What is Cystitis?
Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder, which can cause symptoms such as itchiness, redness, or swelling in the affected area. A urinary tract infection is the most common cause of cystitis. Sometimes, an imbalance in the body's normal microorganisms can also lead to cystitis. While infection and inflammation often go hand in hand, it's important to note that infection is not always the cause of cystitis.
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Get A Second OpinionTypes Of Cystitis
- Bacterial cystitis
- Drug-induced cystitis
- Radiation cystitis
- Foreign body cystitis
- Chemical cystitis
Symptoms of Cystitis
For cases of acute cystitis, the symptoms may include:
- Pain, burning or stinging urination
- Urinating more frequently
- Dark and cloudy urine
- Strong-smelling urine
- Urgent need to pass urine
- Pain in the lower stomach
- General aches, weakness, and tiredness
The symptoms are the same for males as they are for females.
In children, the symptoms may include
- Fever
- Tiredness, weakness, aches
- Irritability
- Lack of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting.
Causes of Cystitis
The cause of cystitis determines the kind of cystitis treatment. They can be caused by the following reasons as well.
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Ongoing use of a catheter
- Exposure to radiation
- Irritating hygiene products
- Taking certain drugs
Risk factors of Cystitis
Some factors can increase a woman's chances of developing cystitis:
- Being sexually active
- Using diaphragms with spermicide in them
- Using tampons
- Being past menopause
- Being pregnant
For both men and women, the following factors can increase the risk of cystitis:
- A recent urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Radiation or chemotherapy
- Using a catheter
- Having diabetes, kidney stones, or HIV
- An injury to the spine
- Something that affects the flow of pee
Prevention of Cystitis
Cystitis is hardly preventable. However, the following steps may help. If you have recurrent bladder infections, your doctor may consider the following:
- Drink more water and other healthy beverages.
- If you're receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy, staying hydrated is very crucial, especially on treatment days.
- Urinate at regular intervals. If you need to urinate, don't put off going to the bathroom.
- After a bowel movement, wipe from front to back. This keeps germs from migrating from the anal area to the vagina and urethra.
- Shower instead of taking a bath. Showering rather than bathing may help avoid infections if you're prone to them.
- Wash the area surrounding the vaginal and anus canals gently. Do this on a daily basis, but don't use strong soaps or scrub too hard. The sensitive skin around these places is prone to irritation.
- After intercourse, empty your bladder as quickly as feasible. To assist in flushing germs, drink a full glass of water.
- Deodorant sprays and feminine items should not be used in the vaginal region. The urethra and bladder might be irritated by these products.
Diagnosis of Cystitis
Cystitis can be diagnosed in a variety of ways. The Physician may request a urine sample to evaluate the source of your cystitis and rule out a urinary tract infection (UTI). To discover the origin of your symptoms, your doctor may do a cystoscopy or an imaging test. Your doctor may use:
- Cystoscopy: A cystoscope, a tiny tube with a camera inserted into your urethra by your doctor to check for issues or get a tissue sample for further testing (biopsy).
- Imaging: Tumours, kidney stones, and other disorders can be detected using an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI.
- An intravenous urogram (IVU): It's an X-ray that takes pictures of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder using contrast dye.
- Voiding cystourethrography : A dye is injected into your bladder by your doctor to see if any urine travels backwards from the bladder to the kidneys.
- Retrograde urethrography: Retrograde urethrography is a technique for examining the urethra, this test employs contrast dye to detect urethral abnormalities.
- Treatment: Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause. Medication and surgery are commonly suggested treatment methodologies.
- Medications: Antibiotics are frequently used to treat bacterial cystitis. Medication can also be used to treat interstitial cystitis. The treatment for interstitial cystitis is determined by the aetiology.
