Often, men are diagnosed with a pathology characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the urethra. This disease is bacterial urethritis. True, this disease sometimes appears in women. In the absence of timely and correct treatment, this pathology can cause many serious deviations in the functioning of the body.
Etiology
The emergence of bacterial urethritis provokes microbes. In the body of every person there are bacteria that are conditionally pathogenic microflora. Under normal conditions, the presence of these microorganisms does not entail any disease or inflammation. But with a decrease in the protective functions of the body and a weakening of immunity, these bacteria begin to multiply intensively. As a result, the immune system becomes incapable of combating a large number of pathogenic microorganisms, against which various diseases appear.
Bacteria that enter the body from the outside can provoke the occurrence of pathologies. Most often this occurs during unprotected intercourse. Such bacteria include gonococci, chlamydia and Trichomonas.
Given the type of pathogen that caused the development of inflammation, the pathology is classified into several types.
- Nonspecific bacterial urethritis. It arises as a result of an increase in the number of microorganisms that were present in the body before.
- Specific urethritis. Its causative agents are microorganisms that enter the body during sexual intercourse.
- Mixed urethritis. It is a simultaneous combination of the two described conditions.
In addition, the disease is divided, depending on the type of spread:
- primary view - pathogenic microflora penetrates the body from the outside;
- secondary type - arises due to the movement of bacteria from another focus of inflammation.
Causes
There are many factors that increase the risk of bacterial development:
- foci of inflammation located in other organs;
- caries;
- alcohol abuse
- too much physical or stress;
- excessive consumption of salty, spicy, pickled foods;
- mechanical injury to the urethral mucosa during cystoscopy or catheterization;
- congenital malformations of the urethra.
But regardless of the initial causes of urethritis, pathology is very important to identify in time and immediately begin appropriate treatment.
Symptomatology
The first signs of the disease appear about a week after infection. The most common symptoms of bacterial urethritis are:
- itching in the groin and genitals;
- pain and discomfort during intimacy due to increased susceptibility;
- abnormal discharge with an unpleasant odor;
- the presence of blood impurities in urine and semen;
- redness at the exit of the urethra;
- burning and pain when the bladder is empty.
Very rarely, the pathology is asymptomatic, which greatly complicates the diagnosis. In this case, laboratory tests are required to confirm the diagnosis.
Signs in men
Manifestations of pathology are slightly different in representatives of the stronger and weaker sex. So, the characteristic symptoms of bacterial urethritis in men are:
- pain, burning at the time of urination;
- regular urination with a minimum amount of urine excreted;
- redness and itching on the head of the penis;
- discharge with an unpleasant odor, indicating the development of a specific disease;
- difficulty urinating, which is explained by a narrowing of the channel;
- the occurrence of discomfort and even pain at the time of intimacy;
- a decrease in general tone, the appearance of lethargy, drowsiness, fatigue;
- sometimes an increase in body temperature.
If such signs occur, you should immediately consult a doctor. Usually, bacterial urethritis in men very quickly makes itself felt. Unpleasant symptoms appear, usually 1-2 weeks after infection.
Symptoms in women
In the early stages of the development of the disease in women, it is almost impossible to detect it. This is due to the later occurrence of the first signs of the disease after the incubation period, the duration of which sometimes reaches several months.
The first symptoms of bacterial urethritis in women are most often:
- pain during urination, which can be cutting;
- vaginal discharge of mucus with a very unpleasant odor;
- a change in the color of urine, the appearance of impurities in it.
All these signs are supplemented by general manifestations of the disease.
Due to the structural features of the genitourinary system, in women, bacterial urethritis is less pronounced than in men.
Diagnostics
After the onset of the first symptoms of bacterial urethritis, you should immediately contact a urologist. Sometimes a consultation with a dermatologist and venereologist is also required. Usually, this applies to specific bacterial urethritis.
To confirm a suspected diagnosis, just examining the patient is not enough, especially if it is an asymptomatic course of the disease. Therefore, in the first place, a urinalysis is prescribed, which is necessary to detect an increased content of white blood cells, indicating the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. Urine collection should be done in the morning, immediately after waking up.
As auxiliary diagnostic methods are used:
- urethroscopy;
- three-glass sample;
- urine analysis according to Nechiporenko;
- PCR abnormal discharge.
If too much protein and white blood cells are found in urine, we can talk about the diagnosis of bacterial urethritis.
In this case, a smear taken from the urethra is considered an obligatory examination method. A day before the planned procedure, sexual intercourse should be excluded. And 2 hours before the diagnosis, it is necessary to abandon urination.
Additionally, an ultrasound of the urethra or other organs of the reproductive system may be needed.
General principles for the treatment of bacterial urethritis
Patients who are diagnosed with this are advised to outpatient therapy. To get a good result, it is very important to follow all the doctor’s instructions exactly. So, a number of rules should be followed. It is forbidden to drink alcohol even in minimal quantities, skip treatment procedures and taking medications, and you should temporarily abandon sexual activity.
