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. It is largely due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure, which is why cystitis in women is much more common than in men.
What are the causes and early 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 about it?
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, bladder stones, onset of menopause, disruption of the endocrine system, and use of certain medications. In addition, there is interstitial cystitis, the exact mechanism of which has not yet been elucidated.
It should also be noted that cystitis in women can be acute or chronic. The chronic form is characterized by both frequent relapses of the disease and a slow, incessant manifestation of symptoms.
To prevent the disease from becoming a constant source of discomfort, it is necessary to make an appointment with a doctor at the first signs of the disease and to carry out the necessary treatment. All you need to do for this is 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 do a urine test, a swab of the urethra and vagina. In the chronic form of the disease, it is also recommended to be examined for the possible presence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Also, in some cases, additional tests are needed, for which you will have to make an appointment with a nephrologist, have an ultrasound of the small pelvis or cystoscopy.
The insidious thing about 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 antibacterial drugs advertised in pharmacies.
However, the lack of adequate therapy, its short duration and the wrong choice of drugs contribute to the transition of the disease to a chronic form, which, in turn, is difficult to treat. So you shouldn't take any risks and use the advice of friends when choosing medication - it's best to call your doctor over the phone and make an appointment. It must be remembered that timely treatment will not only prevent chronic cystitis, but also save other organs from the spread of infection.
What symptoms of cystitis cause the most discomfort?
Signs of acute cystitis in women always appear suddenly. These include:
- frequent and strong urge to urinate;
- an increase in the content of leukocytes in the urine and a change in its smell;
- the presence of traces of blood in the urine;
- cutting pain in the lower abdomen;
- burning and pain when urinating;
- increase in body temperature.
These symptoms develop very quickly. Approximately every quarter of an hour, a woman has to go to the bathroom, and the amount of urine at each visit is minimal. Also, spasm of the bladder muscles can lead to urinary incontinence.
Cystitis has a tendency to relapse. Most women seek help at least once a year.
In the chronic form of the disease, symptoms are less pronounced. For example, discomfort during urination manifests itself quite moderately. The frequency of going to the bathroom also does not change. In general, a person can lead a normal life and attend work (study).
Methods for the prevention and treatment of cystitis
To know the possible ways to prevent and treat cystitis in the fairer sex, it is necessary to determine the main causes of the disease. These include:
- structural features of the urethra in women (it is shorter and wider than in men);
- hormonal fluctuations (pregnancy, menopause), which disturb the balance of microflora and weaken the strength of local immunity;
- urinary system infection (may occur due to poor personal hygiene, unprotected sexual intercourse);
- trauma (for example, when using a catheter to divert urine).
Cystitis can also occur as a concomitant disease with diabetes mellitus or urolithiasis. By the way, it is impossible to "win" this disease from hypothermia. And similar symptoms signal the development of polyuria (cold diuresis).
Therefore, the first thing to do in the face of cystitis is to dial the clinic's phone number and make an appointment with a doctor. Only an experienced specialist, on the basis of tests, will determine the presence of an inflammatory process and prescribe the correct antibiotic therapy. It will relieve most of the unpleasant symptoms during the first few days.
In addition, the treatment of cystitis involves the use of analgesics and antipyretics. Doctors recommend during therapy to observe a sufficient intake regimen, which will accelerate recovery (bacteria will be more quickly eliminated from the body with urine).
Specialists never tire of warning that it is dangerous to self-medicate this disease. In fact, many diseases of the genitourinary system have symptoms similar to bacterial cystitis, which cannot be cured with a single antimicrobial. As a result, you could lose valuable time and face a serious health threat.
Measures to prevent this disease are:
- personal hygiene (daily change of underwear, frequent change of pads, in addition to regular baths);
- wearing appropriately selected underwear made from natural materials;
- timely treatment of all existing diseases of the genitourinary system;
- obligatory visits to the bathroom and shower after sexual intercourse.
If the attack took place on the road or on vacation, before seeking medical help, you should try to avoid hypothermia, drink more fluids, limit your consumption of spicy and salty foods, as well as alcohol.
If you have chronic cystitis, before a long trip, you should consult your doctor and discuss with him a set of medicines you should take with you on the road. Also bring (if possible) your phone number for emergency communication.