In urological practice, the most common diseases are infections of the genitourinary system. Sometimes the symptoms of these diseases can be weakened, and therefore the patient postpones a visit to the doctor in the hope that the disease will go away on its own. Such an attitude can lead to its transition to a chronic state with subsequent exacerbations. To prevent such an outcome, it is necessary to give the patient as detailed information as possible on this issue.
Types of infections
There is a fairly extensive list of various infections of the genitourinary system, but the most common are cystitis, urethritis and prostatitis. It is they who occupy the main place in the statistics of such diseases.
However, in addition to them, there are also other, less frequent, but nevertheless, unpleasant infections:
- STI They include infection by numerous microorganisms transmitted during sexual intercourse. Examples of infections: gonorrhea, syphilis, ureaplasma, trichomoniasis and others.
- Urolithiasis disease.
- Polycystic urogenital organs (in particular, ovaries and kidneys).
- Diseases resulting from changes in the hormonal background. In some cases, polycystic diseases can cause disturbances in the endocrine system.
- Non-sexually transmitted infections. The most famous is candidiasis in women. However, such invasions can occur after surgery, catheter placement, cytoscopy, and other instrumental methods of treatment, which become the gateway to infection.
In some cases, infections of the genitourinary system do not cause serious problems in the patient and are easily cured. In other situations, the doctor's intervention and the passage of a long course of treatment are required as quickly as possible.
Causes of occurrence
The main cause of the onset of diseases is bacteria that enter the body either sexually or due to a violation of the patient's genital hygiene. However, some infections of the genitourinary system occur due to reduced immunity, when the conditionally pathogenic flora, constantly located in the body, ceases to be suppressed by the immune system and is activated in growth. A similar mechanism is characterized by Candida fungus, which is normally found in the body of every person, but is controlled by immunity.
In addition, some infections can begin to develop with systematic and severe malnutrition, prolonged intake of alcohol or other errors that make it difficult to attribute responsibility for unexpected activation of microorganisms and problems with the health of the genitourinary system.
Infections in women
Urethritis is the most common disease associated with female genitourinary organs. The symptoms of infections of the genitourinary system are especially pronounced in women with reduced immunity, and the likelihood of infection increases significantly after unprotected intercourse. Therefore, if a woman had such an act and she experiences discomfort in the area of the organs of the genitourinary system, then she must definitely seek help from a urologist.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a genitourinary tract infection usually cause a woman extreme inconvenience and make her look for ways to get rid of them. The most common symptoms are:
- Pain or itching in the area of the external genitalia. In some cases, the pain is sharp and causes discomfort when walking.
- Drawing pain in the area above the pubis. A woman describes her as pain in the lower abdomen.
- Unpleasant sensations during urination, cramping, burning or itching in the urethra.
- Frequent urination, sensation that the bladder is not completely empty. In some cases, a woman may have difficulty urinating herself.
- When infected with a fungus of the genus Candida, a clear sign is a white coating in the region of the external genitalia, under which the inflamed area is visible.
- Unusual vaginal discharge, also in some cases causing irritation. In addition, these secretions themselves can serve as a breeding ground for the development of a bacterial infection.
All these symptoms indicate that it is necessary to visit a doctor as soon as possible and undergo a course of treatment, since the health of the female genitourinary system is extremely fragile, and diseases can very easily become chronic. In some cases, a running disease can even lead to a violation of reproductive function.
Drugs for treatment
Treatment of an infection of the genitourinary system in women is a rather complicated process that requires a thorough examination of the patient and a competent selection of drugs for therapy. If the patient ignores the symptoms for a long time and does not go to the doctor, then in half the cases, even after the symptom is relieved, relapse can occur, especially in the first six months after the first appearance of negative symptoms.
The most popular medications for infections of the genitourinary system are Nitroxoline tablets, sulfa drugs, antibiotics, and a group of synthetic azoles (Metronidazole, Ornidazole, and others).
Uncomplicated infections are easy to treat, and, as a rule, negative symptoms disappear completely no later than two weeks after the start of treatment. Therefore, in women, treatment of an infection of the genitourinary system must be started as early as possible, until the disease has received complications that impede the restoration of health.
Prevention
Preventive measures consist in strict observance of genital hygiene and avoidance of dangerous sexual contacts. Also, a woman needs to undergo regular medical examinations and be attentive to her body and its sensations. Unpleasant sensations cannot be ignored and indifference to the needs of the body for treatment. Urological diseases respond to successful therapy with timely detection.
In addition, the patient needs to maintain the functions of her immune system both during treatment and in the process of preventive measures. It is a well-functioning immunity that can successfully suppress conditionally pathogenic flora in the body, preventing many inflammatory processes.
