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Bladder pain - causes, symptoms and therapy
contents
- causes
- bladder infections
- causes
- Consequences of a bladder infection
- When is the doctor in demand??
- diagnosis
- home remedies
- Bacteria as the cause of bladder pain
- prevention
- Chronic cystitis
The bladder lies on the pelvic floor and collects the urine. With more than 350 milliliters, we feel the urge to urinate, but a healthy bladder also stores up to one liter. The bladder is divided into bladder, bladder neck and bladder.
Cystitis is a common cause of bladder pain. Image: absolutimages - fotolia A ureter connects the bladder to the kidneys, and their waste products enter the bladder with the urine to dispose of them through the urethra.
The bubble works like a balloon. When the urine fills it, it becomes a ball. Smooth muscles make them very elastic.
Bladder pain is accompanied by a burning sensation when peeing, If the bladder is inflamed, we feel a strong pressure to empty ourselves even with small amounts of urine.
causes
Bladder pain is easy to diagnose. Blood and urine tests clarify the causes in many cases. If the cause remains unclear, ultrasound helps.
Frequently, a bladder infection triggers the pain. If we have to go to the bathroom all the time and the peeing hurts, such an inflammation is likely.
Women often suffer from cystitis, especially during menopause and during pregnancy. The bladder is sensitive to cold, and we quickly contract bladder infection when we sit on cold surfaces or have cold feet. The nerves that supply the bladder also sit under the soles of the feet.
Bladder stones also cause pain in the bladder and discomfort when urinating. A so-called irritable bladder increases the risk of bladder infections and bladder stones.
Inflammation of the vagina or the uterus also causes pain in the bladder. Even a lowered uterus shows up in problems with the bladder.
Men who suffer from prostate problems, be it an enlarged prostate, prostate cancer or an inflamed prostate, also have urinary symptoms and severe bladder and abdominal pain.
Cancer also seizes the bladder itself, and this manifests itself in burning pains that become chronic.
Mostly, a bladder infection is the cause of the pain. (Image: magicmine / fotolia.com) bladder infections
Bladder infections are inflammation of the urinary tract by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi. These germs usually enter the bladder from the outside, ignite them and irritate the bladder wall. As with the "cold" cold is not the cause, but hypothermia and a labile immune system help the pathogens to penetrate.
It becomes difficult when those affected suffer from risk factors that promote the infection.
These are:
1) A general weakness of the immune system
2) Urinary retention with enlarged prostate, urethral narrowing, urinary stones or bladder tumors
3) return of urine from the bladder to the ureter
4) Nervous disorders that cause the bladder system to stop working
5) Recurrent cystitis
6) Pregnancy and menopause
7) Pre-existing conditions like diabetes
8) Permanent catheters permanently irritate the bladder and connect it with the bacteria-rich outside world.
Home remedies will help without these basic complaints. Generally it should keep warm like an inflamed bladder and drink bladder like kidney tea.
causes
The main sources of bladder infections are Escherichia coli bacteria. These bacteria belong to the natural community of the gut. Mostly we infect ourselves: we clean the anus after the toilet from back to front instead of front to back, the bacteria can get from the anus into the urethra and into the bladder. For anatomical reasons, this is easier in women than in men.
If we do not clean ourselves after defecation or insufficiently, the bacteria also spread. People who can not clean themselves, such as sick or infants, also need regular diapers for this reason.
Even when anal intercourse and change from anal to vaginal intercourse, we should pay attention to cleanliness.
However, a lot of other pathogens can cause cystitis: staphylococci, streptococci, Klebsiella or Candida albicans.
Cystitis is common in metabolic disorders, frequent sexual intercourse and pregnancy: During pregnancy, namely, the urinary tract widen and open up for bacteria.
Consequences of a bladder infection
If the inflammation on the ureters increases, it can spread to kidney and kidney pelvic inflammation and cause chronic kidney damage. In pregnancy, cystitis can cause premature labor and lead to premature or even miscarriage.
Therefore, there is a urine test for pregnant women to detect a bladder infection early.
When is the doctor in demand??
A mild bladder infection is no reason to go to the doctor. It is no more dangerous than a cold, and passes by if we keep the bladder warm and drink a lot.
But we should definitely consult a doctor if the pain lasts longer than three days, there is blood in the urine, we are feverish, the bladder infection comes again, we are pregnant, our immune system is weakened or we suffer from diabetes.
diagnosis
The doctor first asks for the exact condition and takes a urine sample. Therefore, we should wash the genital area before we go to the doctor. We leave some urine in a clean cup, but neither the first nor the last drop, but the so-called center jet. That is, we pee in the cup only after a few seconds.
The doctor recognizes in a urinary stripe test, which contains substances of urine. White blood cells show, namely, whether an inflammation is present. They are the "warriors" of our immune system and gather where germs have invaded to fight them. Nitrite but bacteria from. Since it is usually not in the urine, the substance is an indicator that germs have settled.
A laboratory examination shows how many bacteria are in the urine. If the inflammation persists, the doctor must prescribe antibiotics. For this he breeds a strain of bacteria and determines which antibiotics work best against the plague ghosts.
If the bladder infection is complicated, then an ultrasound examination is necessary. With it, the doctor recognizes whether the kidneys or urinary tract or kidneys change, what happens when the prostate enlarges, a tumor grows or bladder stones block the urine flow.
The doctor also examines the residual urine to determine if urine is left in the bladder. If there is too much urine in the bladder, it indicates a deflation disorder.
If there is a suspicion of a complicated bladder infection, the urologist is in demand. He examines with x-rays and measures the urine flow and thus detects whether the urine flows back into the ureter.
If bladder cancer is suspected, the specialist introduces an endoscope into the bladder. He sees the bladder from the inside and sees if tumors grow.
home remedies
A mild bladder infection can be treated with simple means. A hot water bottle, warm sitting or full baths and moist warm compresses on the abdomen relieve the symptoms, because they relax the bladder muscles. A lot of drinking of herbal teas and water is recommended. This will "flush" the bladder. The toilet is then less painful. In the pharmacy there are special "bladder tea" to buy.
Special herbal teas for mild infections flush and fight the pathogens. Image: Heike Rau - fotolia Bacteria as the cause of bladder pain
If bacteria are the cause, then the doctor prescribes antibiotics such as cotrimoxazole, fosfomycin or nitrofurantonin.
As with all antibiotics, they should not stop them too soon, even if the symptoms improve. As a rule, the pain decreases after just one day.
If the pain recurs again and again, the bacteria may be resistant to the chosen antibiotic. Then the doctors have to design a new antibiogram, so use alternative antibiotics.
prevention
We can protect ourselves against mild bladder infections.
1) Drink enough. If we supply the bladder with fluid, it flushes the pathogens out with the urine.
2) Do not go to the bathroom until the bubble is full. This also helps as an "emergency program" if, for example when traveling, we can not keep up with normal intimate hygiene or change underwear every day.
3) Clean from front to back and not vice versa. This will prevent bacteria from the gut from entering the urethra.
4) Wear cotton underwear, change it regularly and wash at 60 degrees.
5) Wash the genitals regularly with warm water.
6) Condoms protect against bacteria that are transmitted during sexual intercourse. However, we should change them, especially after anal intercourse.
7) Keep feet warm and change damp underwear, especially after swimming, to avoid overcooling.
8) Cranberries help against coli bacteria
Chronic cystitis
If we constantly suffer from bladder pain, without causing us germs in the urine, the doctors call this as irritable bladder. These can have different causes, and these often remain unknown after years of research.
A cystoscopy is required, as the chronic symptoms may be signs of a tumor. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)