Urethritis in men and women. Causes, symptoms, signs, diagnosis and treatment of urethritis. Types of urethritis: acute, chronic, non-specific, specific types of urethritis. Bacterial, candidal, Trichomonas urethritis. Methods of treatment, signs and diagnostics

The main manifestations of urethritis are urinary problems and pain. It appears due to the fact that there is inflammation in the channel.

Both women and men can suffer from urethritis.

It occurs due to the fact that the urinary tract becomes infected with a fungus, bacteria or virus.

The duration of the incubation period can vary from five to thirty days.

The most common cause is sexually transmitted diseases that are transmitted during sexual intercourse, and non-compliance with the simplest rules of hygiene. Very often, urethritis is the first symptom of an infectious disease. One of the reasons is the presence of chronic inflammatory diseases or impaired metabolic processes.

The walls of the urinary tract can also be irritated due to nutrition: alcohol, foods high in salt and spices. As a result, they become inflamed.

The disease urethritis symptoms are not acute, they appear some time after the infection has occurred. In addition, in half of the cases, acute urethritis may have no symptoms, the patient has no complaints. But, despite this, sexual transmission is possible, in addition, complications may appear.

In males, urethritis has a shorter incubation period, a more violent onset, and more severe symptoms.

The main manifestations of urethritis are:

• itching during urination;
• difficulties with the outflow of urine;
• pain in the pubic region;
• discharge of pus from the urethra;
• the appearance of blood in the urine.

Despite the inflammatory nature of the disease, the general condition of the patient is not disturbed. Most often, patients go to a urologist, but all symptoms may not be. Some of them may be very pronounced, and some may be completely absent.

It is worth noting

When the disease approaches the chronic form, the symptoms may disappear. Their further occurrence may be periodic.

In female representatives, the length of the urethra is small, about a couple of centimeters, but it is quite wide. Due to the anatomical structure of the female urethra, pathogens easily penetrate the bladder. Even if the mucous membrane of the urethra swells slightly, the outflow of urine is disturbed.

It's important to know

Despite the absence of a threat to life, urethritis leads to discomfort, in addition, complications are dangerous for women's health. Often, women suffer from a parallel course of two diseases: urethritis and cystitis.

In this case, cystitis is the simplest complication that causes urethritis. Therefore, the disease must be treated in time, otherwise the development of an ascending infection is possible, the complications of which are difficult to cope with.

During pregnancy, the development of the inflammatory process occurs faster, so the symptoms of urethritis are more pronounced. You should consult a doctor if you experience pain and itching during urination, the appearance of pus in the urine, redness of the external genitalia.

Often, the bladder can become inflamed after childbirth. When the fetus moves through the genital tract, squeezing and injury to the pelvic organs occurs. The damage may or may not be noticeable. In a nursing mother, the disease may occur due to bladder catheterization, which is performed after childbirth. Despite the fact that sterilized instruments are used during manipulation, the mucous membrane is damaged, and bacteria enter through micro-scratches. Immediately after childbirth, a heating pad with ice is often placed on the stomach, which leads to hypothermia and a decrease in immunity.

Should be understood

For such reasons, cystitis cannot develop in a healthy woman, which means that either hygiene is violated, or there is a chronic infection.

Sometimes urethritis occurs in children, but less often than in adults. Diagnosis is usually quite difficult, since the manifestations are not particularly pronounced.

In boys, the disease is characterized by:

• burning during urination;
• the appearance of blood in the urine;
• white or purulent mucous secretions;
• itching and burning of the penis.

Girls are characterized by:

• pain in the abdomen and when urinating;
• frequent urge to go to the toilet.

Forms and types of urethritis

There are many different types of urethritis, one of them is trichomonas. It is caused by Trichomonas, a pear-shaped pathogen that reproduces by longitudinal division. In the case of women, pathogenic microorganisms live in the vagina, and with males, in the prostate gland and seminal vesicles. The most common inflammation of the urethra. Sexual contact leads to primary infection.

