Cystitis (cittaitis) is a common disease of the urinary system associated with an inflammatory process in the mucous membrane of the bladder. Interestingly, one in four women has faced the symptoms of cystitis at least once in their 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, mainly due to the difference in the structure of the urinary canal and the difficulty of contracting an infection.
Causes of the disease
Cystitis in women usually occurs due to an aggressive opportunistic pathogen entering 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 is often vulnerable to such infections. The occurrence of cystitis in women can also occur due to the movement of pathogens through the bloodstream. This path of development of the disease is called hematogenic.
Another option for infection is the entry of bacteria into the bladder with pathologies of the kidneys and ureters. Usually such a development of events can be observed with pyelonephritis.
It should be noted a less common, but still ongoing, variant of the development of the disease, provoked by abnormalities in the development of the urinary system. Also, a decrease in the contractility of the bladder muscles can lead to cystitis.
Signs of infection can manifest themselves especially actively in the presence of predisposing factors. These include:
- Sedentary work. By being in a sitting position for more than three hours in a row, urine stagnates, which leads to a possible bladder infection. Therefore, if your job involves a long sitting in one place, you need to get up every hour and do some warm-up every three hours.
- Constipation.
- The presence of sand and stones in the bladder.
- Tight-fitting underwear that can disrupt normal blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
- Frequent hypothermia of the body.
- Lumbar injury, spinal cord injury.
- Early onset of sexual activity.
- Metabolic disorders, hormonal changes in the body (e. g. menopause or pregnancy). During hormone surges, the body's immune system can malfunction. Note: When carrying a baby, the expectant mother is at particular risk in case of infection and the development of cystitis. Therefore, during pregnancy, it is necessary to carefully monitor your health and consult a doctor at the first sign of the disease.
- Diabetes mellitus (Diabetes mellitus).
- Immunosuppressive drug therapy.
- Oncological diseases.
- Unbalanced and irregular nutrition: abuse of spicy and fried foods, alcohol.
- Improper hygiene procedures (in particular, improper washing in the direction from the anus to the vagina).
- The possibility of bladder infection is high with insufficient personal hygiene (long-term use of the same sanitary pad or tampon during menstruation, premature change of underwear, constant use of daily sanitary pads).
- Stress, chronic lack of sleep, which has a serious impact on 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 infertility urethra
Separately, it is worth highlighting such a form of inflammation of the bladder as interstitial cystitis, which is a consequence of serious disturbances in the functioning of the immune system and is a severe chronic disease.
Symptoms and signs
Symptoms of cystitis are very characteristic and allow you to make the correct diagnosis immediately. First of all, it is about frequent urination (the patient goes to the toilet up to several times per hour) and the manifestation of pain at the end of the bladder emptying process. Additionally, the most striking symptoms include:
- feeling of fullness of the bladder even after urination;
- a mixture 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;
- when 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 is still difficulty in retaining 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.
Symptoms of cystitis give a woman not only physical, but also psychological discomfort, leaving an imprint in 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 begin therapy.
If the inflammation caused by the infection passes to the muscular layer of the bladder, the appearance of an interstitial form of cystitis, already mentioned above, is possible. In this case, urine is introduced into the walls of the organ and 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 the types of the disease, which differ in the method of onset, course, morphological changes and the nature of the spread.
All varieties 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 low-grade fever, general malaise. The blood vessels in the bladder expand, which leads to swelling of the organ walls. In this case, point hemorrhages and hyperemia (Hyperemia) are observed. In the acute stage of the disease, the mucous and submucous membranes of the bladder usually suffer, and their epithelium is sometimes rejected and a mixture of blood in the urine may appear. The color of the urine in the hemorrhagic form of the disease can vary from light pink to cloudy brown.
Chronic cystitis
As the disease enters the chronic stage, the inflammation expands and moves 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 time, sclerotic processes occur in the organ, as a result of which its volume can be reduced.
In the chronic form, all the previously mentioned signs can be "fuzzy" and weakly expressed, which makes diagnosis difficult. If chronic cystitis is suspected, it is necessary to focus on the data of the anamnesis, macro and microscopy of urine, cystoscopy and bacteriological examination. Especially important in the detection of chronic cystitis is a parallel gynecological examination, since 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 a general urinalysis, urine culture to detect pathological flora (bacteriuria), Nechiporenko's 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 secretions 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 the antibiotic in the bladder, so the effect of treatment appears as quickly as possible. To do this, two important factors must be taken into account:
The doctor should prescribe antibiotics after receiving urine culture results, which will determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to the selected drug.
