Cystitis is one of the most frequently diagnosed diseases in the field of urology. This is the number 1 urological disease that almost every woman encounters at least once in her life. This is an inflammatory pathology of the bladder, which occurs due to the entry of pathogenic microflora into the bladder. As a result, bacteria multiply inside the bladder, which leads to a number of characteristic symptoms. In rare cases, the disease appears due to allergic or toxic effects.
Important!
The information in this article should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. You should always consult a doctor for correct diagnosis and treatment.
Most often, cystitis occurs in women, which is related to the structural features of the urinary system. According to statistics, more than 30 million diseases are discovered in Hungary every year. In addition, more than half of the annual visits to the urologist involve acute or chronic inflammation of the bladder.
The treatment of cystitis is aimed at eliminating existing symptoms and normalizing the functioning of the entire urogenital system. In the article, we will talk about the main causes of the pathology, signs of its development, features of therapy and prevention.
Types of cystitis
Depending on the characteristics of development and course, we distinguish several types of the disease. According to the pathogenesis (ie, the mechanism of development), the following types of cystitis can be distinguished:
- Primary (uncomplicated). It occurs as a separate, independent pathology, usually occurs in relatively healthy patients who do not have urinary outflow disorders.
- Secondary (complicated). This can be a violation of the outflow of urine in many accompanying diseases: for example, urolithiasis or tumor formations in the pelvic organs.
Depending on the etiology (causes of development), the following types of cystitis can be distinguished:
- Infectious. It will be the result of bacterial action on the tissues of the organ.
- Toxic. It occurs as a result of the harmful effects of toxins, drugs, radiation or chemotherapy.
- Allergic. It will be the result of exposure to various allergens.
We perform a separate classification of the disease, taking into account the morphological changes:
- catarrhal cystitis. It is characterized by damage to the upper layers of the bladder mucosa. This causes swelling and hyperemia (a state of increased filling of the organ with blood).
- Bleeding. It leads to inflammation of the blood vessels, which causes blood to seep into the urine.
- Ulcerative fibrous. It is characterized by the spread of the inflammatory process to the muscle tissues of the organ.
- It's gooey. It is associated with the development of necrotic lesions of the bladder wall.
- Interposed. The inflammatory process extends to the mucous membrane, submucosa and muscle layer of the organ.
A distinct form of cystitis is often referred to as the postcoital variety ("honeymoon cystitis"). This variant of the disease occurs after defloration. This is caused by vaginal mucus entering the urethra.
In addition, according to the stages of the course, acute and chronic (recurrent) cystitis are distinguished. The acute form is characterized by an uncomplicated course and has vivid symptoms. If the disease has become chronic, the patient's characteristic symptoms appear only during the period of exacerbation.
Important!
The information in this article should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. You should always consult a doctor for correct diagnosis and treatment.
Symptoms of the disease
The signs of cystitis can be very diverse and often depend on the form of the pathology. If we talk about the general symptom picture, the following are the most common:
- Frequent urge to urinate (usually the number of urinations during the day is about 6-10).
- Unpleasant feeling in the bladder area, fullness.
- Pain in the lower abdomen.
- Burning and cutting during urination.
- Change in urine color, presence of impurities (blood or mucus).
There are also general symptoms of poisoning. A woman may experience chills, weakness, fatigue, fever, and profuse sweating. In severe cases, urinary incontinence occurs due to damage to the muscle layer of the bladder.
Cystitis can be a manifestation of any urological disease, so the clinical picture largely depends on the nature of the underlying pathology. In addition, the symptoms of the disease may include signs of inflammatory diseases of the organs of the reproductive system. Unfortunately, this combination is extremely common in women.
Causes of cystitis
The pathology belongs to the polyetiological (i. e. multi-causal) causes, so several factors contribute to its development. The main reason for its occurrence is the entry of various microorganisms into the bladder. In almost 90% of cases, this is E. coli, which lives in the rectum and is located near the urinary organs. The inflammatory process is also caused by other bacteria and microorganisms: Candida fungi, chlamydia, herpes virus, etc.