In large numbers, vaginal trichomonas lead to a moderate inflammatory reaction, and in 20-35% of cases, those infected are asymptomatic carriers. But, if there are symptoms of urethritis, then they will appear in ten days. Sometimes there are cases of reduction of the incubation period to a couple of days or lengthening to two months. Men most often experience the acute form of Trichomonas urethritis, while women are most often asymptomatic.

In the initial stage, the patient suffers from itching around the urethra. In men, there is a little discharge from the urethra, which is gray or whitish. Sometimes there is a burning sensation during urination, which remains for a while.

If trichomonas urethritis is not treated, remission will occur in about a month, all symptoms will completely disappear. Nevertheless, this does not lead to the disappearance of the focus of infection, and the disease eventually becomes chronic.

The aggravation can be sudden, the reason can be the simplest:

• active sexual intercourse;
• exposure to cold;
• alcoholic drinks in large quantities.

It will be easier to treat trichomonas urethritis in the initial stage. To do this, the body is completely examined by a doctor, and scraping from the urethral mucosa is also performed. But obtaining reliable information is possible only with the help of a fresh smear.

Effective therapy can only be called if two partners go through it, even if one of them has no symptoms.

Given the form of the course of the disease, the doctor prescribes drugs and dosage. The duration of the course is no more than five to seven days. Very often they use not only local methods of treatment, but also use antibacterial and disinfectant preparations. Despite this, not all patients recover, so additional washes may be prescribed.

Quite common is chronic urethritis (gonococcal). They can be infected not only during sexual contact, but also through everyday contact. The duration of the incubation period is from three days, although in some cases the first symptoms of urethritis may appear after twelve hours.

The main symptoms of this type are the appearance of pus from the urethra, which has a pale yellow or yellowish green color. If the disease occurs in an acute form, the discharge is abundant, there is swelling of the urethra, burning and pain during urination. In addition, the patient complains of frequent urge to urinate, severe pain in the urethra, and fever.

To treat chronic urethritis is quite long and laborious. First of all, the urethra is examined in detail, various tests are given. After confirming the diagnosis, immunotherapy and antibacterial drugs are prescribed. When trichomonas and gonococcus act on the body, acute urethritis develops. It can also appear due to trauma or chemical irritants.

The main symptoms of gonococcal urethritis:

• pain and burning in the urethra;
• frequent urge to go to the toilet;
• urethra with inflammation and swelling;
• purulent discharge.

In some cases, the external opening in the urethra swells. In this case, the canals are opened, since due to urinary retention, urogenital fistulas or paraurethral abscesses may occur.

It is worth noting

For the treatment of acute urethritis, anti-inflammatory therapy is used, consisting of antibiotics, sulfonamides, warm baths, drinking and rest. In addition, in the presence of acute urethritis, sexual intercourse should be abandoned.

Infectious urethritis caused by gardnerella, streptococcus, gonococcus, staphylococcus and Escherichia coli.

In this form, urethritis manifests itself in the following symptoms:

• pain and cramps when urinating;
• morning discharge, having an unpleasant odor and consisting of mucus and pus, the color is blue-green;
• in the case of men, the lips of the external opening of the urethra may stick together, redness appears on them;
• in women, there are no discharges, there are unpleasant sensations when urinating.

Most often, with infectious urethritis, antibiotic therapy is performed. First of all, it is determined how sensitive the pathogen is to different types of antibiotic. Then the desired dosage and duration of administration are prescribed. The duration of the course ranges from several days to several weeks. The patient should drink a significant amount, exclude fried foods, foods with salt and spices from the diet.

As a topical treatment, drugs are infused into the urethra. If the case is without complications, it is treated at home, but if severe purulent complications have developed, hospitalization will be required.

When certain microorganisms enter the urethra, it develops bacterial nonspecific urethritis. Most often it is caused by Escherichia coli, staphylococci, streptococci, enterococci. They can often live on the mucous membrane of the urinary tract, but not always because of this, a disease will develop.

There are a number of factors predisposing to the disease, which are presented:

• injuries of the urethra;
• cystoscopy;
• bladder catheterization;
• the release of small stones;
• congestion in the pelvic organs.

It's important to know

The primary cause of bacterial urethritis can be specific pathogenic microorganisms, due to which local protection is reduced and opportunistic flora is activated.

