Definition
Cystitis is defined as an annoying and painful inflammation of the bladder mucosa, caused - in most cases - by bacterial infections.
Causes
Bacterial infections (in particular from E. Coli) represent the main causes triggering cystitis: germs infect the bladder passing through the urethra or spreading through the blood. Furthermore, cystitis appears to be directly related to colic (from kidney stones), diabetes and prostatic hypertrophy.
Risk factors for cystitis: oral contraceptives, unprotected sexual intercourse, female sex.
Symptoms
Although cystitis can sometimes be asymptomatic, in most cases, it begins with a continuous urge to urinate accompanied by burning during urination (stranguria) and abdominal cramps. Other common symptoms include: dysuria, fever, blood in the urine, bladder tenesmus, foul-smelling and / or dark urine.
Diet
Natural Care
Information on Cystitis - Drugs for Cystitis Treatment is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Cystitis - Drugs for the treatment of Cystitis.
drugs
In addition to undertaking a drug therapy for the treatment of cystitis, it is a must to follow a series of hygienic-behavioral rules useful for speeding up healing and preventing relapses:
- Take plenty of water to dilute the bacterial load responsible for cystitis
- Intimate hygiene is always essential (especially during menstruation and after sexual intercourse)
- Avoid foods that irritate the urinary tract (alcohol, coffee, chocolate, chilli, spices)
The most important drugs include:
Painkillers / antispasmodics, able to reduce spastic contraction of smooth muscles
- Phenazopyridine (eg Uricalm): the drug is indicated in case of cystitis to relieve pain and reduce urge to urinate. It is recommended to administer 190-200 mg of active ingredient orally, three times a day after meals. It is good to stop the therapy after two days in case of concomitant use of an antibacterial.
- Scopolamine butylbromide (eg Buscopan, Addofix, Erion): indicated to relax the smooth muscle of the genitourinary tract. It is recommended to take 1-2 tablets of 10 mg 3 times a day for adults and children over the age of 14 years.
- Floroglucina biidrata (eg Spasmex): it is a spasmolytic drug indicated for disorders of urogenital function; in particular, it is recommended for women with interstitial cystitis. The administration of 6 tablets per day, or of 3 suppositories per day, guarantees a good anticholinergic and antispastic effect against the smooth muscles of the genito-urinary tract.
Antibiotics : the drug must be chosen according to local sensitivity to antibiotics:
- Ciprofloxacin (eg. Ciproxin, Flontalexin, Ciprofloxac, Samper): the quinolone derivative is indicated for women in cases of uncomplicated acute cystitis. Oral administration of 100 mg of active ingredient twice a day for 3 days is recommended; alternatively, 100 mg twice daily should be administered intravenously.
- Trimethoprim (eg Bactrim): take 100 mg of drug every 12 hours or 200 mg in a single dose per day, for 10 days. For prophylaxis of cystitis, take 100 mg of trimethoprim in the morning for a period of time ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on the severity of the disorder and the doctor's instructions.
- Nalidixic acid (eg Ac Nalid, tablets / syrup) indicated for cystitis and other urinary tract infections. Orally take 900 mg of active ingredient every 6 hours (3 times a day) for 7 consecutive days. For chronic urinary infections, reduce the dosage to 600 mg / day, repeating the administration every 6 hours. In maintenance therapy: the dosage is generally reduced to 30 mg / kg / day, for a period of time indicated by the doctor.
- Ofloxacin (eg. Exocin, Oflocin): in case of cystitis without complications, take 200 mg of active ingredient every 12 hours for 3 days (in case of infection with E. Coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) or 7 days (for cystitis due to others bacteria).
- Amoxicillin (eg. Amoxicillin, Amoxil and Trimox, Zimox, Augmentin ): in the case of mild cystitis, the patient generally responds positively to treatments with amoxicillin for 7 days: administer 250-500mg of active ingredient three times a day . Alternatively, take 500-875 mg orally of amoxicillin twice a day, as directed by your doctor.
As a second choice treatment, it is also possible to carry out alkalinization or acidification of urine, depending on the patient:
- The alkalinization of urine is useful for alleviating the painful symptoms of cystitis and urinary tract infections in general. For example, sodium bicarbonate (eg Sob B BIN) is used as an alkalizing substance for the treatment of renal and genitourinary pathologies. It is recommended to administer 3 grams of sodium carbonate dissolved in water; repeat the administration every 2 hours or in any case until the pH reaches the value 7. Maintenance therapy: take 5-10 grams per day to maintain the alkalinization of the urine. The alkalinization of the urine appears to favor the action of some substances (eg bearberry), which can only be activated in a basic environment.
- Acidification of urine is generally recommended in the acute phase of cystitis: not surprisingly, acidity seems to guarantee significant protection against urinary bacterial infections. Among the substances indicated for this purpose, we remind ammonium chloride (eg Ammon C FN), whose dosage must be prescribed by the doctor (side effects: acidosis, hypocalcemia, vomiting).
Natural or synthetic estrogens (recommended only in the case of chronic cystitis after menopause): it has been observed that estrogen deficiency can favor the appearance of cystitis. The choice of drug and the most appropriate dosage for the patient must be established by the doctor.
Even phytotherapy can be a valid aid to lighten the symptoms of cystitis: natural diuretic substances are able to increase the expulsion of urine, thus favoring the elimination of waste.
Bearberry: antimicrobial / urinary tract disinfectant, natural drug of choice for cystitis treatment. Also artichoke, cucumber, fennel, celery, dandelion perform a good diuretic action, a valid help to assist the treatment of cystitis.
