Cystitis is a disease that affects the urinary system of the female or male organism. This pathology literally means an inflammatory process in the bladder, more precisely in its wall. Many people wonder if men have cystitis, because this pathology is more typical for women. However, men are also susceptible to this disease.
The difference between male and female cystitis is not only in the frequency of the lesion, but also in the reasons for its occurrence. If in women the pathology often develops at the beginning, then in men the inflammatory process occurs as a complication of some other disease.
The causative agents that cause cystitis in men and women can be different. Most often, inflammation is caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli, but instead of it, staphylococci, proteus and various protozoa, for example, trichomonas, can settle on the wall of the bladder. A special class consists of the causative agents of sexually transmitted infections, the complications of which can be cystitis.
Etiology
The causes of cystitis symptoms in women are:
- All untreated (or untimely detected) diseases of the genitourinary system are often of an inflammatory nature (both specific, for example, venereal and non-specific);
- Chronic pathologies of any body system (especially in the acute phase);
- Hypothermia (meaning not so much general as local in the area of the genitals and pelvic organs, for example, sitting on cold concrete);
- Professions that require prolonged sitting (office positions and others);
- Chronic stool disorders (constipation);
- Improper personal hygiene of the genitals;
- Experiments in sexual life (which means changing anal contact to vaginal contact without first changing the condom or water procedure by the partner);
- Tight and synthetic underwear, as well as jeans, tights, pants;
- Insufficient number of urinations per day (at least 5 times normally);
- Failure to observe personal hygiene during menstruation is one of the frequent causes of cystitis in women;
- Conditions of immunodeficiency of any genesis (both primary immunodeficiency and reduced immunity caused by stress, excessive physical effort).
Unlike women in a man's body, proper observance of the rules of intimate hygiene is often a sufficient measure to prevent inflammation. Even in this case, cystitis can appear as a complication of advanced urethritis. However, there are a number of factors that cause pathology.
Causes of cystitis symptoms in men:
- Inflammatory processes (acute and chronic) in the prostate, urethra, testicles and its appendages;
- Anomalies of the anatomical structure of the urethra (for example, strictures) that cause stagnation of urine;
- Urolithiasis or entry of foreign bodies into the urinary system;
- The presence of venereal inflammatory pathologies (gonorrhea is especially complicated by cystitis);
- Pyelonephritis or tuberculosis of the kidneys (damage is caused by the descending route of infection);
- Inflammatory processes in the male body (rare);
- Injuries to the organs of the urinary system or directly to the bladder;
- Incorrectly performed diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations on the organs of the genitourinary system;
- Diabetes is a dangerous predisposing factor.
Symptoms
Despite the etiological differences in the development of the inflammatory process, the clinical picture of the disease in both sexes does not differ. Signs of cystitis in men and women:
- Frequent (and often false) urge to urinate;
- Pain during urination (the pain is burning or in the form of spasms, intense, short, characterized by an increase in amplitude towards the end of urination);
- Pain of a permanent nature (in women in the lower abdomen, and in men in the penis or pubis);
- Decrease in the amount of urine with one urination;
- Subfebrile temperature and general signs of the inflammatory process (weakness, fatigue, pallor, dizziness) are characteristic of bacterial cystitis.
Since this pathology is characterized by a chronic form of cystitis, it is necessary to clarify that the clinical picture in such cases will be cloudy. All of the above symptoms will be expressed only during periods of exacerbation. In remission, patients may experience pain in the abdomen or groin or frequent urination.
Classification
In addition to acute and chronic forms of the disease, there are also different types of cystitis.
- Bacterial cystitis (or infectious). This form can be specific or non-specific. The disease is caused by infectious agents, mainly bacteria. Specific pathology options are sexually transmitted diseases that can be complicated by symptoms of cystitis in men and women.
- Interstitial cystitis. This form is caused by agents that are not infectious in nature, but mechanical or chemical in nature. In this case, all layers of the bladder are affected until perforated ulcers appear. Factors that can cause the disease are injuries, chemicals, physical influences.
