Cystitis is a disease that affects the urinary system of the female or male body. This pathology literally means 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. 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 first, then in men the inflammatory process occurs as a complication of some other disease.
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, for example, Trichomonas, can settle on the bladder wall. A special class consists of pathogens of sexually transmitted infections, the complications of which can be cystitis.
Etiology
The causes of cystitis symptoms in women are:
- Any untreated (or detected in time) disease of the genitourinary system is 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 phase);
- 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 and other positions);
- Chronic stool disorders (constipation);
- Inadequate personal hygiene of the genital organs;
- Experiments in sexual life (means changing anal contact to vaginal contact without first changing condom or water procedures on the part of the partner);
- Tight and synthetic underwear, as well as jeans, tights, pants;
- Insufficient number of urination per day (at least 5 times normal);
- Failure to observe personal hygiene during menstruation is one of the common causes of cystitis in women;
- Immunodeficiency states of any genesis (both primary immunodeficiency 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 in this case, cystitis can appear as a complication of advanced urethritis. However, there are a number of factors that provoke the pathology.
Causes of cystitis symptoms 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 especially complicated by cystitis);
- Pyelonephritis or kidney tuberculosis (damage is due to the descending path of infection);
- Inflammatory processes in a man's body (rare);
- Damage to the organs of the urinary system or directly to the bladder;
- Diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations performed incorrectly 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 genders is not different. Signs of cystitis in men and women:
- Frequent (and often false) urge to urinate;
- Pain during urination (the 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 framework in such cases will be unclear. All the above symptoms will be pronounced only during periods of deterioration. In remission, patients may experience abdominal or groin pain, or frequent urination.
Distribution
In addition to acute and chronic forms of the disease, there are also different types of cystitis.
- Bacterial (or infectious) cystitis. This form can be either specific or non-specific. The disease is caused by infectious agents, mainly bacteria. Specific pathology options are sexually transmitted diseases that can be complicated by cystitis symptoms 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 perforated ulcers appear. Factors that can cause disease are injuries, chemicals, physical influences.
- radiation cystitis. This form of cystitis is distinguished as special due to the specifics of the appearance. Basically, 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 appearance of symptoms of acute or chronic cystitis in men, since their pelvic organs are often exposed to radiation due to prostate cancer.
- Hemorrhagic cystitis. In fact, this form is a complication of ordinary cystitis and is characterized by bloody impurities in the urine coming from the bladder. Impurities can be 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 prone to inflammation in the bladder than men due to anatomical features, however, pregnant women are at risk for a number of additional reasons:
- Reduction of the body's resistance to infectious pathogens;
- Insufficient feeding of the bladder due to the pressure of the large uterus on the blood vessels that feed it;
- Hormonal changes.
It is the blockage and reduced immunity that lead to the development of cystitis during pregnancy. The main characteristic of the inflammatory process in pregnant women is its asymptomatic course, which is not always the case, but it still happens. Therefore, a routine examination of a woman should be complete and aimed at identifying hidden pathologies. Treatment of cystitis during pregnancy is necessary, but difficult, since taking strong antibiotics can negatively 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 less 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 at the threshold of the vagina, then the infection is greatly simplified. Among the causes of cystitis after sex, there are also cicatricial changes in the tissue after the deprivation of virginity in a girl.
Such adhesive formations have a mechanical effect on the urethra and prevent its closure. Hormonal changes also contribute to the fact that women develop cysts after sex, as the protective properties of all the mucous membranes of the body weaken. Sexual abstinence is a risk factor for cystitis after intercourse, and the longer you go without sex, the more likely you are to develop cystitis the next time you have intercourse.
Diagnosing
A vivid clinical picture in acute cystitis is a sufficient indicator to make a diagnosis, one for chronic or erased forms of the disease, a number of studies have been described. To identify the signs of cystitis in women and men, use:
- Clinical blood test (to detect the inflammatory process);
- Urine analysis (to detect leukocytes or microhematuria);
- Urine bacterial culture (the causative agent is determined and an antibiotic sensitivity test is immediately performed);
- Studies for the detection of venereal pathology (serological studies, PCR);
- Specific urine studies;
- Cystoscopy (done as a last resort with completed procedures).
When the diagnosis is confirmed, the immediate treatment of cystitis should be started.
Treatment
The basis of the treatment of this inflammatory disease is antibacterial drugs (if the pathology is caused by an infectious agent). Preparations for cystitis in women and men should be very sensitive to the pathogen, so a special test is performed beforehand. Yes, its results apply antibacterial tablets for cystitis in women and men with a wide spectrum of action. In addition to drugs for the treatment of cystitis in women, kolargol instillations are very effective.
Such therapy is acceptable for pregnant girls where antibiotics cannot be used, and as additional treatment in advanced cases. Herbal preparations are widely used for cystitis in women and men, or in another way herbal medicines. They are used together with antibiotics or if the cystitis is mild and does not require intensive treatment.
Symptomatic drugs for cystitis in men and women are antispasmodics that relieve pain. Or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which relieve pain and also reduce inflammation in the bladder.
To prevent side effects from 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 is caused by some primary pathology, then the basis of how to cure cystitis will be to get rid of this disease. The treatment of prostate lesions in men and sexually transmitted infections in both sexes is of particular importance. For 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 remission periods.