Cystitis in women

What is cystitis in women?— one of the most common urological diseases is cystitis.This is an inflammation of the bladder wall that occurs more frequently in the weaker sex (in 80% of cases).According to statistics, the prevalence of this disease among the female population in a calendar year amounts to 36 million cases.For men, these figures are several times lower.

Almost every woman at least once in her life has experienced unpleasant symptoms of the disease.This is explained by the structural features of the urinary system.The urethra, which has a larger diameter and shorter length than in men, and the proximity of the vagina and anus allow pathogens to quickly penetrate the bladder cavity.Cystitis that appears in a woman aged 16 to 65 years and is not accompanied by other pathologies of the urinary system is called uncomplicated.Treatment is successfully carried out on an outpatient basis (at home).

Causes of cystitis in women

Basically, the nature of the disease is infectious.There are several pathogens, but the main one is E. coli.Sometimes cystitis develops against the background of other diseases associated with urology and gynecology.Factors that can cause inflammation:

• Hypothermia of the body.The risk group includes girls and women who prefer to wear clothing that is not suitable for the weather, for example, too thin tights and short skirts in the cold season.
• Neglect of genital hygiene.This is often what causes cystitis in girls.
• Neurogenic bladder is a problem that occurs not only in children, but also in adults.Associated with impaired voluntary urination.Due to the increased sensitivity of the bladder receptors, girls are diagnosed with this condition more often than boys.The result is malnutrition of the organ, which leads to the rapid development of pathogenic microflora that causes inflammation.
• Hormonal changes that occur in the female body during pregnancy, metabolic disorders in diabetes mellitus provoke the appearance of cystitis.
• Wearing clothes that are too tight, narrow and uncomfortable causes a disruption of the blood supply to the organs of the urinary system.
• Radiation therapy for tumors in the pelvis can cause inflammation.
• Estrogen deficiency, mucosal changes during menopause.
• Injury to the bladder walls during various endoscopic procedures.
• In girls, the manifestation of cystitis occurs during the first sexual intercourse.The reason is an injury to the bladder wall, the entry of microflora from the vagina into the urethra.Therefore, an active and vigorous sexual life, when there is also a high risk of infection, also contributes to the appearance of the disease.

Under the influence of these factors, pathogenic microflora develops, causing inflammation and the appearance of unpleasant symptoms.

Clinical picture of cystitis.

The disease in women manifests itself suddenly, shortly after the action of a provoking factor (hypothermia, infection, injury).

The first and main symptom is usually urinary frequency: frequent urination.It is seen as a result of increased tone of the bladder wall caused by inflammation.

The desire to go to the toilet arises up to several dozen times a day, every 15-20 minutes.The volume of each portion of urine becomes smaller and smaller.Some patients, on the other hand, suffer from urinary retention (due to sphincter spasm) or incontinence (if the cervix of the organ is affected).

The woman feels intense pain in the lower abdomen and moves to the perineum.The greatest discomfort is felt when emptying the bladder.It occurs painfully, with pain and burning sensation.Unpleasant sensations may appear at the beginning and end of the urination process.

One of the constant symptoms is leukocyturia.The color of the urine changes, it becomes cloudy, mixed with pus and blood.With pronounced hematuria, one speaks of a hemorrhagic form of cystitis.

The woman's general condition deteriorates, weakness and discomfort appear, and the temperature can rise to 38°C.

Cystitis classification

In medicine, it is customary to distinguish between types of diseases depending on the course, the cause of their formation, the stage of development, morphological changes and the prevalence of the inflammatory process.The generally accepted classification distinguishes the following types of cystitis in women:

• Hemorrhagic.The cause of the pathology is the activity of viruses, bacteria and fungi.Urine contains blood, depending on the amount of blood, the color varies from pink to brown.In the absence of treatment, iron deficiency anemia may develop and subsequently a general infection of the body due to blockage of the pathways with blood clots.
• Interstitial.The inflammation is not infectious and occurs most frequently among young women.The reason is a lack of glycosaminoglycans, which causes inflammation.It is characterized by intense cutting pains and frequent urges, mainly at night.With a vigorous sexual life, the disease can progress.
• Radiation cystitis.It occurs after radiation used to treat tumors.The procedure affects the sensitivity of the bladder, causes deformation of the walls and dysfunction of the organ.
• Catarrhal cystitis.In addition to blood, stones, sand and a higher content of calcium salts are found in urine.Bladder capacity decreases.
• Encrusting.The affected mucosa is covered with salts and fibrin.Drug therapy is not always effective.The best treatment results are achieved with surgical intervention.
• Cervical cystitis.Named according to location: inflammation forms in the neck of the bladder.The peculiarity lies in the damage to the mucosa, as well as the sphincters that regulate urination.A woman often feels false urges, pain in the perineum and lower abdomen.Laboratory analysis of urine reveals a high content of pathogenic microorganisms.

