Cystitis – a very female urinary infection

[19 August 2010 - 11h02]

Pain in the abdomen, needing to urinate too frequently, followed by pain on urination, sometimes accompanied by a high temperature … Cystitis is a disease that all women are familiar with.

Why? Because their urethra is shorter than a man’s. Coli bacillus – a germ found in the intestine and generally the cause of the infection – is therefore more easily able to reach the bladder and infect the urine. Good hygiene and drinking plenty of water is what’s needed to combat this painful infection.

Drinking and good hygiene – these are the two golden rules to follow. After passing a motion, it is essential always to wipe from the front towards the back to avoid germs being carried towards the vulva. And when it comes to intimate hygiene, this should of course be regular, but also very gentle. Never use antiseptics or intimate deodorants. But there are many other factors that can encourage the risk of infection: constipation – as is well known – and also holding on rather than urinating when you need to. And don’t forget that going to the toilet after sexual intercourse also encourages the removal of bacteria. A small but important detail to remember.

And beware of confusing one infection with another. In the majority of cases, cystitis is associated with cloudy urine and contains a large amount of bacteria. But there are also forms of cystitis in which the urine is clear. These are difficult to treat and may show the same symptoms but have a different cause. If this is some form of mycosis (fungal infection) or a psychological problem, urinary antiseptics and antibiotics won’t help. Whatever the case, never ignore cystitis and get it treated as quickly as possible because, if left untreated, cystitis can travel up to the kidneys and cause very serious complications.

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