In the treatment of bacterial urethritis, probable pathogens are taken into account and antibiotic therapy is prescribed in combination with uroantiseptics. The pathogenic effect of yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida leads to the development of an infectious disease - candidal urethritis. The shape of these unicellular microorganisms is round. The cell consists of a shell, protoplasm, nucleus and inclusions. The method of reproduction of yeast-like fungi is budding. They have the ability to elongate cells, which leads to the formation of pseudomycelium.

At candidal urethritis quite a large distribution, but most often they become infected with women. Quite often, the process becomes chronic, while the symptoms of urethritis are unexpressed. In addition, yeast-like fungi have the ability to quickly form drug-resistant forms.

The main mode of transmission of candidal urethritis is sexual contact. The source of the disease is represented not only by patients, but also by candida carriers. Often the infection can be mixed.

Often, urethritis can appear as a complication of urolithiasis. With it, stones appear in the urinary tract, which become the cause of the inflammatory process. As in the case of gout, with urolithiasis, the formation of salts of phosphoric, oxalic and uric acids occurs. Prolonged irritation of the mucous membrane of the urethra leads to its inflammation. In addition, sand and stones with urine may enter the urethra, its walls are injured, which leads to urethritis.

Be sure to take into account that the course of urethritis can be asymptomatic or they can be very mild, which is especially true for women. At the first sign of discomfort during urination, you should seek help from a specialist.

There is an opinion that people are most susceptible to diseases of the genitourinary system, so the question arises, what is urethritis in men? It is believed that this is an exclusively female deviation, although this is not so. Pathology is equally observed in both sexes. When the disease occurs, inflammation of the urethra. The causes of inflammation of the urethra in men are different, but most often they become infected after sexual intercourse. Depending on the foci of exposure, infectious and non-infectious urethritis are distinguished. The problem is manifested by pain during the excretion of urine, discharge, redness of the urethra and other unpleasant symptoms are observed. Urethritis needs prompt diagnosis and treatment to avoid possible complications. If the pathology is not treated, then in the future it will affect the reproductive function and there will be a violation in the genitourinary system.

As a rule, urethritis in men occurs from questionable sexual intercourse.

Features of the structure of the male urethra

Paying attention to the fact that the male urethra is different from the female, the stronger sex more clearly feels the symptoms and more difficult to tolerate inflammation of the urethra. This organ in men consists of a narrow hollow tube, which is 16–24 centimeters in length, while the female urethra is no more than 4 centimeters long. Therefore, the weaker sex often suffers pathology without symptoms.

Due to the special structure of the urethra, men often experience signs of pathology from the first days of infection.

The urethra in men consists of three sections: prostatic, membranous and spongy. The first section (posterior) is located in the prostate and is about 4 centimeters long. The length of the membranous or membranous section is 2 cm and is located between the prostate and the base of the penis. This part of the urinary canal in men is the narrowest. The longest is the spongy or spongy section, which is located in the trunk of the male genital organ. The disease in this part is called anterior urethritis and needs special treatment.

Classification of urethritis

Depending on the pathogen that caused urethritis, various factors and other diseases occurring in the body, special symptoms appear. In frequent cases, it is observed, the development of which was served by various harmful bacteria. In medicine, there are many classifications of urethritis.

Given the type of pathogen, they distinguish specific and. The sources of specific urethritis lie in bacteria that are transmitted through sexual contact: trichomonas, chlamydia and others. Symptoms of acute nonspecific urethritis are detected when the pathogens are fungi, Staphylococcus aureus and other microorganisms.

Pathology of a non-infectious nature is classified into congestive, traumatic and allergic urethritis. In turn, an infectious lesion has its own varieties, which depend on the specific pathogen. So, doctors talk about gonorrheal, viral, trichomonas, bacterial, chlamydial and tuberculous lesions. There is also a species such as ureaplasma urethritis. Mixed urethritis occurs when infections of different types attack the body.

Depending on the course of the disease, acute and chronic urethritis in men are distinguished. Pathology can enter the body directly through the genitourinary system, externally, then it is called primary. Secondary urethritis occurs due to infection of other organs. Urethritis is also distinguished, depending on the degree to which it is expressed: a weakly active disease, a pathology of moderate activity and a disease with a high degree of activity.

