Cystitis (UTI), Bladder Infection · NYC Pelvic Doctor · Gynecologist Midtown NY

Cystitis

Cystitis refers to the medical condition when your bladder is inflamed, swollen and tender, or more simply put, a urinary tract infection (UTI). If you have an infected bladder, you may experience other symptoms besides pain in your lower abdomen, such as:

• Discomfort or uncomfortable pressure in your bladder
• A constant need to urinate, but you’re only able to urinate a little bit each time
• A painful burning when you urinate
• Blood in your urine
• Translucent and/or concentrated (smelly) urine
• Cloudy or murky urine
• Possible fever

UTIs are the most common outpatient infection in females

Cystitis is a treatable condition, but it’s recommended that you visit your NYC gynecologist or OBGYN specialists becuase untreated cystitis (UTI) can lead to a worse condition that may require hospitalization. Besides suffering from increasingly worse symptoms, the infection can spread to your kidneys, where it’s more difficult to treat. If you experience any of the following symptoms of an infected kidney, seek medical attention:

• Pain from the area of your kidneys, which are in the back of your upper abdomen
• Fever
• Feeling nauseous or even vomiting

All symptoms should be evaluated with a thorough consultation and examination by your gynecologist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan to exclude any underlying serious condition.

What Causes Cystitis

Often, the cause of cystitis is a bacterial infection — a urinary tract infection or UTI — that reaches your bladder. UTIs are common in women, since your vagina naturally contains a variety of bacteria and the little pipe (urethra) that connects the bladder to the outside world is much shorter than in males. Sexual intercourse, therefore, sometimes causes a UTI. But obviously, that’s not the only way to get a UTI, since women who aren’t sexually inactive still can suffer from an infected urinary tract.  Bacteria can migrate from the rectum to the urethra and then to the bladder.

The pain and inflammation of cystitis can result from several other conditions as well, although these causes are less common:

• Continual use of irritation-causing products, such as chemical-based feminine hygiene products and contraceptives
• An allergic reaction to some feminine hygiene products, contraceptives or even bubble bath
• As a reaction to certain medications, especially chemotherapy drugs
• Using a catheter for a long time
• Chronic inflammation of your bladder (Interstitial Cystitis)
• From radiation therapy to treat cancer
• Other medical conditions — such as kidney stones or diabetes — can cause cystitis as a complication

Weighing Your Risks

Untreated or incomplete treatment of UTIs can allow the bacteria to infect the kidneys, which can be a life threatening situation

Cystitis can strike any woman, but there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of getting a urinary tract infection. Since a UTI is one of the primary causes of cystitis, reducing your chances of getting one also reduces your susceptibility to cystitis. At the same time, some risk factors are purely physical, such as having a shorter urethra, which shortens the distance bacteria has to go to get to your bladder.

The best advice is to be aware of when you might be suffering from a UTI so you can treat it promptly. Here are other risk factors for developing a UTI:

• Being sexually active
• Using some contraceptives, such as some vaginal rings and spermicidal creams
• Experiencing a bladder stone or a kidney stone
• Being pregnant
• Being postmenopausal
• Having other medical conditions like diabetes or cancer
• Using a catheter over an extended period
• Getting cancer treatments, including radiation and chemotherapy

Testing for and Treating Cystitis

Since the symptoms of cystitis also can indicate other, more serious medical conditions like ovarian cysts, it’s important to see your Midtown gynecologist in NYC if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. Your OBGYN can usually rule out other conditions to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. Then your treatment can begin.

The tests your Midtown gynecologist may order include:

• A urine analysis, which can detect the presence of blood, bacteria or other foreign matter in your urine
• A cystoscopy, for which your NYC OBGYN inserts a thin tube with a light and camera on the end, called a cystoscope, into your urethra to look for telltale signs of disease or infection
• An X-ray or ultrasound test (such as a sonogram), which can produce a better picture of what’s going on with your bladder — especially when other tests fail to provide any clues

Once your Manhattan gynecologist has confirmed a diagnosis of cystitis, the most common treatment is to put you on a course of antibiotics. The type of antibiotic and the length of time you have to take it depend on your medical history, allergies, the type of bacteria and the severity of your infection. The normal course is three to seven days, with a follow-up exam to make sure the infection has completed disappeared.

If you’ve been suffering from several UTI’s a year, tell your OBGYN. You may need a different treatment or at least a different type of antibiotic. It’s also possible that your cystitis is being caused by an underlying cause that isn’t being treated by the antibiotics. In this case, your gynecologist may have to run additional tests to find that underlying cause so it can be treated effectively.

Complications Associated with Cystitis

The most serious complication from cystitis — and the main reason to treat it right away — is the danger of kidney infection. Called pyelonephritis, a kidney infection can permanently injure your kidneys. The longer the condition goes untreated, the worse it can become.

Sometimes, you’ll have blood in your urine that’s not visible to the naked eye. A urine analysis test, however, can spot the blood. If this condition continues even after your antibiotic treatment, you may need to undergo further testing to determine the cause of the blood in your urine.

When to Call Your NYC OBGYN

Symptoms should always be evaluated with a thorough consultation and examination by your gynecologist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan to exclude any underlying or serious condition.  If your symptoms return after you’ve finished your antibiotics, call or return to Manhattan gynecologist for a consultation and exam. You just may need a different antibiotic, or the renewed symptoms could signal a more serious problem.

Important Reminder: This information is only intended to provide gynecology guidance, not definitive medical advice. Please consult ob/gyn doctor about your specific condition. Only a trained, experienced gynecologist or certified gynecology specialist can determine an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.

Have questions about Pelvic Pain, Cystitis or Bladder Infection? Schedule an appointment with one of the best rated NYC Gynecologist, Dr. Fernando Mariz, today.

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