Pathogenic organisms can enter the urinary system in a variety of ways. There are the following ways of penetration:
- Rising. Most often, the pathogenic microflora enters the bladder through the urethra.
- descending. In this case, microorganisms penetrate from the kidneys (for example, in the presence of pyelonephritis).
- Lymphogenic. It is related to the flow of lymph, through which organisms from other organs of the pelvis enter the bladder in the presence of inflammation.
- Hematogenous. Infection occurs from distant inflammatory foci as a result of blood flow.
There are several reasons why cystitis is more common in women than in men. These are the following:
- A special structure of the reproductive system that contributes to the spread of bacteria and infections in the urinary system.
- A short urethra located near the anus (a place where various bacteria accumulate).
- Frequent hormonal fluctuations that can weaken the body's immunity.
Risk factors
There are factors that increase the risk of developing cystitis. These include:
- Hypothermia of the pelvic organs.
- Reduced immunity.
- Constant overload, frequent stress.
- Violation of the rules of intimate hygiene.
- I tend to be constipated.
- Abuse of spicy and spicy foods.
- Stagnation in the pelvic organs.
- Chronic pathologies of the urogenital system.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Congenital pathologies of the urinary organs.
Another factor in the development of such an infection is pregnancy. According to statistics, every 10th pregnant girl experiences the symptoms of cystitis. This condition leads to a decrease in general immunity, changes in hormone levels, an increase in the size of the uterus and a deterioration in the blood supply to the bladder.
In addition, the disease is often diagnosed in menopausal patients. Over the age of 50-55, the level of estrogen decreases, which often leads to a weakening of the bladder mucosa.
In many patients, acute or chronic cystitis occurs during menstruation. This is due to bacteria entering the urethra along with menstrual blood. The following factors can provoke such a condition during menstruation:
- Thrush or other infectious pathology.
- Inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs.
- Reduced general immunity.
- Sexually transmitted infections.
- Allergic reaction to pads or tampons.
- Non-compliance with hygiene rules.
Features of the treatment
The diagnosis of "cystitis" is made based on the patient's complaints and examination by a urologist or gynecologist, and certain tests and instrumental tests are also mandatory.
The doctor prescribes the woman:
- general urinalysis;
- clinical blood test;
- urine culture, bacteriological examination (if complicated cystitis is suspected).
In the case of a recurrent course of the disease, smearing and sowing of vaginal secretions, analysis of antibodies against the herpes virus, scraping of the urethra and cervical canal may be prescribed. These procedures help identify factors that trigger relapses.
Instrumental techniques are also important in the diagnosis of pathology. Among them:
- Ultrasound of the pelvic organs and bladder.
- MRI of the urogenital system.
- Cystoscopy with biopsy (complicated or recurrent course).
Such diagnostic procedures make it possible to determine the presence and causes of pathology. Based on the received data, the specialist can prepare a treatment plan for cystitis. Therapy is based on an integrated approach aimed at achieving the following goals:
- Administration of antibacterial and symptomatic therapy, elimination of existing symptoms.
- Prevention of possible complications.
- Prevention of recurrence of pathology.
Antibacterial and symptomatic therapy includes taking various drugs. These can be pain relievers, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory agents, antispasmodics, etc. . The purpose of their administration is to relieve symptoms and eliminate the existing inflammatory process. In addition, the doctor may prescribe immunomodulators or multivitamin complexes. If cystitis is recurrent, bacteriophage-based preparations are often used.
In addition, it is possible to prescribe various physiotherapy methods. Among them:
- Electrophoresis. It helps relieve inflammation and reduce cramps.
- Magnetotherapy. Eliminates bacteria and viruses in the inflamed organ.
- Inductotherapy. It contributes to the normalization of blood flow, normalizes the urinary system.
In addition, the patient must follow several rules:
- It excludes spicy, spicy and salty foods, carbonated drinks, coffee, alcohol and sweets from the diet.
- Refrain from sexual intercourse during treatment.
- Drink enough water (sour fruit drinks and urological fees are also recommended).
