Cystitis is a disease that affects the urinary system of the female or male body. This pathology literally portends an inflammatory process in the bladder, especially in its wall. Many people wonder if men have cystitis, since this pathology is more typical for women. But men are also prone to this disease.
The difference between male and female cystitis lies not only in the frequency of the lesion, but also in the reasons for its occurrence. If in women the pathology often develops initially, in men the inflammatory process occurs as a complication of another disease.
The pathogens that cause cystitis in men and women can be different. Most often, inflammation is caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli, but instead Staphylococcus, Proteus and various protozoa, such as Trichomonas, can colonize the bladder wall. A separate class is formed by pathogens of sexually transmitted infections, the complications of which can be cystitis.
etiology
The causes of the symptoms of cystitis in women are:
- All untreated (or not recognized in time) diseases of the urogenital system are often of an inflammatory nature (both specific, e. g. gender-specific, and non-specific);
- Chronic pathologies of any of the body systems (especially in the acute stage);
- hypothermia (meaning less generally than locally in the genital area and pelvic organs, e. g. sitting on cold concrete);
- jobs that require prolonged sitting (office jobs and others);
- Chronic stool disorders (constipation);
- Improper personal hygiene of the genitals;
- experiments in sex life (meaning switching from anal contact to vaginal contact without first changing the condom or water procedures on the part of the partner);
- Tight and synthetic underwear, as well as jeans, tights, pants;
- Insufficient number of urinations per day (at least 5 times normal);
- Failure to maintain personal hygiene during menstruation is one of the most common causes of cystitis in women;
- Immune deficiency states of any origin (both primary immunodeficiency and reduced immunity due to stress, excessive physical exertion).
Unlike women in the male body, proper observance of the rules of intimate hygiene is often a sufficient measure to prevent inflammation. And even in this case, cystitis can appear as a complication of advanced urethritis. However, there are a number of factors that provoke pathology.
Causes Of Cystitis Symptoms In Men:
- Inflammatory processes (acute and chronic) in the prostate, urethra, testicles and their appendages;
- Anomalies of the anatomical structure of the urethra (for example, strictures), leading to stagnation of urine;
- urolithiasis, or foreign objects entering the urinary system;
- The presence of venereal inflammatory pathologies (gonorrhea is especially complicated by cystitis);
- pyelonephritis or tuberculosis of the kidneys (damage is due to the downward path of infection);
- Inflammatory processes in a man's body (rare);
- Injuries to the organs of the urinary system or directly to the bladder;
- Incorrectly performed diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations on the organs of the genitourinary system;
- Diabetes is a dangerous predisposing factor.
symptoms
Despite the etiological differences in the development of the inflammatory process, the clinical picture of the disease in both sexes does not differ. Signs of bladder infection in men and women:
- Frequent (and often incorrect) urges to urinate;
- pain when urinating (pain burning or in the form of cramps, intense, short, characterized by an increase in amplitude towards the end of urination);
- Pain of a permanent nature (in women in the lower abdomen and in men in the penis or pubic bone);
- Decrease in the amount of urine with a single urination;
- Subfebrile temperature and general signs of the inflammatory process (weakness, fatigue, pallor, dizziness) are characteristic of bacterial cystitis.
Since this pathology is characterized by a chronic form of cystitis, it should be clarified that the clinical picture in such cases is blurred. All of the above symptoms are pronounced only during periods of exacerbation. In remission, patients may experience abdominal or groin pain or frequent urination.
classification
In addition to acute and chronic forms of the disease, there are also different types of cystitis.
- Bacterial cystitis (or infectious). This form can be either specific or non-specific. The disease is caused by infectious agents, mainly bacteria. Specific pathological options are sexually transmitted diseases, which in both men and women can be complicated by symptoms of cystitis.
- Interstitial cystitis. This form is caused by means that are not infectious in nature, but mechanical or chemical in nature. All layers of the bladder are affected up to the appearance of perforated ulcers. Factors that can cause disease are injuries, chemicals, physical influences.
