Cystitis Beware of hypothermia

Cystitis: Hypothermia especially problematic for women

23/10/2012

Wetness, cold and wrong clothes, especially in the autumn, favor cystitis in many people. Pain in the abdomen, burning sensation during urination and strong urinary frequency are typical inflammatory symptoms of the bladder. In particular, women often get sick in the wet and cold season.

Those who have just been sitting in the sun at 30 degrees often underestimate the temperature drops in autumn and may be too thin. The abdomen and feet cool quickly. „Hypothermia weakens the immune system and makes the body more susceptible to bacterial infection. In the female sex, the pathogens also get into the bladder more easily due to a shorter urethra“, explains Dr. Reinhold Schaefer, urologist and managing director of the medical network Uro-GmbH Nordrhein.

In addition, many people do not drink enough in the cold season. As a result, the bladder mucous membranes dry out, causing bacteria to multiply even faster. Whether and which pathogens are in the urine, specialists show with a urine test. The treatment of cystitis usually takes place for a short time with an antibiotic.

As a support, urologists recommend drinking plenty, keeping the abdomen and feet warm, and going to the bathroom immediately if you have a urge to urinate. Cranberry juice, bearberry leaf dragees and herbal teas also help to flush the bladder. However, these home remedies alone do not fight the inflammation of the bladder. In order to survive the autumn without complications such as renal pelvic inflammatory disease, but those with frequent occurrence of cystitis should always visit a urologist.