Almost every woman at least once in her life faced this acute problem – cystitis. Frequent, painful urination, dull pain in the lower abdomen, nausea … If the disease is started, it can affect many vital organs and cause inflammation in them, and this is fraught with very serious consequences. Goodshapetips tells you what you need to know about cystitis in order to prevent its occurrence or make a diagnosis in time.
Cystitis is an inflammation of the walls of the bladder. It occurs when an infection enters the bladder through the urethra or kidneys. Once sick, a woman runs the risk of facing this problem again and again (the infection returns in 15% of cases).
Cystitis is one of the most common groups of bacterial infections.
In the United States, 3 million people see a doctor each year for cystitis. In Russia, many women also suffer from this disease. Sociologists interviewed 660 young women from 4 Russian cities. The development of at least one episode of cystitis during their lifetime was noted by 19% of respondents.
The development of two or more episodes of cystitis during the year was noted by 51.2% of patients, 3 episodes – in 27.4%, 4 episodes – in 14.4%, 6 episodes – in 7.2% of patients. Sometimes the symptoms of cystitis are so acute that a woman even temporarily loses the ability to lead a normal life. Thus, cystitis in 17.5% of respondents led to temporary disability within 1-3 days, in 6.3% – within 3-5 days, in 6.3% – within 5-7 days, in 4% – more than 7 days.
Symptoms
Acute cystitis can appear suddenly. There is discomfort, burning in the perineum during urination – it becomes frequent (sometimes every 5-10 minutes) and painful, and the amount of urine decreases each time. The pain can be different: burning, cutting, dull – at the end of urination, it intensifies.
In the urine there may be turbidity (gray or white) and even an admixture of blood. There is pain in the lower abdomen, back or lower back aches. Sometimes a woman has a fever and nausea.
Experts from England conducted a study and found that women are terrified of the first symptoms of cystitis. The results of a survey of more than 100 girls showed that 50% have experienced the painful symptoms of cystitis at least once.
40% of those who suffered from the classic female disease believed that they suffer from a much more terrible disease than cystitis – venereal disease or cancer.. 35% reported that they believe that in their case, cystitis was caused by sex. More than 50% self-medicated and 28% sought help from a gynecologist.
Causes
So, various factors can provoke the disease, for example:
Stress can also trigger cystitis. Strong psychological experiences dramatically weaken a woman’s immunity. Stress gives a kind of impetus to the inflammatory process, which occurs in the weakest place in the body. Therefore, if you previously had inflammation in the bladder, then stress may well cause cystitis.
Urinary tract infection in women is very often associated with sexual activity. That is why personal hygiene is so important. There is an opinion that if you go to the toilet before and after having sex (empty your bladder), then the likelihood of cystitis is reduced by 2 times.
Some women believe that cystitis cannot occur after menopause – but this is not at all the case. With age, the body loses water, and because of this, all the tissues of the body become more rigid, lose elasticity and do not compress as effectively as before. This also applies to the walls of the bladder. As a result, the bladder does not empty completely and infection begins to accumulate in it.
Treatment
According to scientists, if inflammation of the bladder is not treated in a timely manner, then in 40% of cases, cystitis becomes chronic, which is much more difficult to cure than an acute process. Therefore, at the first symptoms of cystitis, it is important to immediately consult a doctor.
Treatment of cystitis comes down to three main factors: the use of drugs, proper nutrition and personal hygiene.
The use of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs is mandatory. The most common drugs are:
- biseptol (usually prescribed 2 tablets 2 times a day),
- nevigramon (0.5 g 4 times a day),
- furadonin (0.1 g 4 times a day),
- furagin (0.1 g 3 times a day).
If after 5-10 days the cystitis is not cured, antibiotics are prescribed. Usually it is ampicillin (500 mg 4 times a day).
Diet
essential for cystitis. Yes, first of all foods high in salt should be excluded from the diet (canned and pickled foods, chips, crackers), concentrated proteins (meat, cottage cheese, cheese, fish, beans), products containing artificial sugar (sweets, sweets, carbonated drinks).
It is best to use fresh vegetables, freshly squeezed vegetable juices (carrot is especially useful), cereals from whole grains.
Healing cranberry
Scholars around the world agree that cranberry can be extremely useful in classic female disease. Experts have proven that if you drink 1.5 cups of cranberry juice a day, then exacerbations occur 2 times less often.
The therapeutic effect of cranberries is explained by the presence of benzoic acid and proanthocyanidins in it (in addition to cranberries, there are proanthocyanidins in blueberries, blueberries, plums, avocados, peanuts, cinnamon and curry).
Due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, cranberries have been called a natural antibiotic. In addition, it is believed that the substances contained in cranberry juice change the composition of urine, and it becomes unsuitable for the life of bacteria.
Cranberries are useful in any form: fresh, dried, frozen, cranberry nectar and fruit drink. So, the daily therapeutic dose of cranberries includes:
It is better, of course, to eat berries, since the juice and fruit drink additionally contain sugar.
Frozen berries do not need to be completely thawed before use. You can do this: throw a handful of frozen berries into hot tea, it is better to use them as quickly as possible so that the cranberries have time to melt only on top, remaining frozen inside.
Another useful property of cranberries: Israeli scientists found that its juice contains a component that protects the cells of the urethra from the penetration of pathogenic bacteria.
However, there is one very significant “but”: cranberry juice should not increase the burning sensation during urination. If this happens, then the cause of cystitis lies not in pathogenic bacteria, but in something else.
Expert comment
Bacteriologist Tatyana Startseva:
“A urinary tract infection is actually very dangerous for a woman’s health. The fact is that the urinary and reproductive systems are connected to each other, and if you have an infection in the bladder, it can easily move through the vagina to the uterus.
To avoid unwanted consequences, you need to know a few important rules:
visit the toilet at regular intervals. It is harmful not only to keep urine in the body for a long time, but also to urinate often. Between urination should take an average of 3-4 hours.
the infection can enter the urinary tract and vagina from the anus. Therefore, after a bowel movement, wipe yourself with toilet paper in the direction from front to back, and even better, wash yourself.
During your period, change your sanitary pads and tampons more often and wear comfortable underwear.
dry the skin, destroy the necessary acidity of the vagina and can irritate the exit of the urethra foam baths and soaps with a lot of aromatic additives. They weaken the genitals and urethra and make women vulnerable to infection.”
If you find symptoms of cystitis in yourself, you should immediately consult a doctor – both a urologist and a gynecologist. It is possible to treat the initial stages of cystitis at home, but again only under the supervision of a doctor. Do not start your illnesses, because health is the basis of our life!
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