- radiation cystitis. This form of cystitis stands out as special due to the specificity of its appearance. Basically, the type of radiation is considered interstitial, but it does not occur due to accidental exposure to the factor, but in the treatment of oncological diseases. To a greater extent, this refers to the appearance of symptoms of acute or chronic cystitis in men, because their pelvic organs are often exposed to radiation due to prostate cancer.
- Hemorrhagic cystitis. In fact, this form is a complication of ordinary cystitis and is characterized by bloody impurities in the urine coming from the bladder. Impurities can be both microscopic, i. e. invisible to the eye, and abundant (hematuria).
Illness during pregnancy
Cystitis in pregnant women in the early and late stages is a serious pathology that requires high-quality treatment. Due to their anatomical characteristics, women are more prone to bladder infections than men, however, pregnant women are at risk for a number of additional reasons:
- Reduction of the body's resistance to infectious pathogens;
- Insufficient nutrition of the bladder due to the pressure of the large uterus on the blood vessels that feed it;
- Hormonal changes.
It is congestion and reduced immunity that lead to the development of cystitis during pregnancy. The main characteristic of the inflammatory process in pregnant women is its asymptomatic course, which is not always the case, but still occurs. Therefore, a woman's routine examination should be thorough and aimed at identifying hidden pathologies. Treatment of cystitis during pregnancy is necessary, but difficult, because taking strong antibiotics can negatively affect the fetus.
Therefore, in this situation, they try to limit themselves to local therapy in the form of instillations. If this does not help, then antibiotics are prescribed, which are the least dangerous for the unborn child.
Manifestation after sex
The most common cause of cystitis after intimacy is the anatomical location of the urethra in the female body. If it is opened in front of the vagina, the infection is greatly simplified. Among the causes of cystitis after sex, there are also cicatricial changes in the tissues after the loss of virginity in a girl.
Such adhesive formations have a mechanical effect on the urethra and prevent its closure. Hormonal changes also contribute to the fact that women develop cystitis after sex, because the protective properties of all the mucous membranes of the body are weakened. Sexual abstinence is a risk factor for cystitis after intercourse, and the longer you go without sex, the more likely you are to develop cystitis the next time you have sex.
Diagnostics
A vivid clinical picture of acute cystitis is a sufficient indicator for establishing a diagnosis, for chronic or obliterated forms of the disease, a number of studies are prescribed. To identify the signs of cystitis in women and men, use:
- Clinical blood test (to detect the inflammatory process);
- Urine analysis (to detect leukocytes or microhematuria);
- Bacterial urine culture (the causative agent is determined and an antibiotic sensitivity test is immediately performed);
- Studies to detect venereal pathology (serological studies, PCR);
- Specific urine studies;
- Cystoscopy (done as a last resort with ongoing processes).
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, cystitis treatment should be started immediately.
Treatment
The basis of treatment for this inflammatory disease is antibacterial drugs (if the pathology is caused by an infectious agent). Preparations for cystitis in women and men must be highly sensitive to the pathogen, so a special test is preliminarily carried out. Yes, its results apply antibacterial tablets for cystitis in women and men with a wide spectrum of action. In addition to drugs for the treatment of cystitis in women, kolargol instillations are highly effective.
Such therapy is acceptable for pregnant women in whom antibiotics cannot be used, and in advanced cases as an additional treatment. Herbal preparations are widely used for cystitis in women and men, or other herbal remedies. They are used with antibiotics or if the cystitis is mild and does not require intensive treatment.
Symptomatic drugs for cystitis in men and women are antispasmodics that relieve pain. Or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which relieve pain and also reduce inflammation in the bladder.
To prevent the side effects of antibiotics for cystitis in men, and especially in women, probiotics are prescribed. In women, the proper microflora of the vagina is important, so taking these drugs is necessary.
If the inflammatory process is caused by any primary pathology, then the basis of curing cystitis will be the resolution of this disease. Of particular importance is the treatment of prostate lesions in men and sexually transmitted infections in both sexes. Physiotherapy procedures are used for additional treatment of chronic cystitis in women and men. They are prescribed after the severity of the process is relieved or during the period of remission.