Frank's Advice on Cystitis
Sunday, 15 August 2010 11:37
Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder usually caused by an infection. Symptoms include pain and frequency when passing urine
Other symptoms include lower abdominal pain,blood in the urine and fever. Also the urine can become cloudy and smelly.
Cystitis is more common in women and is usually only once or twice in a lifetime, but some ladies have recurring cystitis.
A good preventive measure for ladies is to wipe from front to back after going to the toilet and only to wash the area gently with warm soapy water once or twice a day
Hard rubbing or douching can make things worse due to damage to the mucus lining of the area.
Some ladies have recurring bouts of cystitis which may be due to a change in the ability of the mucus in the area to resist disease-causing bacteria.
This could be due to:
- Bladder or kidney problems, see your doctor if you develop problems with cystitis
- Having intimate relations can increase the chance in some women
- Hormonal changes especially with the menopause, reduction in hormone levels changes the mucus in the area.
Your doctor can advise on treatment of cystitis especially if it is a one off, however if you are prone to cystitis your Murrays Pharmacist can advise also:
- Preparations containing Potassium Citrate can help keep the urine alkaline, ask your Murrays Pharmacist.
- Cranberry Juice is thought bto help prevent recurrent cystitis, it is a pleasant drink anyway and full of antioxidants which are good for you.
Men occasionally suffer from urinary discomfort and they must immediately seek help from their doctor.Urine infections can lead to more serious complications due to the length of the urinary tract and issues with the prostate gland, ask your Murrays Pharmacist about this. All our Pharmacies have Confidential consulting rooms so embarrassment may be spared.
Urine infections must be treated promptly as they can lead to kidney problems so see your dictor as soon as possible.