Main reasons

The causes of inflammation in the urethra are varied. Most often, infection occurs in the case of sexually transmitted diseases that are transmitted through sexual contact. But it also happens that a fungal pathogen enters the body due to non-compliance with intimate hygiene.

Often, E. coli enters the genitals, and then into the urethra after the act of defecation and actively spreads.

Staphylococcal urethritis is often diagnosed, and microorganisms such as streptococcus, E. coli and others cause pathology. Urolithiasis can affect urethritis, since stones located in the kidneys injure the urethra at the exit. Pathology in men occurs for the following reasons:

• physical fatigue;
• stressful situations;
• alcohol abuse;
• disturbed nutrition;
• lack of vitamins;
• various inflammations.

In some cases, urethritis in males is observed after surgery. In this case, the urethra is injured, which leads to inflammation. In the resulting abrasions, an infection is formed that spreads rapidly.

Symptoms of urethritis

After the penetration of the infection, the pathology begins to appear after a few days, and sometimes even after a few weeks. Viral urethritis may not make itself felt for several months, and tuberculosis is not detected for many years. The patient in most cases complains of pain with urethritis, and the following symptoms are also present:

• irritation around the urethra;
• burning sensation when going to the toilet;
• the presence of unpleasant discharge;
• congestion of the urethra.

Blood impurities in urine, pus and mucus are also observed. Symptoms vary and are expressed with different intensity depending on the pathogen and the degree of the course. Infectious urethritis has more pronounced symptoms than non-infectious. And in some men, signs of pathology may be completely absent.

Non-infectious pathology

Pathology of a non-infectious type has a special symptomatology and other manifestations join the main signs. With a non-infectious lesion, there is a violation in sexual function, and the main symptoms are mild. With allergic pathology, itching is present and a red urethra is observed due to the inflammatory process. It is important to seek help in a timely manner so that the symptoms of urethritis in men do not provoke a dangerous complication.

Infectious lesion

Infectious type urethritis is the most common and more pronounced. Chronic desquamative urethritis is characterized by common symptoms, but changes in the epithelial cover occur. Along with viral pathology, conjunctivitis occurs and the joints become inflamed. The most dangerous is, because it tends to quickly turn into a chronic one and proceed in a latent form. Such a deviation is difficult to treat and leads to the occurrence.

Pathology poses a danger to internal organs and health in general. Acute urethritis in men leads to a decrease in sexual function and libido. In this case, the prostate and gonads are most injured. Pathology entails a decrease in the quantity and quality of spermatozoa. It is worth getting rid of urethritis with the help of medicines that will be prescribed by a qualified specialist after diagnosis.

Diagnosis of urethritis in men

In case of discomfort, pain and suspicion of inflammation in the urethra, a set of examinations is prescribed, which is aimed at a complete examination of the disease. First of all, it is worth contacting a urologist who will conduct an examination. If an infectious pathology is detected, then the patient is referred for a consultation with a venereologist. The patient is assigned the following studies:

• a urine and blood test;
• take a smear of discharge from the urethra;
• collect urine samples for bacterial culture and nutrient medium;
• ultrasound examination of the kidneys and organs of the genitourinary system;
• ureteroscopy.

In the presence of pathology, the results of the tests will indicate a significant excess of the norm of leukocytes and bacteria. If fungi are found, then a candidal urethritis is diagnosed. During the diagnosis, studies are carried out that determine which antibiotics will affect the pathology. A complete study allows doctors to understand how to treat urethritis and what drugs to use so that the therapy brings the maximum effect.

Urethritis is an acute or chronic inflammation in the urethra (urethra) in both men and women. Urethritis is one of the common urological diseases resulting from both infectious and non-infectious causes.

The reasons

Urethritis is:

• infectious origin (microbial, viral, fungal),
• non-infectious (allergic, traumatic, cicatricial, as a result of foreign bodies, as a result of irritation from sand or salts in the urine, congestive, due to circulatory disorders in the pelvic area).

