relapse and the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
Additional measures to treat cystitis include:
- Medicines to relieve bladder spasms, general anti-inflammatory medicines;
- Physical therapy;
- ozone therapy;
- Acupuncture.
Local administration of drugs that prevent the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms can also be used to treat the chronic form of cystitis. Essential tea tree oil gel can be used as an aid. The gel is recommended to eliminate vaginal discomfort, normalize microflora and restore vaginal mucosa after infectious and inflammatory diseases, as well as in the period after antibiotic treatment.
Acute cystitis
It is worth noting that the treatment of acute cystitis is always bed rest. To treat the inflammatory process in the bladder "on the run" without 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 heavy loads on the body, requiring rest andRequiring rest. At the same time, ignoring the disease and postponing a visit to the doctor can "lead" to pyelonephritis, the treatment of which requires constant medical supervision.
diet
In order to relieve inflammation as quickly as possible, it is advisable to drink plenty of fluids: the minimum amount of fluid should be 1. 5 liters per day.
Diet for cystitis has a number of limitations. The exclusion of sharp and sharp will help recovery and prevent the situation from reoccurring. For the period of treatment it is necessary to completely exclude alcohol. This applies to all alcoholic beverages.
If you're suffering from painful and frequent urination, blood impurities, flakes, or pus in your urine, don't panic. According to statistics, cystitis in women is indeed a very common occurrence.
The main thing is not to visit and consult a doctor on time.
As a rule, this disease is detected when there are frequent painful discharges of urine in small portions with blood impurities. Such processes are often accompanied by an increase in body temperature. Cystitis is dangerous with a possible development into a chronic form or the development of inflammation in the kidneys. Most often, cystitis is infectious in nature.
Cystitis is widespread in both women and men, but the fair sex is more likely to suffer from this disease due to the anatomical features of the female body. The female urethra is shorter and wider than the male urethra, making it easier for pathogens to enter the bladder. This explains the frequent cases of cystitis in women. Women of childbearing age are most susceptible to bladder infections. There are many cases of recurrence of cystitis, which significantly worsens a woman's health and spoils her life.
Prevalence of cystitis
The so-called acute cystitis is one of the most common urological diseases. It is not uncommon to find uncomplicated cystitis, in which microbes affect only the mucosa and not the submucosal layer.
Based on scientific research, it can be argued that in our country every year 26-36 million people suffer from acute cystitis.
Girls are almost three times more likely to get bladder infections than boys. The disease is sometimes diagnosed in newborns and children under the age of 1 year, and is more common in children 1 to 3 years of age, and especially 13 to 15 years of age. 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 observed in 11-21% of the population. A significant scatter in the data is caused by a different approach to the definition of chronic cystitis. Some study authors write that a diagnosis of chronic cystitis should be considered when exacerbations occur twice a year or more.
cystitis in summer
There are very few women who have not felt the symptoms of cystitis on themselves, when the joy of beautiful summer days was overshadowed by such an unpleasant disease. In addition, in the summer, especially when a woman is far from home and in an unusual environment, there are many reasons for the appearance of cystitis.
Most often, cystitis occurs in the summer season due to such factors:
- live in a new place during the holiday season, 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 scheme associated with moving, flying or staying in a new place;
- drastic climate change affecting human immunity.
An additional factor in the threat of cystitis in some cases is an increase in the activity of sexual activity against the background of the above conditions unfavorable for the female body.
In the event that your weekend or vacation is nevertheless 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 need to undergo an ultrasound of the bladder and pass a urine test. Antibacterial drugs today effectively act directly on the causative agent of cystitis and can accelerate the healing process, as well as prevent the development of acute cystitis into a chronic form.
Modern drugs, unlike the drugs of the past generation, which affected the entire body of the patient, act only on the inflamed areas of the bladder and have a minimal effect on other human organs. The main concentration of drugs is found maximally exclusively in the inflamed mucous membranes of the urine and bladder. This allows you to minimize the toxic effect on other organs and focus the entire burden on treating cystitis.
Among the drugs used to treat this disease, it is worth noting the drug with fosfomycin. Due to its high selectivity of effects with a minimal toxicological load on the body, it has another useful property - this drug does not subsequently cause phototoxicity. This is the name of a side effect that can be caused by many medications used to treat bladder infections. The manifestation of phototoxicity is an increase in sensitivity to sunlight, the appearance of redness or burns under the influence of even low-intensity ultraviolet rays. Phototoxicity occurs due to the presence in the 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 used to treat cystitis, fosfomycin cannot cause phototoxicity, which means that it can be used without interfering with the planned beach vacation. The advantage can also be described as maximum freedom from side effects, which means that cystitis in children and pregnant women can be treated safely and very effectively.
