Cystitis

cystitis is acute inflammation of the urinary bladder, with or without infection. Etymologically, like all medical terms ending in "-itis", it refers to the inflammation of an organ, in this case the bladder (in Greek, κύστη, kisty).

Etiology and pathogenesis

It can have different causes. The most common cause of cystitis is infection by gram-negative bacteria, among which Escherichia coli stands out. For a germ to cause cystitis, it must first colonize the urine of the bladder (bacteriuria) and then produce an inflammatory response in the bladder mucosa. This form of cystitis is called acute bacterial cystitis. It affects people of all ages, but especially women of childbearing age or the elderly of both sexes. Other forms of cystitis are tuberculous cystitis (produced in the context of a tuberculosis infection of the urinary tract), chemical cystitis (caused by direct toxic effects of some substances on the mucosa, for example cyclophosphamide), radical cystitis (chronic sequelae of radiotherapy treatments on the pelvis), glandular cystitis (an epithelial metaplasia with premalignant potential) or interstitial cystitis (a chronic functional disease that presents with pelvic pain, urgency and frequency of micturition).

Clinical picture

The most frequent symptoms are:

• Increase in the frequency of mictions (pouria). There is a constant need to go to the bathroom even during the night (nicturia, premiante at times).
• Intense pain in the suprapubical region (on the bladder).
• It dissenters (ardor and difficulty, complicated with pain, urination and even after).
• Fever (over 37 °C).
• It can also present turbid urine accompanied or not pyuria (increase of leukocytes in the urine) or hematuria (the presence of hematites in the urine). It is often accompanied also by a strong smell.
• In children under the age of five, symptoms often take more imprecise forms such as general weakness, irritability, lack of appetite or vomiting.
• In older people, symptoms can be complicated by weakness, confusion, fever, or fall.

Diagnosis

Some of the symptoms listed in the previous section are not exclusive to this pathology, so it is necessary to resort to specific diagnostic tests to confirm that it is a case of cystitis. Generally, a urine sample is used in which the following components are traced: white blood cells, red blood cells, bacteria and certain chemical elements such as nitrites.

Treatment

Treatment for urinary tract infections or cystitis is complex and may not give immediate results. Therefore, it can include everything from prescribing different types of drugs to planning changes in the diet. Other complementary measures are physical therapy to work on strengthening the bladder and moderate physical activity.

In the case of a simple bladder infection, it is usually recommended to take antibiotics administered orally to prevent the infection from spreading to the kidney area. Treatment usually lasts for 3 days in the case of women and between 7 and 14 for men. In case of complications (such as advanced pregnancy or diabetes), antibiotics should be taken for at least a week. The doctor can also prescribe drugs to relieve pain when urinating, as well as the feeling of urgency in the process. Phenazopyridine hydrochloride is the most common.

The action of the medications should be complemented by abundant water intake.

American cranberry treatment

Several studies show that the intake of American cranberry can prevent or accelerate the healing process of cystitis. This is believed to be due to the action of proanthocyanidins and their ability to prevent the adhesion of E.Coli bacteria to the urinary bladder.