Usually, as a result of exposure to the primary factor, a secondary infection quickly attaches and forms a secondary infectious urethritis.

Infectious urethritis is divided into two large groups:

• specific, caused by infections that are sexually transmitted (gonorrhea, gardnerellosis, trichomoniasis),
• non-specific, caused by intestinal or skin microflora (E. coli, staphylococci, streptococci).

Specific urethritis most often occurs in young people, from 18 to 30-40 years old, as a result of sexual contact with the patient, nonspecific urethritis can develop at any age.

Urethritis can occur overtly and covertly, depending on the strength of the immune system and the characteristics of the pathogen. Predisposing factors are

• hypothermia,
• violation of intimate hygiene,
• alcohol intake and the presence of foci of infection.

For nonspecific urethritis, an important factor may be an exacerbation of urolithiasis with the detection of sand in the urine, a metabolic disorder with urine crystallization, etc.

Symptoms of urethritis

Symptoms of urethritis in men and women can vary significantly due to the anatomical features in the structure of the urethra.

In men, the urethra is long, thinner and tortuous, in women it is short and wide, funnel-shaped. Pain receptors in men in the urethra are much larger than in women, and men perceive pain differently. Urethritis in men usually occurs in isolation, as a separate disease, while in women, urethritis is often combined with cystitis.

Due to these features in men, the process usually begins acutely, with pronounced and acute manifestations, burning and unbearable pain and itching, while in women the manifestations can vary from gradual and not pronounced, to quite strong, but increasing gradually. In some women, subjective symptoms of urethritis are generally absent in the presence of inflammation in the urethra.

The main symptoms of urethritis include:

• burning along the urethra,
• pain when urinating,
• pain inside the urethra, especially in its initial part at the head of the penis or labia,
• discharge from the urethral canal in the morning is copious, mucous or purulent,
• foul-smelling discharge.

In men, in the morning, there may be difficulty urinating due to sticking of the sponges in the area of ​​​​the head of the penis, there is a pronounced redness of the area where the urethra exits. As a variant of the course of urethritis in men, there can only be discomfort during urination, with a feeling of sand or broken glass along the urethra.

Usually urethritis is limited to local manifestations, there is no fever, malaise and weakness, which is why patients often practice self-medication without resorting to specialists.

Diagnostics

Urologists are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of urethritis. It is necessary to conduct an examination and take smears from the urethra, conduct a general analysis of urine and culture of urine for flora, with the determination of their sensitivity to antibiotics.

Additionally, an ultrasound examination of the bladder and kidneys is prescribed, and in men, the prostate is also prescribed to exclude the transfer of infection to these organs.

Treatment of urethritis

The basis of treatment for urethritis in both men and women is antimicrobial therapy.

The antibiotic is selected based on the suspected nature of the infection, with adjustment based on culture results - usually

• sulfonamides,
• norfloxacin,
• tetracyclines,
• erythromycin.

Often the antibiotic is prescribed with as little dose as possible, usually once or twice a day. The course of treatment is on average 5-10 days, depending on the severity of the disease. Treatment is carried out at home, under the supervision of a doctor.

In addition to the main treatment, urological preparations and uroantiseptics, substances of chemical and plant origin that have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects can be prescribed. Cranberry juice, bearberry leaf, kidney tea, uloresan and parsley infusion are useful.

It is necessary to drink enough fluids to maintain adequate diuresis and to flush out tissue breakdown products and germs or viruses.

It is also important to follow a fairly restrictive diet, categorically exclude alcohol, reduce the consumption of salty, spicy and irritating foods to a minimum, take more vegetable and dairy foods that alkalize urine - microbes survive worse in an alkaline environment.

At the time of treatment, it is necessary to refrain from sexual activity, and if a sexual infection is detected, it is necessary to conduct an examination and treatment of the sexual partner. After the course of treatment, it is necessary to take control tests to make sure that the infection is completely eliminated.

Complications

If you do not treat urethritis, its manifestations gradually subside or become chronic. The infection spreads deep into the genitourinary system and affects the prostate and seminal vesicles, in women it passes to the bladder and glands of the vestibule of the vagina. When exposed to provoking factors, relapses of inflammation occur, the infection can spread to the bladder, ureters and kidneys.

