CYSTITIS. How to avoid cystitis exacerbation in autumn?
Apparently, every third woman has experienced unpleasant symptoms of cystitis at least once in her life:
- constant urge to urinate with a small amount of urine;
- pain and burning sensation during urination;
- blood in urine;
- severe pain and burning sensation in the lower abdomen, above the pubis.
Cystitis is an inflammatory process of the bladder.
Approximately 80% of cases of cystitis are observed in women. As for men, this condition is only observed in 0.5% of them. This is because women have a shorter and wider urethra than men, making it easier for bacteria to enter.
Cystitis is characterized by its tendency to easily transition into a chronic form after the first episode of inflammation. This means that the aforementioned symptoms will recur when triggering factors are present.
To effectively solve this issue, it is necessary to determine the cause.
Therefore, let's search for the cause of cystitis...
Most often, the cause of cystitis is an infection. Microorganisms can enter the urinary tract through the urethra from the anal or vaginal openings. Much less frequently, infection can reach the urinary bladder through the blood (hematogenous route). This is possible in the presence of an infection, such as in the tonsils, for example.
The problem of cystitis worsens with age, as the natural decline of the immune system occurs. Our immunity begins to struggle with its tasks, making it much easier for pathogenic bacteria to enter the urinary bladder. Additionally, as women age, the levels of estrogen decrease. This leads to changes in the microflora of the vaginal and urethral mucous membranes, resulting in the emergence and development of pathogenic microflora.
In what cases does the risk of developing cystitis increase?
What should be done to avoid cystitis?
- Avoid hypothermia. Hypothermia is the most important and widespread cause of cystitis exacerbations. Even with mild hypothermia, the body's protective systems weaken, making it easier for the dormant infection to become active. Therefore, it is crucial to dress appropriately for the weather, especially during the autumn-winter period.
- Watch your diet. Exclude spicy and salty foods from your diet. Spicy dishes irritate the mucous membrane of the bladder and urinary tract, creating conditions for bacterial attachment. As a result, chronic inflammatory conditions of the urinary system worsen.
- Do not overconsume strong coffee and alcoholic beverages, as they also irritate the mucous membrane of the bladder and contribute to exacerbating chronic cystitis.
- Treat your kidneys in a timely manner. With nephrological diseases, the likelihood of the infection spreading from the kidneys to the bladder increases.
- If you suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or gout, the risk of kidney and bladder dysfunction significantly increases. Therefore, it is essential to regularly monitor your kidneys. As a preventive measure, the use of herbal preparations with nephroprotective properties is recommended.
Failed to avoid? Then you should know!
In the case of acute cystitis, bed rest, increased fluid intake, and a diet excluding salty, spicy dishes, canned foods, and alcoholic beverages are recommended.
From a medical perspective, drugs aimed at relieving spasms, reducing inflammation, and suppressing the infection process are prescribed.
It is strongly discouraged to self-administer antibiotics for treating cystitis. Firstly, different bacteria are sensitive to different antibiotics, and self-medication can lead to errors. Secondly, uncontrolled antibiotic use can result in the pathogens in your body becoming resistant to antibiotics, rendering antibiotic therapy less effective.
Remember: only a doctor can prescribe antibiotic therapy after you have undergone all necessary tests to determine the causative agent and its sensitivity to antibiotics.
How to alleviate symptoms during exacerbation?
Nonetheless, you can alleviate cystitis exacerbations even without access to a doctor, and you should. Moreover, there are safe natural remedies for this purpose.
An effective and safe addition to medical treatment is the use of herbal compositions from medicinal plants. Medicinal plants have a complex action due to the presence of natural compounds with various properties, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antispasmodic, and immune-stimulating properties, among others. Importantly, unlike chemical drugs, medicinal plants have a millennia-old history of use in traditional medicine and are safe for prolonged use.
As practice shows, the regular intake of medicinal plants in courses can help prevent frequent cystitis exacerbations. Therefore, it is essential to use them preventively during exacerbation period.
Science has identified many plants with proven effectiveness in treating bladder inflammation. Today, we will discuss some of them.
One of the main tasks in cystitis is to reduce the inflammatory process in the bladder. Therefore, it is important to use plants with anti-inflammatory properties. Such plants include Matricaria chamomilla, Butea monosperma flower, Boerhavia diffusa root, Himalayan shilajit.
Butea monosperma, or Butea magnificent, or Forest flame is a tree that has bright yellow-hot flowers that resemble a flame, and impresses local residents with its splendor.
Butea is a very popular medicinal plant in the East. It has long been used to reduce inflammation in diseases of the kidneys and bladder, liver, and stomach. Butea strengthens the immune and locomotor systems, and increases resistance to infections.
Boerhavia diffusa contains many natural biologically active substances, which, in addition to having an effect on inflammation, can lower blood sugar levels, as well as protect the kidneys and significantly improve their function in diabetes. This very important property allows to avoid frequent exacerbations of cystitis and other kidney diseases in patients with accompanying diabetes.
Earlier, we have already discussed that the primary cause of cystitis is microorganisms that enter the urinary bladder and trigger exacerbations. Therefore, let's consider which plants have antimicrobial properties. Among such plants, we should mention Tribulus terrestris and Saxifraga ligulata. These plants effectively combat microorganisms and, at the same time, do not have the side effects associated with synthetic drugs.
All of these, along with many other equally important components, are part of the plant-mineral complex Nokamen*.
Nokamen has a multifaceted impact on the urinary system: it protects the urinary bladder and urinary tract, improves kidney function, and prevents the formation of kidney stones.
The recommended usage of Nokamen for adults is 1-2 tablets twice daily after meals. The duration of use is 45-60 days.
During seasonal exacerbations (spring and autumn) to protect the urinary bladder and urinary tract, the duration of Nokamen intake should be extended to 3 months.
Consult your doctor before use.
*- Food supplement. It is not a medicinal preparation.