Chronic Cystitis - Symptoms and Causes

For some reasons unknown, some women get bladder infections repeatedly. This is called chronic cystitis. According to Dr. Robert Pugach, a Medical Director at Pacific Coast Urology Medical Center, the main key in preventing infections is urinating. Urinating several times daily prevents bladder infections by flushing bacteria out of the urethra.

Contact a urology doctor in your area if you are having any of these symptoms.

Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Bacterial infections affect the lower and upper urinary tract. The lower urinary tract infection is considered a simple cystitis (bladder infection). These symptoms consist of:

Painful urinationFrequent urinationUrge to urinateLower abdominal pain and pressureUrine is cloudy, dark or smells strong

Symptoms of upper urinary tract infection technically recognized as pyelonephritis (kidney infection):

Back pain under the side ribs where the kidneys are locatedFever and chillsNausea and vomitingAlong with the symptoms of a bladder infection

Causes of UTIs

Women are more prone to UTIs because the urethra in women is shorter than the urethra in men. The urethra is the tube that carries the urine from your bladder to the outside of your body. Germs get into your system through the urethra. The germs commonly causing infection is the ones found in your stool. These germs come from wiping from back to front and gets inside the urethra, then travels to the bladder and possibly the kidneys. If left untreated, may lead to serious health risks or fatality. Other causes of UTIs should be taken into consideration:

Sex can push germs into the urethraNot drinking enough waterIf you have diabetesIf you are pregnantDehydrationLack of good personal hygiene

Another cause of chronic cystitis is a decrease in estrogen. It is possible for one to experience chronic UTI symptoms without actually having a bladder infection. This hormonal change causes vaginal tissue to decrease and the urethra to narrow. Urethral changes can affect the bladder with continuing inflammation and bladder muscle irritation.

Dr. Pugach, has treats many female patients who are diagnosed with UTIs. Although their urine cultures are negative, and show red and white blood cells but no bacteria, the patient is still prescribed antibiotics. Unfortunately, the treatment is short-term relief of the symptoms before returning within a month. Typically, this is a very discouraging, as it is chronic.

At Pacific Coast Urology Medical Center, Dr. Pugach, specializes in many bladder control problems in women and treats this circumstance with an in office procedure. This procedure gently stretches and brings the urethra back to its original size and only takes about two minutes. To soften the urethra, estrogen cream is used and antibiotics are prescribed to help heal the bladder. After the procedure, patients may experience a mild burning sensation while urinating for about 1-2 days. Shortly after, the symptoms of UTI will dissipate.

If you are experiencing painful, chronic UTIs and need help finding a doctor, visit http://www.locateadoc.com/ today.

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Chronic Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is one of the most common causes of chronic viral infection. It is estimated that over 400 million individuals are affected by this condition worldwide. In fact, up to 15-20% of patients with this virus will unfortunately die from this condition. It is therefore an extremely important illness, that needs to be effectively treated and prevented.

Hepatitis B virus is often transmitted from an infected mother to a newborn child, during birth. This form of infection called vertical transmission is the most common mode of infection of this virus for most affected individuals. It can also be transmitted through blood and sexual contact. However, hepatitis B is not transmitted by casual physical contact, or from food source. Thus, shaking hands with stranger or food does not pose risk for contracting this illness. Fortunately, this virus can be entirely prevented by timely vaccination.

Hepatitis B is defined as chronic when the infection lasts longer than 6 months in duration. Many patients with chronic hepatitis B infection may not be aware of their illness, because there may be very few symptoms associated with the disease. However, as the disease advances, many begin to complain of persistent and chronic fatigue. Some may complain of anorexia, nausea, and weight loss. As the disease advances further, there may be symptoms such as yellowing of the skin, vomiting of blood, fluid in the abdomen, and altered level of consciousness and confusion. In fact, the most worrisome complication of chronic hepatitis B is the development of cirrhosis or the hardening of liver, and liver cancer, known as hepatoma.

The diagnosis of hepatitis B is made based on blood tests. Most commonly performed tests include hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody, and liver function test. For confirmed cases of hepatitis B, we may recommend further testing including viral DNA level, alpha-feto-protein, a marker for liver cancer, and sonogram of the liver.

There are currently two main types of treatment options available for patients with chronic hepatitis B. They include anti-viral drugs and sometimes interferon. The anti-viral drugs work by suppressing viral DNA replication. These anti-viral drugs may be very effective in preventing cirrhosis and liver cancer, although chronic, life-long therapy is often required.

Chronic hepatitis B is an extremely serious condition. For individuals with this illness, it is very important that they undergo a regular check-up including periodic liver function test, AFP determination, and sonogram. It is also advisable to avoid alcohol, and any unnecessary medication. For individuals with active viral replication, the treatment with anti-viral drugs is recommended to prevent potential complications including cirrhosis and hepatoma.

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Acute V/S Chronic Kidney Disease

The kidneys play a major role in eliminating excessive toxins from the blood, preventing buildup of toxic byproducts to dangerous levels and regulating sodium, calcium and potassium levels in the blood. When they fail to function as they should, it can cause a wide range of health problems. Depending upon the causes and the way it progresses, kidney disease can be categorized as acute or chronic.

Acute Kidney Disease

In this form, organ failure develops and progresses rapidly and can go from mild to severe in a matter of days or a few weeks. This can happen if you have any health disorder that adversely affects the flow of urine or the supply of blood to the kidney or has a direct impact on the organ itself. This form is reversible. When the underlying problem has been cured, its function usually recovers completely and goes back to normal. In some cases however, there may be residual damage that could impede the functioning sometime in the future.

Chronic kidney disease

In this form, there is a gradual loss of function, which progresses over a period of time. The decline could happen over a period of several months or even years and the damage is usually irreversible.

The severity of this form of the condition progresses over five very distinct stages:
In stage 1, there is very mild damage to the organ and it is still functioning almost normally.

In stage 2, there is a slight decrease in the efficiency with which the kidneys function.

In stage 3, there is a further decrease in the functioning of the kidneys.

In stage 4, the decrease is severe.

In stage 5, there is near-total loss or complete loss of function. This stage is also often called end-stage kidney disease. When a person reaches this stage, they usually need dialysis to stay alive.

Health Effects Of Kidney Disease

When the kidneys do not function as efficiently as they should, excess water, waste and toxic substances begin to accumulate in the blood stream. If it is not treated in time, the kidneys will continue to deteriorate and the toxins start accumulating to dangerous levels in the body. The buildup of toxic substances can cause a host of health problems ranging from acidosis or excessive acidity of body fluids, bone disease, anemia and other disorders associated with fatty acids and cholesterol.

Preventive Measures

Obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are the main factors that cause kidney failure. Maintaining overall general health with a healthy diet and regular exercise can go a long way in helping to prevent the onset of this condition.

The best way to keep kidney disease at bay is by having regular health checkups especially to determine your pressure and sugar levels. High blood pressure and diabetes are the leading causes of this condition. To get that all-important health check, call Trinity Primary Care today to set up an appointment. Also check out our new page on Kidney Disease.

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