Urethritis - inflammation of the urethra , a very common urological disease. As a rule, urethritis in men is more acute than urethritis in women. The most common cause of urethritis is the presence of a sexual infection in one of the partners.

Symptoms of urethritis

The insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that the usual general inflammatory manifestations (fever, weakness, malaise) with urethritis are most often not observed. Disease urethritis in general can occur without severe symptoms. In this case, one of the partners can tolerate the disease much harder. Urethritis can also make itself felt after a considerable time after infection - from several hours to several months with nonspecific infectious urethritis.

The main symptoms of urethritis can be as follows:

• pain and burning during urination (in women they are localized mainly in the area of ​​​​the end of the urethra (outside), in men - along the entire length of the urethra);
• profuse mucopurulent discharge from the urethra (mainly in the morning) with a sharp specific odor;
• frequent urge (with an interval of 15-20 minutes) to urinate;
• incomplete emptying of the bladder;
• urination disorders;
• cloudy urine, drops of blood may appear in it at the end of urination;
• change in the external opening of the urethra in color and shape;
• irritation of the glans penis and foreskin in men;
• pain during erection in men;
• high content of leukocytes in the general analysis of urine.

Types of urethritis

Depending on the degree of intensity of the process and the time of the disease, there are acute urethritis and chronic urethritis .

For acute urethritis characterized by a bright onset and severity of all symptoms, the duration of the disease is up to 2 months.

Chronic urethritis (disease for more than 2 months) is characterized by the duration of the course, erased symptoms and the development of complications.

According to the nature of the occurrence, the following types of urethritis are distinguished:

• primary (after sexual intercourse or therapeutic manipulations in the groin area) and secondary urethritis (appearance of infection from other organs of the genitourinary system);
• allergic urethritis (allergy to drugs, shampoos, soap, condoms);
• chemical urethritis (reaction to ingestion of drugs into the urethra);
• mechanical urethritis (occurs due to mechanical damage to the urethra);
• infectious urethritis (caused by specific pathogens, such as chlamydia, mycoplasmas, ureaplasmas, gardnerella, gonococci, and non-specific pathogens (streptococcus, staphylococcus, E. coli);
• noninfectious urethritis , occurs due to injuries of the urethra (due to the passage of a stone during urolithiasis, when using a bladder catheter), as well as due to narrowing of the urethra and congestion in the small pelvis;
• nonspecific urethritis - purulent inflammation, which is caused by streptococci, staphylococci and Escherichia coli;
• specific infectious urethritis - appears as a result of a sexually transmitted infection.

According to pathological signs, the following types of urethritis can be distinguished:

• gonorrheal urethritis (the causative agent of the disease is gonococcus, infection through sexual intercourse with an infected person, through underwear, general hygiene items and personal use - washcloths, towels, etc.);
• bacterial urethritis (causative agent - nonspecific bacterial flora, the disease may appear as a result of endoscopic manipulations, long-term use of the catheter);
• Trichomonas urethritis (characterized by the presence of foamy, whitish discharge, itching, if left untreated, it quickly becomes chronic and trichomonas prostatitis);
• candidal urethritis (the causative agent is a yeast fungus that affects the mucous surface of the urethra, appears after prolonged use of antibacterial drugs, less often after contact with an infected partner);
• chlamydial urethritis (viral urethritis, affects the urethra, conjunctiva, vagina and cervix).

Features of the course of urethritis in men and women

Men (due to their anatomical structure - a longer and narrower urethra) feel the manifestations of urethritis earlier and more acutely, while a woman may not notice its symptoms at all. In men, redness and sticking together in the morning of the sponges of the external opening of the urethra can be observed.

Urethritis in men

The cause of urethritis in the stronger sex can be the following factors:

• infection through sexual intercourse;
• hypothermia of the body;
• the presence of stress;
• unbalanced diet with a lot of spicy, sour, salty foods;
• inflammatory process in the body;
• the presence of urolithiasis.

Chronic urethritis in men occurs rarely, when the following conditions appear:

• untreated acute urethritis;
• expansion of the inflammatory process to the entire urethra and prostate gland;
• weakening of the immune system.