Correction of the daily menu is considered important. It is necessary to exclude pickled, spicy and smoked products from the diet. And in return you need to drink as much fluid as possible.
With specific and non-specific bacterial urethritis in women and men, complex treatment is always carried out. It should include immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial therapy, and in some cases, physiotherapy.
The use of antibiotics alone, especially those prescribed on their own, certainly will not bring a positive result. Indeed, to many antibacterial drugs, most modern people have resistance. That is why self-medication of urethritis is very dangerous.
Recovery time depends on the individual characteristics of the body. But most often, treatment of bacterial urethritis in men and women takes about 1-2 weeks. After therapy, control tests are mandatory. For the entire period of treatment, sexual rest is indicated.
Drug therapy
Treatment of bacterial urethritis in both women and men involves the use of certain drugs. Drug therapy is primarily aimed at suppressing pathogenic microflora. After determining the type of bacteria and the initial causes of the disease, the doctor prescribes the appropriate preparations to the patient.
First of all, antiseptics for external use are prescribed:
- Miramistin.
- Protargol.
- "Furacilin".
Silver nitrate preparations are considered to be very effective in controlling pathogenic bacteria. Such funds perfectly eliminate pain and itching. They are used to flush the urethra through instillation.
Herbal-based herbal remedies are no less effective in the treatment of nonspecific bacterial urethritis in men and women:
For complex therapy, antibiotics are also prescribed. They are selected, depending on the type of pathogen that is detected by diagnosis. Most commonly used:
- macrolides - Azithromycin and Erythromycin;
- tetracyclines - Tetracycline and Doxycycline;
- cephalosporins - "Cefazolin" and "Ceftriaxone";
- fluoroquinolones - "Abaktal" and "Levofloxacin";
- sulfonamides.
In fact, doctors are trying to prescribe drugs with a wide spectrum of action. Often, funds are prescribed for intramuscular and intravenous administration:
- for diseases caused by Trichomonas, Metrogil and Trichopol are used;
- if urethritis appeared due to gonorrhea, preference is given to the macrolides "Sumamed" and "Azithromycin";
- fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines are prescribed to fight chlamydia.
If the disease is diagnosed already at an advanced stage, it is advisable to use the "Monural", which can stop inflammation in just a couple of days.
The duration of antibiotic use should not exceed 10 days. In this case, it is extremely important to use probiotics in parallel, which will stabilize the intestinal microflora. For this purpose, it is best to use:
- "Bifidumbacterin."
- Lactovit.
- Linex
As auxiliary means it is advisable to use:
- antihistamines to eliminate itching and swelling - "Tavegil" and "Suprastin";
- vitamin complexes and immunostimulants for restoration of immunity and tissue regeneration of the mucous membrane of the urethra - "Duovit", "Timalin", "Gepon";
- physiotherapeutic measures - UHF, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis.
The effectiveness of drug therapy
Timely treatment of pathology with the help of pharmacy drugs gives positive predictions of recovery. According to statistics, almost 100% of patients diagnosed with bacterial urethritis who underwent the appropriate course of drug therapy completely got rid of the disease.
Sometimes a relapse occurs, which usually occurs about 3 months after treatment. That is why it is so important during all this time to systematically take tests for research. It is recommended to collect urine and blood for STIs, take a smear from the urethra.
Alternative medicine
As an addition to medicines, folk remedies can be used, having consulted with a specialist in advance. Such recipes have long been used to treat bacterial urethritis in men and women.
- Currant tincture. Pour a glass of dried leaves with two glasses of hot water and let it brew for an hour. Ready tincture should be drunk half a glass before meals. Such a medicine has a diuretic, antibacterial and immunomodulating effect. In addition, it is recommended to eat currant berries instead of dessert.
- Lingonberry broth. 2 tablespoons of leaves pour a liter of hot water, boil for 5 minutes and leave to infuse for 2-3 hours. Filter the finished product and divide into 4 equal servings - you need to drink them for one day. Such a decoction has a diuretic effect.
- Decoction based on creeping wheatgrass. 2 tablespoons of chopped roots pour a glass of hot water. Leave to infuse for 12 hours, then strain. Then add another glass of boiling water and leave for another 10 minutes. Such a decoction should be taken half a glass before meals for a week.
- Lime broth. A tablespoon of dried flowers, pour a glass of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes and leave for half an hour on the side. Strain and take before bedtime. Such a medicine will help reduce the intensity of pain and other unpleasant manifestations of bacterial urethritis.
Prevention
To prevent the development of such an unpleasant disease, one should refrain from unprotected sexual intercourse, and also regularly visit doctors: women - a gynecologist, and men - a venereologist. The use of condoms at times reduces the risk of infection with urethritis.
Other preventative measures include:
- avoidance of severe hypothermia;
- timely treatment of infectious pathologies;
- refusal of alcohol;
- compliance with a balanced menu;
- avoidance of psychological pressure and severe stress;
- timely treatment of heart and kidney defects;
- following simple personal hygiene rules.
If you follow these simple recommendations, the risk of bacterial urethritis in both women and men decreases significantly.