The type of disease can be determined only after a complete examination.

Acute and chronic cystitis.

The existing differences in the course of the disease allow us to distinguish its different forms.

acute cystitis

It progresses rapidly and is characterized by pronounced symptoms: dysuria (difficulty urinating), leukocyturia, and terminal hematuria.The woman experiences frequent impulses that cause discomfort with intense painful sensations.Dysuric disorders after 5 to 10 minutes provoke the desire to go to the toilet, the portions of urine excreted are scanty.

chronic cystitis

Its symptoms are similar to those of the acute form.Exacerbations of the disease occur once or several times during the year.It is expressed in the form of frequent and painful urination, intense pain in the pubic area.The characteristics of chronic cystitis are:

• nocturia – need to urinate at night;
• Dysuria is an incessant desire to empty the bladder.

In the remission stage, symptoms are slow, imperceptible, or completely absent.

Diagnosis

Early detection of cystitis allows treatment to be started in time to prevent the disease from becoming chronic and the appearance of other complications.Instrumental and laboratory studies help establish an accurate diagnosis.They include: general urinalysis, bacteriological culture, vaginal smear.If necessary, ultrasound, cystoscopy and cystography are prescribed.

The main and mandatory research method is urine analysis.With its help, the degree of the inflammatory process and the type of causative agent of the disease are determined.A general analysis allows you to determine how high the number of leukocytes and red blood cells is.The composition contains salts of uric acid, mucus and bacteriuria.In the presence of inflammation, the urine takes on a cloudy appearance and may have a reddish tint.

It is not always possible to make an accurate diagnosis based solely on laboratory methods.In these cases, the doctor prescribes cystoscopy, a method that allows you to evaluate the condition of the bladder, the presence of stones, tumors, ulcers and foreign bodies in it.The condition of the walls of the organ is determined using ultrasound.

Treatment regimen

It is not difficult to get rid of cystitis if you follow all the doctor's instructions.The treatment regimen is drawn up taking into account the cause of the exacerbation, the type of pathogen and the presence of concomitant diseases.For bacterial cystitis includes:

• Antibacterial therapy.
• Taking antispasmodics.
• Special diet.
• Herbal medicine, the use of traditional medicine.

In addition to the above methods, for recurrent cystitis, physiotherapy and installations are prescribed.Women during menopause are recommended to use hormonal creams containing estrogen.Sitz herbal baths help improve well-being and relieve unpleasant symptoms.

Drug therapy

Timely treatment with effective methods allows you to completely eliminate inflammation and restore the mucous membrane.

To relieve pain, antispasmodics are prescribed.A natural preparation for the treatment of cystitis has an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect.The biologically active substances in its composition have a beneficial effect on the urinary tract and kidneys.

Given the bacterial nature of the disease, the use of antibiotics is a mandatory step in treatment.They are prescribed taking into account the type of cystitis pathogen, the degree of absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, the rate of elimination from the body and side effects.Modern drugs have the ability to remain in the affected organ, which increases their effectiveness and makes it possible to shorten the course of treatment.

Traditional methods of treatment

Our great-grandmothers knew well what cystitis was and used various traditional medicines to eliminate its unpleasant and painful symptoms.

Treatment with cranberries

They use berries, as well as leaves of the plant, collected in early spring, until the nutrients and beneficial substances are transferred to the flowers and fruits.In folk medicine, there are many recipes with lingonberries:

• Pour boiling water over the berries (2 cups of water per 150 g), leave for an hour, drink 0.5 cup three times a day.
• The leaves of the plant are crushed, poured into a saucepan, cold water is added and put on fire.After boiling, remove, let the broth stand for a while, take before meals 3 times a day for three months.For 60 g of raw materials you will need 1 liter of water.
• For preventive purposes, it is recommended to use lingonberry jam and fruit drinks in the diet.

It should be noted that lingonberries remove potassium and calcium, which a woman needs for health and beauty, along with urine.It is important, using lingonberry decoctions, to enrich the diet with products that replenish essential microelements (cottage cheese, pumpkin, parsley).

Chamomile for cystitis

The plant is used not only to prepare teas and decoctions.Topical application of chamomile is no less effective in the fight against cystitis.The infusion is used for vaginal douching.Chamomile decoction restores damaged mucous membranes, cleanses the inner surface of the bladder from infections and improves blood circulation.

Bearberry

The plant is known for its diuretic and antibacterial effects.A 30 ml infusion is prepared from the leaves.Pour 30 g of crushed raw material into a glass of boiling water and leave for 45 minutes, then filter.

Traditional medicine in the treatment of cystitis is a complement to drug therapy.Its use is only possible after consulting a doctor.

The disease can be avoided if certain rules are followed: avoid hypothermia, maintain hygiene, strengthen the immune system and do not ignore infections and inflammations that appear in the body.