Urethritis in women

Compared with urethritis in the stronger sex, female urethritis appears as a result of various infections. If the disease is not treated, then due to the female anatomical structure, urethritis can quickly develop into cystitis.

The main role in the disease of urethritis in women is played by various infections. Among the infectious types of urethritis in women, gonorrheal is most common. Up to 12 hours after infection, a woman may develop symptoms of acute urethritis. If it is not treated, then after 20 days the disease becomes chronic.

Quite often, women become infected with the following types of urethritis: chlamydial , trichomonas or candidal .

Candida urethritis in women may occur with prolonged use of antibacterial agents.

Usually, the first signs of the disease occur at the onset of menstruation, the abolition of contraceptives, or the onset of menopause.

Diagnosis and treatment of urethritis

Treatment of urethritis requires careful diagnosis, you need to pass special tests for urethritis. First of all, this is the collection and sowing of secretions from the urethra (if they are absent, an analysis of the first portion of urine is collected). Laboratory diagnostics allows you to determine the causative agent of urethritis and its sensitivity to various groups of antibiotics. This allows you to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate therapy.

An important diagnostic method is ureteroscopy.

In addition, additional studies (ultrasound, MRI) may be required to exclude the inflammatory process in other organs (in women - in the bladder, in men - in the prostate gland and seminal vesicles).

Treatment of urethritis

The standard treatment program for urethritis consists of 3 stages:

• statement and specification of the diagnosis;
• drug therapy;
• re-examination.

Drugs for the treatment of urethritis

The usual treatment program for urethritis includes the use of the following drugs for the treatment of urethritis:

• antibiotics (for urethritis, they differ, depending on the type of disease);
• medicines that restore the intestinal microflora;
• anti-inflammatory agents;
• antihistamines;
• immunostimulants;
• vitamin complexes.

Self-medication in this case can lead to serious complications. Means for the treatment of urethritis can only be correctly selected by a urologist based on the results of the examination.

The course of treatment can last from several days to several weeks and depends on the form of the disease. Treatment of urethritis is carried out, as a rule, on an outpatient basis, however, severe purulent complications require hospitalization.

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Inflammation of the urethra is considered one of the most unpleasant and at the same time common diseases. In medicine, this phenomenon is called urethritis, and it is not a life-threatening condition, but its symptoms cause severe discomfort, interfere with a person’s usual way of life.

Causes of the disease

According to statistics, most patients are men, but urethritis in women, unfortunately, is also quite common. Often people self-diagnose and start treatment, but the problem is that this disease is very similar to cystitis.

A significant difference between the second is the pain that accompanies the entire process of urination and may not last long after it ends. Moreover, these two diseases often occur simultaneously.

Causes of inflammation:

• Reduced immunity;
• hypothermia;
• Stones in the kidneys;
• The presence of sexually transmitted diseases, genital infections;
• Poor nutrition;
• Malignant tumors of the urethra;
• Allergy;
• Venous stasis in the pelvis;
• Early sexual intimacy;
• Failure to comply with hygiene rules;
• Genital injuries;
• Alcoholism;
• Psycho-emotional overload, stress;
• Pregnancy.

Symptoms of urethritis in women

Often, the symptoms of the disease in the female are less pronounced than in the male. This is due to the difference in the structure of the genitourinary system. In men, the urogenital canal is narrower and longer, so they are more susceptible to inflammatory processes of various etiologies.

The most common signs of the disease are:

• Pain and burning during urination;
• Discharge of pus from the urethra. The color of the discharge directly depends on the pathogen, varies from dark yellow to whitish;
• Redness of the external genitalia;
• Itching during menstruation.

In chronic urethritis, there are rare pains in the lower abdomen, this applies not only to the period of exacerbation. Most often, in a female, the pathology proceeds without pronounced symptoms, so its diagnosis is sometimes complicated.

In the chronic form, the disease passes in the absence of treatment, or with incorrect and untimely therapy. After about three weeks, the acute form can become chronic. At the same time, the main symptoms disappear and appear only after hypothermia, alcohol abuse, strong psycho-emotional arousal and at the time of sexual intimacy.