The risks associated with these diseases mainly affect the reproductive system of the fairer sex. With delayed or poor-quality treatment (including self-medication), fertility may decrease, difficulties with pregnancy or gestation, and some cases are fraught with complete infertility.
A strong spread of infection can cause inflammation of nearby organs, which can make the inflammatory process uncontrollable and lead to serious complications, including the development of abscesses.
Pain can also cause psychological depression in some women. This should not be ignored, because the more the patient is tuned to the success of treatment, the faster it will reach it. Therefore, if pain or itching causes serious psychological discomfort, irritation or depression, you should consult your doctor about the appointment of sedatives or other drugs that help with problems with mental state.
Infections in men
In young men, diseases of the genitourinary system are associated with sexually transmitted infections. Despite the fact that it is generally more difficult for a man to contract such a disease, safety measures should not be completely neglected. Due to the fact that the symptoms of infection of the male genitourinary organs are usually less pronounced, a representative of the stronger sex can seek medical help at quite late stages, when the symptoms can no longer be ignored. This often leads to serious consequences for the body.
In the older generation of men, treatment of an infection of the genitourinary system is most often associated with prostatitis. This disease, which affects every third representative of the stronger sex over 45-50 years old, and it significantly reduces the quality of life and also requires medical intervention.
Symptoms
The symptomatology of sexually transmitted infections usually manifests itself in the later stages, when the disease is already difficult to treat. It could be:
- Pain and pain during urination.
- Urine discoloration. As a rule, this is a symptom that manifests itself the earliest, so a man needs to carefully monitor the color change of urine during trips to the toilet.
- Also, in the later stages, the patient may develop discharge, plaque, or other signs of actively propagating bacterial or fungal flora.
In the case of prostatitis, the symptoms are somewhat different:
- Frequent urination and a feeling of an empty bladder. Especially manifested at night. With a significant increase in the prostate gland, the number of trips to the toilet can reach 10-15 times per night.
- Pain during urination. They are pulling in nature and can seriously interfere with urination itself.
- In the rectum, there may be a sensation of the presence of a foreign object that does not disappear after defecation.
- In some cases, a short-term fever is possible, sometimes with chills or fever.
Most older men are recommended to be screened for diseases of the prostate gland, as its increase can sometimes indicate tumors, including malignant ones. But even if there is a tumor, this does not save the patient from having to undergo regular tests for microbial infection: the inflammatory process in the prostate gland helps to increase the growth of infections. Therefore, if necessary, undergo an examination, you should not give up the opportunity to pass a smear for the presence of bacteria. This will help identify an additional factor affecting the general condition of the prostate.
Treatment
Infections of the genitourinary system, as a rule, are successfully treated if detected in the early stages. There are no complications at this time, and the amount of bacterial flora is not too large. However, if the symptomatology has already become very noticeable, then the treatment, although it may be delayed, is still not hopeless. Modern drugs help a person get rid of most microorganisms that affect the genitourinary organs.
In the case of a man with an STD, drugs for an infection of the genitourinary system are prescribed that act on a specific pathogen. A doctor and tests will help identify a specific bacterium that caused the onset of the disease. As medications, antibiotics are used that destroy the cell wall of bacteria or inhibit protein synthesis in a bacterial cell.
It is necessary to take these drugs with a course of at least two weeks, since interruption of treatment can provoke the development of drug resistance in microorganisms and, as a result, the occurrence of health problems in the future.
The risks associated with such infections in men are also apparent in sex life. Both sexually transmitted infections and prostatitis have a negative effect on erection, making it difficult, as well as causing complete erectile dysfunction and problems with the sexual sphere as a whole.
Infections in children
Genitourinary infections of children are separate from adult diseases, not only because of differences in children and adults, but also because of differences in the route of infection. As a rule, such an infection develops in a child as a result of a decrease in immunity, the most common occurrence of the disease occurs in the autumn-winter period, when all, including children, decrease the body's immune defense.
When the first complaints of the child about unpleasant sensations in the abdomen and problems with urination should be made, make an appointment with a doctor: a pediatric urologist or gynecologist, who will conduct diagnostic measures and identify the problem.
Treatment of infections of the genitourinary system in children is a problem, since this process can be very unpleasant. It is necessary to talk with the child and explain to him the need for therapy. In addition, it is desirable to choose the least traumatic ways of introducing drugs into the body: washing, tablets and ointments. This will help the child undergo a therapeutic course with a minimum of discomfort, which means that a positive result will be achieved faster.
As a preventative measure for a child, vitamin complexes are needed to strengthen immunity. Limiting the possible contact of the baby with pathogens from the external environment is also important. It is necessary to carefully select a pool or other places where you can encounter bacteria that cause inflammatory processes of the genitourinary organs.