Cystitis during pregnancy
The fair sex is very often interested in the question of how this disease affects pregnancy. In all patients, cystitis causes discomfort, and for a woman in this position who has a weak immune system, this disease can certainly become a serious test. Pregnant women, faced with manifestations of symptoms of cystitis, have to go through a lot of trouble. Cystitis during pregnancy is undoubtedly dangerous, but with timely access to a doctor, unwanted consequences can be prevented. Self-medication or ignoring the disease can provoke very serious complications such as kidney infection. Bacteria can seriously damage them. The inflamed bladder lining can also have a negative impact on the fetus. There is a possibility of prematurely giving birth to a child with weight deficiency.
Bladder infection in children
It is generally accepted that cystitis only affects adults, but this is not the case. 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 specifics.
Very often, cystitis in children occurs due to hypothermia. Bacteria are the main culprits, and fungal and viral infections are extremely rare.
Causes of cystitis
In 70-95% of patients suffering from acute cystitis, this was caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli), 5-20% observed Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus saprophyticus), in the remaining patients Proteus mirabilis acts as the causative agent of theIllness. ) and Klebsiella (Klebsiella spp. ).
As a rule, cystitis is caused by organisms of the opportunistic flora. Studies have confirmed that the causative agents of cystitis are not necessarily bacteria, it is quite possible to get cystitis, the cause of which will be the mycoplasma virus, chlamydia, trichomonads and other fungi.
The high prevalence of cystitis in women is due not only to the small length of the urethra, but also to its wide lumen and physiological location relative to other organs. The urethra in women, unlike the urethra in men, is closer to the anus. Due to these anatomical features of the female body, the body is poorly protected from the penetration of pathogenic microbes into the urethra, then microbes can easily migrate to the bladder, which can cause cystitis.
Bladder infection is less common in men. Most often, the causes of the manifestation of this disease in men are inflammation of the urethra, epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostate. It happens that penetration of the infection into the area of \u200b\u200bthe urethra occurs through catheterization. The risk of cystitis doubles after urinary catheterization in men suffering from BPH, where frequent urinary retention is one of the symptoms. The likelihood of developing cystitis also increases after the insertion of a catheter in a pregnant woman or a woman who has just given birth, which is due to 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. The urine changes, it can smell bad, become cloudy and contain blood impurities. At this time, the state of health may deteriorate and a constant pain in the lumbar region is felt. In older people and children, the symptoms of a bladder infection are usually not as obvious. They can be characterized by symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain and nausea.
diagnosis of cystitis
When diagnosing a disease, the urologist examines the results of a urine analysis, as well as the results of an ultrasound of the bladder. To determine the etiology of cystitis, they resort to bacterial cultures of urine, and also take a smear from the urethra. In most cases, bacteria of the opportunistic flora, namely staphylococci, streptococci, E. coli, etc. , can be the causes of cystitis. Cystitis often occurs due to infection with pathogens that are sexually transmitted - ureaplasma and mycoplasma. Treatment of cystitis involves the action of drugs on infectious agents that could provoke the development of the disease.
treatment of cystitis
Rapid healing of cystitis and even full rehabilitation of the mucous membrane is possible if you do not postpone the start of treatment, but immediately use drugs of sufficient effectiveness. The chances of completely getting rid of cystitis increase with timely correct diagnosis and the use of drugs that affect the center of infection. Starting treatment at a later stage or prescribing a treatment that only eliminates the symptoms of cystitis without affecting the pathogenic zone can turn acute cystitis into chronic.
The main task of the doctor treating cystitis is the destruction of pathogenic microbes that have got into the bladder area and provoked inflammation of the mucous membrane. The determination of drugs for the process of antibiotic therapy of the disease is carried out according to the following parameters: the duration of the disease, the severity of the symptoms. In addition, when choosing drugs, possible side effects, the nature and speed of their elimination, the absorption of the drug, the presence of additional diseases and more are taken into account.
To date, there are relatively affordable drugs for the treatment of cystitis, which act selectively on the causative agent of the disease, a qualified doctor will advise such treatment. When ingested, the drug concentrates in the bladder, which can increase its effectiveness. In addition, the use of modern antibiotics reduces the duration of treatment for cystitis, protects as much as possible from side effects and reduces the risk to the patient's body as a whole.
Helpful tips for preventing cystitis
- try to avoid hypothermia;
- despite the circumstances, carefully observe the rules of hygiene;
- When performing hygiene measures, use neutral and gentle products.
- During menstruation, change the sanitary napkin in time.
- go to the toilet on time, do not hesitate if necessary;
- drink more fluids;
- It is advisable to give up tight clothes, tk. it can worsen blood circulation in the pelvic area by squeezing;
- Try to normalize bowel activity. If you are prone to constipation, it is advisable to increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.
In this case, the symptoms and treatment of a bladder infection are not a problem for you.