Urethritis has an infectious and non-infectious origin. The most common is gonorrheal urethritis, sexually transmitted. Its symptoms appear already through infection. Another common cause is chlamydia.

Non-gonorrheal forms of the disease

These include trichomonas and candidal urethritis.

Infection first occurs both sexually (during unprotected intercourse) and by household means (carious teeth, tonsillitis, chronic sinusitis, tuberculosis, etc.). The symptoms of acute trichomonas urethritis in women include the appearance of whitish foamy discharge one to two weeks after infection, as well as itching in the urethra.

But often this form proceeds hidden. Treatment of Trichomonas urethritis usually consists of the use of metronidazole (Trichopolum) for 8-10 days.

Candidal urethritis occurs when the channel is affected by yeast fungi of the genus Candida. This form of the disease is quite rare and occurs mainly due to long-term use of antibacterial agents in the treatment of another pathology. After confirming the diagnosis, antibiotics are stopped.

The first manifestations of pathology occur at the onset of menopause, menstruation, or the abolition of oral contraceptives. How to eliminate inflammation, the doctor decides, guided by diagnostic indicators and a picture of the diseases of a particular patient.

Diagnostics

On examination, the doctor can detect hyperemia of the external opening of the urethra and surrounding tissues, discharge from the urethra. The patient feels pain on palpation.

The following events are required:

• General analysis of urine and blood;
• Extended study of urine according to Nichiporenko;
• Bacteriological analysis, which will accurately determine the type of etiological pathogen; simultaneously test for its sensitivity to antibiotics;
• Analysis of bacteriological material (scraping from the walls of the urethra) by the PRC method;
• Urine test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Sometimes ureteroscopy is performed - an endoscopic examination of the urethral mucosa, which allows you to take a scraping, eliminate scars and strictures. An ultrasound examination may also be prescribed to assess the general condition of the pelvic organs.

Treatment of urethritis in women

After the diagnosis, antibacterial agents such as ciprofloxacin, pefloxacin, amoxiclav, norfloxacin are prescribed. Antibiotics are mainly prescribed in the form of tablets, but other options are also allowed: intravenous and intramuscular injections, intravaginal suppositories and installations (infusion of a substance through a catheter into the urethra). They can prescribe one type of antibiotic, or a combination of two, three, or even four drugs.

Procedures such as baths and washings with the use of calendula, chamomile, potassium permanganate help to get rid of discomfort. The purely feminine products include warming applications, tampons, which are impregnated with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial substances, vaginal suppositories.

Preparations for acute urethritis in women also include antihistamines, for example, the most common are miramistin, tavegil and suprastin. If chlamydia is detected at the same time, then azithromycin and doxycycline are prescribed.

How to get rid of pathology

Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs cannot completely get rid of the disease, especially those caused by viruses and fungi. It is necessary to simultaneously increase the body's resistance to such infections, restore the normal microflora of the female genital organs.

Therefore, the doctor prescribes drugs that stimulate the immune system: thymalin, Gepon, cycloferon, phlogenzyme, antioxidants, ribomunil, vitamins PP and group B.

Treatment of the chronic form is a longer process. Often prescribe such antibiotics for chronic urethritis in women as chloramphenicol and gentamicin. The sooner you start therapy, the sooner the positive effect will come.

The duration of treatment varies in each individual case and can last several weeks. Antiseptic washing of the urethra and the intake of vitamin and mineral preparations are also prescribed.

If the causative agent is a gonococcal infection, an antibiotic is inserted into the urethra. In the presence of granulation, installation with a solution of silver and collargol is used, as well as bougienage and cauterization of the urethra with a solution of silver nitrate (10-20%), but only with a pronounced narrowing.

Chronic chlamydial form is treated with antibiotics and immunomodulators, probiotics, interferon preparations, enzyme therapy, hepatoprotectors (for the liver), vitamin therapy, antioxidants.

Non-pharmacological methods of combating the disease include:

• Dieting;
• Plentiful drink in the form of boiled water or freshly squeezed juice - about 2 liters per day;
• Follow proper nutrition with the exception of spicy, fatty, sour and salty foods.