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Beauty and Anti-Aging

Cystitis (Bladder Infection)

11 de octubre de 2023

3 min de lectura

Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder that occurs because of bladder infection. Also known as a urinary tract infection, a bladder infection can be painful and annoying and cause severe health concerns if the infection spreads to the kidneys.

What is cystitis or bladder infection?

Cystitis is an infection of the lower urinary tract, specifically the urinary bladder. The condition can occur when bacteria normally living in the skin or bowel enter the urethra and bladder.

The bacteria then gets attached to the bladder lining, causing swelling and irritation of the bladder.

Even though cystitis can occur in anyone, it is common in females. Women have a shorter urethra closer to the anus, causing bacteria to enter the bladder easily.

Cystitis can be either acute or chronic. While acute cystitis can happen suddenly, chronic or interstitial cystitis can occur for a longer term.

Types of Cystitis

The types of cystitis depend on their causes and are as follows:

Chemical cystitis: The bladder infection can develop because of chemicals in soaps, gels, spermicides, and gels. The condition can also result from chemotherapy treatments.
Drug-induced cystitis: Some medications, like chemotherapy drugs, can irritate the bladder, causing cystitis.
Foreign body cystitis: Where a catheter, endoscopic instruments, or stents are used during treatments, bacteria may enter the urethra through such devices, causing cystitis.
Bacterial cystitis: It can occur when bacteria enter the urethra, causing bladder inflammation.
Radiation cystitis: Radiation therapy, while killing cancer cells, can damage healthy cells in the pelvic region, causing cystitis.

Causes of Cystitis

Typically, cystitis can occur from a bacterial called Escherichia coli. Other bacteria that can cause bladder infections are:

Lactobacillus
Proteus mirabilis
Group B streptococci
S. saprophyticus
Enterococci
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Staphylococcus saprophyticus

Cystitis can occur in males because of restricted urine flow from an enlarged prostate gland.

Cystitis can happen because of the following reasons.

Difficult in fully emptying the urinary bladder
Diabetes or high blood sugar level in urine
Prolonged use, insertion, and changing of urinary catheter
Sexual activity
Using a diaphragm for birth control

People have a higher risk of developing cystitis during menopause because of the thinning of the urethra. A thinner urinary lining can increase the risk of infection and damage.

Symptoms of Cystitis

The symptoms depend on the type of cystitis.

Acute Cystitis

People with acute cystitis can have the following symptoms.

Pain, stinging, and burning during urination
Frequent urination
Increased urgency to pass urine
Strong smelling urine
Dark and cloudy urine
Pain in the lower stomach
General tiredness, weakness, and aches

Children with a bladder infection can have additional symptoms like:

Fever
Lack of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Tiredness, weakness, and aches
Irritability

Some people may develop acute cystitis with hematuria, where there is a presence of blood in urine.

Interstitial Cystitis

People with chronic or interstitial cystitis can have the following symptoms.

Frequent urination
An urgency to urinate
A pain in the lower abdomen, urethra, or vaginal area. Men can experience pain in the scrotum, testicles, or perineum and feel intense pain during ejaculation.

Diagnosis of Cystitis

Your doctor may perform an examination, ask questions about your symptoms, and do a urine test to diagnose a bladder infection. A urine culture may be done to detect the type of bacteria in the urine.

Treatment of Cystitis

Most mild cases of cystitis resolve within a few days. Where it persists for more than three days, doctors may prescribe antibiotics. To ease the symptoms, you can consider home remedies like:

Drinking plenty of water
Taking OTC pain medications like ibuprofen to treat pain
Taking cranberry juice or capsules to prevent the bacteria from sticking to the urinary walls;

Prevention of Cystitis

Cystitis can be prevented by taking the following precautions.

Wiping from front to back
Avoiding spicy food and food high in potassium
Avoiding smoking and drinking
Wearing cotton underwear
Practicing good hygiene after sex
Using unperfumed soaps in the genital area
Avoiding tight underwear

Sources:

Información general, no consejo médico

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