- radiation cystitis. This form of cystitis stands out as an independent form due to the peculiarities of its occurrence. The type of radiation is considered interstitial at its core, but it does not occur as a result of accidental exposure to any factor, but in the treatment of oncological diseases. This applies to a greater extent to the occurrence of symptoms of acute or chronic cystitis in men, since their pelvic organs are often exposed to radiation from prostate cancer.
- Hemorrhagic cystitis. In fact, this form is a complication of common cystitis and is characterized by bloody impurities in the urine that come from the bladder. Contamination can be both microscopic, that is, invisible to the eye, and abundant (hematuria).
illness during pregnancy
Cystitis in pregnant women in the early and late stages is a serious pathology that requires high-quality treatment. Women are more susceptible to cystitis than men due to anatomical conditions, but pregnant women are at risk for a number of other reasons:
- reducing the body's resistance to infectious pathogens;
- Inadequate nutrition of the bladder due to the pressure of a large uterus on the blood vessels that feed it;
- hormonal changes.
It is congestion and reduced immunity that lead to the development of cystitis during pregnancy. The main feature of the inflammatory process in pregnant women is its asymptomatic course, which is not always the case, but still occurs. Therefore, a routine examination of a woman should be thorough and aimed at identifying hidden pathologies. Treating cystitis during pregnancy is necessary but difficult because taking strong antibiotics can adversely affect the fetus.
Therefore, in this situation, they try to limit themselves to local therapy in the form of instillations. If this does not help, then antibiotics are prescribed, which are the least dangerous for the unborn child.
manifestation after sex
The most common cause of cystitis after intimacy is the anatomical feature of the location of the urethra in the female body. If it opens on the eve of the vagina, the infection is greatly simplified. Among the causes of cystitis after sex, scar tissue changes after deprivation of virginity in a girl are also distinguished.
Such adhesive formations have a mechanical effect on the urethra, preventing its closure. Hormonal changes also contribute to the fact that women develop cystitis after sex, since the protective properties of all mucous membranes of the body are weakened. Sexual abstinence is a risk factor for post-intercourse cystitis, and the longer you go without sex, the more likely you are to develop cystitis the next time you're approached.
diagnosis
A vivid clinical picture in acute cystitis is a sufficient indicator for making a diagnosis, in chronic or erased forms of the disease, a number of studies are prescribed. To identify signs of cystitis in women and men use:
- Clinical blood test (to detect the inflammatory process);
- urinalysis (to detect leukocytes or microscopic hematuria);
- Bacterial culture of urine (the causative agent is determined and a test for sensitivity to antibiotics is immediately performed);
- Tests for the detection of sexually transmitted diseases (serological tests, PCR);
- Specific examinations of urine;
- Cystoscopy (performed as a last resort with ongoing processes).
If the diagnosis is confirmed, immediate treatment of the cystitis should be started.
treatment
The basis of treatment of this inflammatory disease are antibacterial drugs (if the pathology is caused by an infectious agent). Preparations against cystitis in women and men must react very sensitively to the pathogen, so a special test is carried out in advance. Yes, his results apply antibacterial tablets for cystitis in women and men with a wide spectrum of action. In addition to drugs used to treat cystitis in women, collargol instillations are highly effective.
Such therapy is acceptable for pregnant girls on whom antibiotics cannot be used, and as an additional treatment in advanced cases. Herbal supplements are often used for cystitis in women and men or in other ways as herbal remedies. They are used together with antibiotics or when the bladder infection is mild and does not require intensive treatment.
Symptomatic medicines for cystitis in men and women are antispasmodics that relieve pain. Or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which relieve pain and also reduce inflammation in the bladder.
To avoid side effects of antibiotics for cystitis in men and especially in women, probiotics are prescribed. In women, the correct microflora of the vagina is important, so taking these drugs is necessary.
If the inflammatory process was caused by a primary pathology, then the basis for curing cystitis is to get rid of this disease. Of particular importance is the treatment of prostate lesions in men and sexually transmitted infections in both sexes. Physiotherapeutic methods are used for additional treatment of chronic cystitis in women and men. They are prescribed after eliminating the severity of the process or during periods of remission.