Posts Tagged ‘Cystitis’

What should I do if I have an attack of cystitis?

Almost all people who have recurring cystitis have nothing seriously wrong. People with more than three bouts a year may need to see a urologist.
Many people who suffer recurring bouts may simply do common things that make them more susceptible. Here are some steps you can take to help prevent cystitis:

- Drink as much fluid as you can to flush out the system, dilute the urine and reduce any stinging.
- For the first four hours try to drink a pint of water every hour even if the attack starts in the middle of the night.
- Then drink half a pint every two hours for the next eight hours.
- Drink bland fluids such as water, weak tea or fruit squash (avoid orange juice and carbonated drinks).
- Making the urine less acid will reduce any discomfort. Try a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a glass of water or preparations containing citrate.
- Women with high blood pressure or heart trouble should not take either bicarbonate of soda citrate without first consulting their doctor.
- Go to the lavatory as much as you need to, don’t try to ‘hold on’.
- Keep warm and place a well-covered hot water bottle over your tummy or between your thighs. A second one hot water bottle at your lower back may also help.
- Take one or two aspirin or paracetamol tablets for the pain.
- Avoid alcohol and sexual intercourse until you feel better.
- Rest as much as possible.
- Avoid vaginal deodorants and douches, perfumed soaps, bubble bath and talc, these may irritate the urethra. Showering rather than bathing may be helpful.
- Avoid tight trousers or underwear, especially if they’re made from artificial fibres. Choose cotton underwear with stockings and looser clothes such as skirts.
- Wipe from front to back.
- Anything that obstructs or blocks the urinary tract, such as a kidney stone, can lead to repeated attacks of cystitis. Certain tests can detect these conditions. Treating the underlying cause may solve the problem.
- Any damage to the lower back area can affect the nerves connecting to the bladder and make it impossible to empty it completely.
- Change immediately from wet clothes like after swimming.

| More

If you found this post informative, why not sign up to receive new posts ?
It's simple, and free, and you can even opt to receive by email:
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe to Good Health Tips by Email

Types of Cystitis – an inflammatory condition of urinary bladder

Cystitis means inflammation of the bladder. It is usually caused by a urine infection. Women are eight times more likely to have cystitis than men, as their urethra (the tube from the bladder that passes out urine) is shorter and opens nearer the anus.
There are different types of Cystitis :

Bacterial Cystitis

- When bacteria enter the urinary tract and start to multiply, bacterial cystitis can occur.
- Bacteria may enter through sexual intercourse, but the female genital and urinary tract naturally have bacteria that can cause infection.
- There are two primary types of bacterial infections of the bladder: community-acquired bladder infections and hospital-acquired, or nosocomial infections.

Noninfectious Cystitis

- When the bladder becomes inflamed for reasons other than bacteria, and when this happens, a diagnosis of noninfectious cystitis can be made.
- Types of cystitis in this category include drug-induced cystitis, radiation cystitis, foreign-body cystitis and chemical cystitis.
- Drug-induced cystitis occurs when medications irritate your bladder as the drugs are broken down and exit your body.
- Foreign-body cystitis typically occurs in people who have catheters for a period of time, which can lead to bacterial infections or tissue irritation.
- Radiation to the pelvic area, your bladder may become inflamed or irritated, which is radiation cystitis.
- Hypersensitivity to products like bubble bath or feminine hygiene products can cause chemical cystitis.

Eosinophilic Cystitis

- It is a rare form of cystitis that is diagnosed via biopsy.
- The cause of EC is also unknown though it has been triggered in children by certain medications.

Hemorrhagic Cystitis

It can occur as a side effect of cyclophosphamide therapy, and is often prevented by administering mesna.