According to statistics, cystitis in women is much more common than in men, which is explained by physiological differences in the structure of the urethra. This disease is usually accompanied by a series of unpleasant symptoms: pain and pain when urinating, frequent urination and pain in the lower abdomen.
Cystitis is a common disease of the urinary system. This is mainly due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure, which is why cystitis is much more common in women than in men.
What are the causes and first signs of cystitis in women? What are the main symptoms of female cystitis? What types of cystitis are isolated? Which doctor treats cystitis and how is the disease treated at home? Is it possible to prevent the development of cystitis and what needs to be done?
Cystitis in women: is it necessary to make an appointment with a doctor?
Cystitis in women can be caused by various infectious diseases, helminthic invasions, stones in the urinary bladder, the onset of menopause, disorders of the endocrine system, and taking certain medications. In addition, there is interstitial cystitis, the exact mechanism of which has not yet been clarified.
It should also be noted that cystitis in women can be acute or chronic. The chronic form is characterized by frequent relapses of the disease and slow, continuous manifestation of symptoms.
So that the disease does not become a constant source of discomfort, it is necessary to schedule an examination with a doctor and undergo the necessary treatment at the first signs of the disease. All you need to do for this is to call the profile clinic. Specialists dealing with this problem are urologists and gynecologists. Although, even a general practitioner can treat an uncomplicated form of the disease.
To diagnose cystitis in women, they usually perform a urine test, a swab from the urethra and vagina. In the case of a chronic form of the disease, an examination for the possible presence of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) is also recommended.
In addition, in some cases, additional examinations are necessary, for which you will have to make an appointment with a nephrologist, perform an ultrasound of the pelvis or a cystoscopy.
The insidiousness of this disease is that the treatment of cystitis is usually quite easy, and the unpleasant symptoms disappear quickly. Therefore, many women prefer to self-medicate by buying advertised antibacterial drugs in pharmacies.
However, the lack of appropriate therapy, its short duration and the wrong choice of drugs contribute to the transition of the disease into a chronic form, which, in turn, is difficult to treat. Therefore, you should not take risks and use the advice of friends in choosing medicines - it is better to call your doctor by phone and make an appointment. It should be remembered that timely treatment will not only avoid chronic cystitis, but also save other organs from the spread of infection.
Which cystitis symptoms cause the most discomfort?
Signs of acute cystitis in women always appear suddenly. This includes:
- frequent and strong urge to urinate;
- increased content of leukocytes in urine and change in its smell;
- the presence of traces of blood in the urine;
- cutting pain in lower abdomen;
- burning and pain during urination;
- increase in body temperature.
These symptoms develop very quickly. Approximately every quarter of an hour, a woman must visit the toilet, and the amount of urine during each visit is minimal. In addition, bladder muscle spasm can lead to urinary incontinence.
Cystitis tends to recur. Most women seek help at least once a year.
In the chronic form of the disease, the symptoms are less pronounced. For example, discomfort during urination manifests itself quite moderately. The frequency of going to the toilet does not change either. In general, a person can lead a normal life and attend work (studies).
Methods for the prevention and treatment of cystitis
In order to learn about the possible ways to prevent and treat cystitis in the fairer sex, it is necessary to determine the main causes of the disease. This includes:
- structural characteristics of the urethra in women (it is shorter and wider than in men);
- hormonal fluctuations (pregnancy, menopause), which disrupt the balance of microflora and weaken the strength of local immunity;
- infection of the urinary system (can occur due to insufficient personal hygiene, unprotected intercourse);
- trauma (for example, when a catheter is used to divert urine).
Cystitis can also occur as a concomitant disease with diabetes mellitus or urolithiasis. By the way, it is impossible to "earn" this disease from hypothermia. And similar symptoms signal the development of polyuria (cold diuresis).
Therefore, the first thing to do when faced with cystitis is to call the phone number of the clinic and make an appointment with a doctor. Only an experienced specialist will determine the presence of an inflammatory process based on tests and prescribe the correct antibiotic therapy. It will remove most of the unpleasant symptoms during the first days.
Also, the treatment of cystitis includes taking painkillers and antipyretics. Doctors recommend that you adhere to a sufficient drinking regimen during therapy, which will speed up recovery (bacteria will be washed out of the body faster with urine).
Experts do not tire of warning that it is dangerous to self-medicate this disease. Indeed, many diseases of the genitourinary system have symptoms similar to bacterial cystitis, which cannot be cured by a single antimicrobial drug. As a result, you can lose valuable time and face a serious threat to your health.
Measures to prevent this disease are:
- personal hygiene (daily change of underwear, frequent change of pads, as well as regular showering);
- wearing properly selected underwear made of natural materials;
- timely treatment of all existing diseases of the genitourinary system;
- mandatory trips to the toilet and showering after sexual intercourse.
If the attack is caught on the road or on vacation, before seeking medical help, you should try to avoid hypothermia, drink more fluids, limit the consumption of spicy and salty foods, as well as alcohol.
If you have chronic cystitis, before a long trip, visit your doctor and talk to him about the set of medicines you should take with you on the trip. And get (if possible) his phone number for emergency communication.