Even after relieving the condition, the prescribed course of antibiotics should be brought to an end, which will avoid relapse and the transition of the disease to a chronic form.
As auxiliary measures for the treatment of cystitis, apply:
- drugs to relieve bladder spasm, general anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Physiotherapy;
- ozone therapy;
- acupuncture.
For the treatment of the chronic form of cystitis, local administration of drugs that prevent the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms can also be used. As an aid, tea tree essential oil gel can be used. The gel is recommended to eliminate vaginal discomfort, normalize the microflora and restore the vaginal mucosa after infectious and inflammatory diseases and in the period following antibiotic treatment.
Acute cystitis
It is worth noting that the treatment of acute cystitis is always bed rest. Treating the inflammatory process of the "runaway" bladder without issuing sick leave, especially in the cold season, means risking a possible transition of the disease to a chronic form. The disease is always accompanied by severe stress on the body, which requires rest and rest. At the same time, ignoring the disease and postponing a visit to the doctor can "cause" pyelonephritis, the treatment of which will require constant medical supervision.
Diet
To relieve inflammation as quickly as possible, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids - the minimum amount of fluids to drink should be 1. 5 liters per day.
Nutrition for cystitis has a number of restrictions. The exclusion of spicy and spicy will contribute to the recovery and avoid the recurrence of the situation. For the period of treatment, it is necessary to completely exclude alcohol. This applies to all alcoholic beverages.
If you find yourself with painful and frequent urination, impurities of blood, flakes or pus in your urine, don't rush to panic. In fact, according to statistics, female cystitis is a very common occurrence.
The main 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 in the blood. 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 women and men, but the fair sex is still 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 more susceptible to cystitis. There are many cases of recurrence of cystitis, which greatly worsens a woman's health, affects her life.
Prevalence of cystitis
The so-called acute cystitis is one of the most common urological diseases. It is not uncommon to find simple cystitis, during which microbes affect only the mucous membrane and not the submucosal layer.
Based on scientific research, it can be said that in our country 26 to 36 million people suffer from acute cystitis every year.
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 most common in children between the ages of one and three, particularly between the ages of 13 and 15. As a rule, cystitis often occurs in patients between the ages of 4 and 12.
Chronic cystitis is one of the most common urological diseases. Based on these studies, chronic cystitis can be observed in 11-21% of the population. A significant dispersion of data is caused by a different approach regarding the definition of chronic cystitis. Some study authors write that the diagnosis of "chronic cystitis" should be considered when exacerbations occur twice a year or more.
cystitis in the summer
There are very few women who have not felt the symptoms of cystitis on themselves, when the pleasure of wonderful summer days was overshadowed by such an unpleasant disease. In addition, in the summer, especially when a woman walks a long distance from home and is in an unusual environment, there are many reasons for the appearance of cystitis.
Most often, cystitis in the summer season occurs due to such factors:
- living in a new place during the holiday period, which causes personal hygiene problems;
- hypothermia of the body, which occurs as a result of prolonged baths in cold water;
- violation of the usual urination regime, associated with travel, flights or being in a new place;
- drastic climate change, which negatively affects human immunity.
An additional factor in the threat of developing cystitis in some cases is an increase in sexual activity, against the background of the above conditions, which are unfavorable for the female body.
In the event that your weekend or vacation is still spoiled by the occurrence 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 need to undergo an ultrasound of the bladder, 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 in a chronic form.
Modern drugs, in contrast to the drugs of the past generation, which affected the entire body of the patient, affect only the inflamed areas of the bladder, minimally affect other human organs. The main concentration of drugs is revealed at most exclusively in the urine and mucous membrane of the bladder, which is inflamed. This allows you to minimize the toxic effect on other organs and to focus the entire burden on the treatment of cystitis.