- Avoid physical activity (including swimming in pools and lakes).
Important!The effectiveness of traditional medicine methods has not been proven, so they can only be used in combination with medicines. You cannot use folk remedies - be sure to consult your doctor!
With a few exceptions, treatment is done on an outpatient basis. Sometimes it is necessary to treat the patient in hospital, there may be signs of this:
- The course of the disease is severe.
- The presence of serious concomitant diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus).
- Incidence of complications.
- Decompensated heart failure.
- Ineffectiveness of ongoing antibiotic therapy.
Symptoms and treatment of acute cystitis
The acute form develops rapidly against the background of the relative health of the patient. The main symptom is frequent urination. Acute cystitis in women is also characterized by symptoms such as severe pain, burning sensation during urination, symptoms of intoxication and fever.
A rapid increase in symptoms and an increase in the number of urinations can be observed on the first day. The interval between urination can be reduced to 5-15 minutes. At the same time, urges occur both during the day and at night.
The condition can be accompanied by the appearance of blood in the urine and purulent discharge. The acute form of the pathology lasts on average 7-10 days, in the absence of adequate treatment, the disease becomes chronic, with worsening phases.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic cystitis
This stage develops as a result of improper and / or premature treatment of the inflammatory process. Pathology is often the result of self-medication and uncontrolled medication.
In addition, the chronic form can be the result of other diseases of the urogenital system. Cystitis is often diagnosed in patients with pyelonephritis, vulvovaginitis, and various infections of the reproductive and urinary systems.
The danger of chronic cystitis is that it appears without obvious symptoms. A woman may experience an exacerbation, followed by remission, during which there are no problems with urination. However, during exacerbations, symptoms similar to the acute form appear. Frequent urination with pain and pain, often blood or purulent discharge appears in the urine.
In the treatment of chronic cystitis, it is important to eliminate the factors that cause constant relapse. For example, during menopause and in case of hormonal disorders, hormone replacement therapy is prescribed. In some cases, surgery may be required to correct congenital abnormalities of the urinary system.
Possible complications
The key to the successful treatment of cystitis is a timely visit to the doctor. Usually, in such cases, the therapy lasts no more than 10-12 days. However, in the absence of medical care and failure to follow the doctor's recommendations, the patient may experience a chronic form of the disease. In this case, complications cannot be excluded, including:
- pyelonephritis;
- paracystitis;
- abscess;
- difficulty urinating;
- violation of the reproductive function of the body.
In patients with frequently recurring cystitis (more than 3 exacerbations per year), preventive therapy is recommended to prevent possible complications. This includes a small dose of antibiotics, but such treatment is carried out only according to the doctor's instructions.
Disease prevention
In most cases, simple preventive measures will help to avoid the development of cystitis. Among other things, you need:
- Proper hygiene of the external genitalia.
- Take care of hygiene during sexual activity.
- Drink enough clean water every day.
- Remove all provoking factors (stress, hypothermia, large amounts of spicy and spicy food).
- Consult a doctor in time and do not self-treat diseases of the pelvic organs.
It is also important to remember that during cystitis it is forbidden to visit a bath / sauna or to overheat the body in any way (including the use of heating pads in the lower abdomen). In the presence of the bacterial form of the disease, the growth of pathogenic microflora can be provoked. This increases the risk of developing an abscess. If the disease is of a different nature, heating the tissues accelerates the blood microcirculation. This can cause blood in the urine and increase the pain.
Regular emptying of the bladder and bowels is important in the prevention of cystitis. In addition, a woman is recommended to lead an active lifestyle and include physical activity in the daily routine. This eliminates the congestion of the pelvic organs and normalizes the urination process.
Cystitis is an extremely unpleasant disease, as it has a rapid course and can affect the quality of life. However, a correct and rational approach to treatment allows you to quickly eliminate all the symptoms of the disease and avoid various complications. In this case, the most important thing is not to self-medicate and not to delay seeing a doctor.
Important!
The information in this article should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. You should always consult a doctor for correct diagnosis and treatment.