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Common Conditions of Genitalia
Cystitis
Are you married ?
Do you have burning sensation on the skin around the vagina whenever passing urine?
Do you experience continuous aching, inflammation and severe pain when having sexual intercourse?
These may be the signs of cystitis.
Generally, clinics are filled with women patients suffering from skin complaints ( apart from gynaecological problems). The problem is that the female anatomy was designed by God – who, we must assume was a man and didn’t understand the trouble he was causing! It could be anyone, perhaps, your cousin, who faces painful and embarrassing conditions like the frequent urge to rush to the toilet, the feeling of not quite being able to empty the urinary bladder, a burning sensation on urination ( called micturition), backache, feverishness and sometimes blood in the urine ( called haematuria). In a woman’s life, there are three main phases when she is most likely to suffer from cystitis: at the beginning of her sex life, after childbirth or surgery, or with menopause.
Before going ahead, here are some basic details. The word ‘cystitis’ means bladder A( cystis) and inflammation ( it is). But more often than being just a bladder inflammation, it is the urethra, the short outlet tube from bladder, which gets severely affected. The urethra generally suffers physical damage during sexual intercourse, rape, surgery, childbirth, menopause or even a clumsy pelvic examination. Or an irritant to blame is a soap, deodorant, antiseptic or contraceptive cream. Sometimes an infection to the vagina is to blame and sometimes the condition is aggravated by a blocked or tight urethra. Human bodily metabolism involves the regular intake of essentials such as the food we eat and the air we breathe and regular discharge of waste products from the body. These are processed through the urinary tract which comprises the kidneys, the ureters, bladder and urethra. It is the job of the kidneys to filter the blood and to excrete much of these wastes in the form of urine. An adult normally has two bean-shaped kidneys about 10 cam long and each weighing between 120 and 180 gm. about 1,200 ml blood flows through the kidneys each minute, filling and purifying the entire bloodstream in about five minutes. The waste product urine is produced at a rate of about one milliliter per minute and the rest of the fluid containing substances such as salts and sugars are returned to the body. The urine is removed from the kidney by ureters, the two thin tubes, and are stored temporarily in the bladder, a thin walled muscular sac with a mucous lining. The storage capacity of the bladder is roughly a pint ( 0.56 litre). In infants, the bladder automatically empties as soon as the volume of urine in the bladder reaches a certain level. But as children are trained, they learn to control this action. The causes of cystitis range from sexual, dietary, environmental and the physiological to psychological. The majority of sufferers fall into three main groups: first, those whose cystitis coincide with the onset of active sexual life where symptoms appear after love-making. The second group consists of middle-aged women whose symptoms can be traced back to physical damage caused by a difficult labour, catheterization, hysterectomy or even a careless internal medical examination. The third group comprises those whose symptoms follow the menopause when the level of the female hormone oestrogen drops and the vagina and urethra become dry and less pliable. Many of these cases are linked with the onset of sexual activity. This complaint not only mars the enjoyment of sexual encounters but also practically ruins marriages. A relationship with a woman frigid with pain and the fear of causing further unbearable pain, requires a very great deal of mutual understanding. Treatment by some good doctor is essential. The female urethra is hardly one inch long and is very close to and similar to the vagina-both organs have exactly the same mucous lining, making them susceptible to the same infections and changes in hormone levels. The outlet of the female urethra is usually situated next to the outlet of the vagina. On the other side of the vagina is the anus which is also a potential source of infection. It is the close proximity of these three outlets that underlies many cases of cystitis. Bacteria occurring in this part of the body ( called the perineum) can enter the urethra and rapidly multiply in its warm, moist environment, causing inflammation and ultimately, burning pain. There are certain other complications causing this problem such as when the outlet of the urethra sometimes may be found just inside the vagina or when during love-making it may open temporarily into the vagina swollen with sexual excitement. As a cosmetologist, I will suggest that hygiene of the affected area is essential. The infection is probably due to higher sexual activity among pill users. Avoid use of contraceptives, creams and jellies ( containing chemicals) which, in sensitive women, may further irritate the condition thus triggering cystitis – type symptoms. Douches, deodorants, pessaries, and even soaps contain chemicals which may irritate a sensitive skin.
Avoid use of the type of food that might set off allergic reactions. The urinary symptoms in some women are related to irritants in foods, alcohol, toiletries and even to nylon underwear which sometimes cause allergy. Beware of bubble baths which not only contain chemicals that may irritate, but which also lower surface tension and allow soapy water and bacteria to penetrate higher into the vagina than ordinary bath water does. Soap, deodorants, powders, nylon underwear – which feels beautifully silky when dry but, when damp, acts on the skin like fine sandpapers – are avoidable. Detergents not properly rinsed out of underwear during washing cause further harm to the cystitis sufferer. Be sure to avoid nylon underwear in any season.
Vaginal thrush, herpes genitalis, trichomonas vaginalis are some of conditions which may produce similar symptoms. So it is better to consult a doctor who will conduct a detailed examination of the affected region around the vagina. He will conduct an internal examination with a cotton swab. A urine sample will be taken for further investigations. X-rays will probably be recommended for women with recurrent infections. The treatment of drug therapy includes use of antibiotics ( Ampicillin, Co-trimoxazole, Sulphonamides, Nitrofurantoin, Steptomycin, Nalidixic acid, Tetracyclines). Hormonal therapy, surgery, dilatation, urethrotomy, urethroplasty, catheterization are some of the treatments for which a consultation of a doctor is necessary. Personal hygiene, wearing cotton underwear, drinking the maximum amount of water, washing your perineum from front to back after each time you pass urine, are some easy wasy to cure cystitis.
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