Among the drugs used to treat this disease, it is worth noting the drug with fosfomycin. He, given his high selectivity of actions with a minimal toxicological load on the body, has another useful quality: this drug subsequently does not cause phototoxicity. This is the name of a side effect that can be caused by many medications used to treat cystitis. The manifestation of phototoxicity is an increase in sensitivity to sunlight, the occurrence of redness or burns under the influence of ultraviolet rays even of low intensity. Phototoxicity appears due to the presence in preparations of substances that have the properties of photosensitizers or photoreactives. 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 medicines for the treatment of cystitis, fosfomycin is unable to cause phototoxicity, which means that it can be used without disturbing the planned beach vacation schedule. The advantage can also be called the maximum absence of side effects, and this allows you to safely and very effectively treat 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, bladder inflammation 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 face manifestations of bladder inflammation symptoms face many problems. Cystitis during pregnancy is undoubtedly dangerous, but with timely access to a doctor it is possible to prevent undesirable consequences. Self-medication or ignorance of the disease can lead to a very serious complication, such as a kidney infection. Bacteria can severely damage them. The mucous membrane of the bladder, which is inflamed, can also have a negative effect on the fetus. There is a possibility of giving birth to a child prematurely, with lack of weight.
Childhood cystitis
It is generally accepted that only adults have cystitis, but this is not the case. Furthermore, there is no age limit 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.
Most often, cystitis in children occurs due to hypothermia. Bacteria are the main causative agent and fungal and viral infections are extremely rare.
Causes of cystitis
In 70-95% of patients suffering from acute cystitis, it was caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli), 5-20% observed staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus saprophyticus), in the remaining patients, Proteus mirabilis acts as an etiological agent of the illness. ) 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 may not necessarily be bacteria, it is quite possible to get sick with cystitis, the cause of which will be the mycoplasma virus, chlamydia, Trichomonas and other fungi.
The high prevalence of cystitis among women is due not only to the small length of the urethra, but also to its large lumen and physiological position relative 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 entering the urethra, so microbes can easily migrate to the bladder, causing 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, prostate gland. It happens that the penetration of infection into the urethra area occurs due to catheterization. The risk of cystitis doubles after bladder catheterization is performed in men with BPH, where frequent urinary retention is one of the symptoms. The likelihood of developing cystitis also increases after the introduction of a catheter to a pregnant woman or a woman who has just given birth, this is based on a decrease in the tone of the urinary tract.
Symptoms of cystitis
In adults, cystitis usually causes frequent and painful urination. The nature of the pain is described as a burning sensation. The urine changes, it can smell strongly, become cloudy and have impurities in the blood. At this time, the state of health can deteriorate and constant pain may be felt in the lumbar region. In the elderly and children, the symptoms of cystitis are usually not as noticeable. They can be characterized by symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain and nausea.
Cystitis Diagnosis
When diagnosing a disease, the urologist examines the results of a urinalysis, as well as the results of an ultrasound of the bladder. To determine the etiology of cystitis, they resort to bacterial urine cultures and also take a swab from the urethra. In most cases, the bacteria of the opportunistic flora, namely staphylococci, streptococci, E. coli, etc. , can be the causes of cystitis. Often cystitis occurs due to infection with pathogens that can be sexually transmitted: ureaplasma and mycoplasma. Treatment of cystitis involves the effect of drugs on infectious agents that could provoke the development of the disease.
Treatment of cystitis
A quick cure for cystitis and even complete 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 eliminating cystitis will increase with timely and correct diagnosis and the use of drugs that affect the center of the infection. Starting treatment in the later stages or prescribing a treatment that only eliminates the symptoms of cystitis without affecting the pathogenic zone can transform acute cystitis into chronic.
The main task facing the doctor treating cystitis is the destruction of pathogenic microbes that have entered the bladder area and provoked inflammation of the mucous membrane. The determination of drugs for the process of antibiotic therapy of the disease occurs based on the following parameters: duration of the disease, severity of symptoms. Also, when selecting drugs, possible side effects, the method and speed of their excretion, drug absorption, the presence of additional diseases and more 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 recommend just such a treatment. When ingested, the drug concentrates inside the bladder, which increases its effectiveness. In addition, the use of modern antibiotics reduces the duration of treatment of cystitis, protects as much as possible from side effects and reduces the risk for the patient's entire body.
Useful tips to prevent cystitis
- try to avoid hypothermia;
- despite the circumstances, strictly observe the rules of hygiene;
- when carrying out hygienic procedures, use neutral and delicate products;
- during menstruation, timely change the tampon;
- visit the bathroom in time, do not delay if there is a need;
- drink more fluids;
- it is advisable to abandon tight clothing, tk. can, by squeezing, worsen blood circulation in the pelvic area;
- try to normalize intestinal activity. 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.