What is Cystitis: Symptoms and Tips

Dull pain in the lower abdomen, frequent urges to urinate, discomfort during urination? These symptoms may signal cystitis.

About 36 million women are diagnosed with this disease every year, and every third woman has been diagnosed with cystitis at least once in her life, according to the WHO. Men are less often diagnosed with urinary tract infections, 6–8 cases per 10,000 men, according to statistics from the US National Institute of Health.

How dangerous cystitis is, what are its symptoms, and whether it is possible to prevent this ailment, we will tell you further.

Cystitis is a condition in which the lining of the bladder becomes inflamed if as a result of bacteria or fungi entering it. It is classified due to the causative agent of the disease:

• bacterial — occurs when bacteria enter the bladder through the urethra and irritate the bladder walls;
• radiation — appears after radiation therapy for cancer, when not only harmful cells are destroyed, but also healthy ones;
• chemical — inflammation of the bladder, which occurs as a result of taking drugs, means for intimate hygiene;
• foreign-body cystitis — occurs due to irritation of the urinary bladder by a catheter or stent;
• drug-related cystitis — some drugs irritate the bladder when they are excreted from the body.

What is acute cystitis?

Acute cystitis is a process of bladder inflammation, which occurs suddenly, and the symptoms are more pronounced.

What is chronic cystitis?

Chronic cystitis is a condition in which the bladder mucous membrane constantly has an inflammatory process. Most often, it occurs because of incomplete healing of the acute form. According to medical research, a third of women who suffer from urinary tract infections have a chronic form of inflammation.

Can cystitis go from an acute stage to a chronic one?

It is possible for cystitis to progress into a chronic form of bladder inflammation if the existing symptoms are not completely cured. In addition, the chronic form occurs due to:

• incorrect, inadequate, self-selected treatment;
• organic or functional changes in the bladder;
• reduced immunity.

What are the symptoms of cystitis?

• Pain in the lower abdomen.
• Frequent urges to urinate.
• Increasing of body temperature up to 37.5 °C.
• Discomfort during urination: burning, pain.
• Change in urine color.
• The presence of blood in the urine.
• Discomfort in the pelvis area.
• Pain in the back or side.
• A feeling of fullness in the bladder.

What provokes the occurrence of cystitis?

1. Violation of personal hygiene rules.
2. Local and general hypothermia.
3. Regular consumption of spicy food.
4. Consumption of poor quality water.
5. Genital infections.
6. Psycho-emotional stress, frequent overstrain.
7. Presence of metabolic diseases.
8. Infection during prolonged sexual intercourse.
9. Presence of diabetes, obesity.
10. Ignoring urges to urinate.

Cystitis during pregnancy: what should you know?

According to WHO statistics, 45% of women suffer from cystitis during pregnancy. The main reason why this ailment occurs is a change in the hormonal background, the bacterial microflora of the vagina. In addition, during pregnancy, some organs are displaced due to the fetus. As a result, urine does not fully come out and bacteria begin to multiply in the remains.

Bladder inflammation in pregnant women can provoke the following problems:

• fetal development delay;
• the possibility of premature birth;
• development of pyelonephritis (kidney inflammation) in pregnant women.

To prevent the development of the urinary bladder, it is necessary to seek medical advice and pass tests: ultrasound of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, urine bacterial culture for flora and sensitivity to antibiotics.

Cystitis in men

In men, cystitis is detected much less often, because their urethra is long and narrow. If they received a diagnosis of “cystitis”, it is more likely as a secondary disease with:

• lesions of the prostate gland, for example, prostatitis or prostate adenoma;
• narrowed urethra;
• diseases of the urogenital tract.

Bladder inflammation in men is manifested by a tingling or burning sensation in the penis during or after urination.

How to treat cystitis?

An acute form of urinary tract infection is treated on an outpatient basis using drugs for cystitis that have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Remedies are prescribed exclusively by a doctor at a medical consultation, according to sensitivity to the causative agent of the disease and symptoms.

If you delay treatment or treat it irresponsibly, you can get a severe form of cystitis:

• hemorrhagic — inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bladder, which is characterized by the release of blood together with urine;
• gangrenous — inflammation of the mucous membrane, in which necrotic changes occur in the tissues, often irreversible;
• phlegmonous — purulent inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bladder.

In such cases, surgical intervention will be required.

Therefore, it is important to take care of your health — undergo medical examinations by a gynecologist and urologist, take care of the pelvic organs, and seek medical advice at the first symptoms.