Cystitis is a disease that affects the urinary system of the female or male body. This pathology literally represents an inflammatory process in the bladder, especially its wall. Many people wonder if men have cystitis, as this pathology is more typical for the female. However, men are also susceptible to this disease.
The difference between male and female cystitis is 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 some other disease.
The pathogens that cause cystitis in men and women can be different. Most often, inflammation is caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli, but in its place, Staphylococcus, Proteus and various protozoa, for example, Trichomonas, can settle on the bladder wall. A separate class consists of pathogens of sexually transmitted infections, the complications of which can be cystitis.
Etiology
The causes of the symptoms of cystitis in women are:
- Any diseases of the genitourinary system that are not treated (or detected prematurely) are often of an inflammatory nature (both specific, for example venereal, and non-specific);
- Chronic pathologies of any of the body systems (especially in the acute stage);
- Hypothermia (which means not so much general as local in the genital area and pelvic organs, for example, sitting on cold concrete);
- Professions that require prolonged sitting (office seats and more);
- Chronic disorders of stool (constipation);
- Improper personal hygiene of the genitals;
- Experiments in sex life (meaning the change of anal contact into vaginal contact without first changing the condom or water procedures by the partner);
- Tight and synthetic underwear, as well as jeans, tights, trousers;
- Insufficient number of urinations per day (at least 5 times normal);
- Failure to comply with personal hygiene during menstruation is one of the most common causes of cystitis in women;
- Immunodeficiency states of any genesis (both primary immunodeficiencies and decreased immunity caused by 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 then, cystitis can present itself as a complication of advanced urethritis. However, there are a number of factors that provoke the pathology.
Causes of symptoms of cystitis in men:
- Inflammatory processes (acute and chronic) in the prostate gland, urethra, testicles and its appendages;
- Anomalies of the anatomical structure of the urethra (for example, strictures) that cause stagnation of urine;
- Urolithiasis or foreign bodies entering the urinary system;
- The presence of venereal inflammatory pathologies (gonorrhea is particularly complicated by cystitis);
- Pyelonephritis or tuberculosis of the kidneys (damage is due to the downward path of infection);
- Inflammatory processes in the body of a man (rarely);
- Injury 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 is no different. Signs of cystitis in men and women:
- Frequent (and often false) urge to urinate
- Pain when urinating (pain is burning or cramping, 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 pubis);
- 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 will be blurred. All of the above symptoms will be pronounced only during periods of exacerbation. In remission, patients may experience pain in the abdomen or groin or frequent urination.
Classification
In addition to the acute and chronic forms of the disease, there are also several types of cystitis.
- Bacterial (or infectious) cystitis. This form can be specific or non-specific. The disease is caused by infectious agents, mainly bacteria. Specific pathological options are sexually transmitted diseases that can be complicated by symptoms of cystitis in men and women.
- Interstitial cystitis. This form is caused by agents not of an infectious nature, but of a mechanical or chemical nature. In this case, all layers of the bladder are affected until the appearance of perforated ulcers. Factors that can cause disease are injuries, chemicals, physical influences.
- radiation cystitis. This form of cystitis stands out as a separate form due to the specifics of the event. At its core, the type of radiation is considered interstitial, but it does not occur due to accidental exposure to a factor, but in the treatment of oncological diseases. To a greater extent, this applies to the onset of acute or chronic cystitis symptoms in men, as their pelvic organs are often exposed to radiation from prostate cancer.
- Hemorrhagic cystitis. Indeed, this form is a complication of ordinary cystitis and is characterized by bloody impurities in the urine that come from the bladder. Impurities can be both microscopic, i. e. 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 prone to bladder inflammation than men due to anatomical features, however, pregnant women are at risk for a number of additional reasons:
- Reduce the body's resistance to infectious pathogens;
- Insufficient 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. Treatment of cystitis during pregnancy is necessary, but difficult, as 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, 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, cicatricial changes in the tissues after the deprivation of virginity in a girl are also distinguished.
Such adhesive formations have a mechanical effect on the urethra and prevent it from closing. Hormonal changes also contribute to the fact that women develop cystitis after sex, as the protective properties of all the mucous membranes of the body are weakened. Sexual abstinence is a risk factor for cystitis after intercourse, and the longer there is no sex, the more likely cystitis is to show up the next time you get close.
Diagnostics
A vivid clinical picture in acute cystitis is a sufficient indicator for making a diagnosis, one for chronic or erased forms of the disease, numerous studies are prescribed. To identify the signs of cystitis in women and men, use:
- Clinical blood test (to detect the inflammatory process);
- Urinalysis (to detect leukocytes or microhematuria);
- Bacterial urine culture (the causative agent is determined and a test for sensitivity to antibiotics is immediately performed);
- Studies for the detection of venereal pathology (serological studies, PCR);
- Specific urine studies;
- Cystoscopy (performed as a last resort with processes running).
When the diagnosis is confirmed, immediate treatment of cystitis should be started.
Treatment
The basis of the treatment of this inflammatory disease are antibacterial drugs (if the pathology is caused by an infectious agent). Preparations for cystitis in women and men must be highly sensitive to the pathogen, so a special test is preliminarily performed. Yes, its results apply antibacterial tablets for cystitis in women and men with a broad spectrum of action. In addition to drugs for the treatment of cystitis in women, collargol instillations are highly effective.
Such therapy is acceptable for pregnant girls where antibiotics cannot be used and as an additional treatment in advanced cases. Herbal preparations are widely used for cystitis in women and men, or in another way herbal remedies. They are used together with antibiotics or if cystitis is mild and does not require intensive treatment.
Symptomatic medications for cystitis in men and women are pain relieving antispasmodics. Or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which relieve pain and also reduce inflammation of the bladder.
To prevent the side effects of antibiotics for cystitis in men and especially 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 of how to cure cystitis will be the elimination of this disease. Of particular importance is the treatment of prostate lesions in men and sexually transmitted infections in both sexes. For the additional treatment of chronic cystitis in women and men, physiotherapy procedures are used. They are prescribed after getting rid of the severity of the process or during periods of remission.