Cystitis…?

What are we talking about today? Cystitis

Today I come to talk to you about a somewhat taboo topic but one that, as a woman, I am tired of suffering in silence; and no, I’m not talking about piles, but about cystitis. Cystitis is that horrible infection in the urethra that causes a constant urge to urinate and itching when urinating (urinate). The correct terminology is «urethritis» and although in the case of women it is not usually serious, in the case of men (with a longer urethra), it can become more serious and even bleeding. Of course, if you have cystitis you can pass it on to your partner through intimate contact, so be very careful.

That I have to do?

If you have to urinate constantly, and when you urinate it is only a few droplets and it also stings, you should go to your doctor immediately. Cystitis can only be cured with antibiotics, and these should always be recommended by your doctor. If cystitis is not treated, it can «go up» through the urethra and infect the urine, turning a simple cystitis into a urinary infection.

If you do not treat this urinary infection with antibiotics, it can continue to rise through the ureters and cause «ureteritis», and if you do not treat it either, you will end up like I did with pyelonephritis (kidney infection) and be admitted to the hospital. Of course, all this is accompanied by pain, fever, chills, etc… At this point, do not wait for the doctor’s visit and go urgently to the hospital.

Here are some of the characteristic symptoms of a urine infection that has led to kidney infection (pyelonephritis):

• Fever
• Shaking chills
• Pain or burning when urinating
• Need to urinate frequently
• Intense and persistent need to urinate
• Pain in the back (around the kidneys), side, or groin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pus or blood in the urine
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Abdominal pain

So, believe me when I tell you that it is better to treat cystitis as soon as possible than something more complex. Better safe than sorry.

Tips

However, there are «home» remedies that can provide relief until you start antibiotics. Here I explain my best tips:

• Grandma’s recommendation: wash your intimate area with plenty of hot water, dry well, and then use a clean compress that provides and contains heat in that area.
• Drink plenty of water and liquids and even if you really want to urinate, wait until you are sure that your bladder is full. So when you urinate, try to do it very forcefully, wash yourself with very hot water and put on the clean compress.
• As a general rule, you should always clean your intimate areas before and after having sex. You and your partner, both always. And be sure to urinate and clean yourself well immediately afterward (don’t wait too long).
• To prevent future infections, you can regularly consume cranberries. I thought this was part of «popular culture» until I started looking for information in books, magazines and of course also on the internet. What was my surprise when I discovered that they actually do work and that they can be eaten as a prophylaxis. I’ll explain it to you below…

Introduction to Cranberries

Cranberries are known not only for their delicious taste, but also for their health benefits. As a dietician, I can advise you from a dietary point of view, but it is important to highlight the role of these fruits in preventing urinary infections, a common problem especially in women.

How Do Cranberries Help?

Cranberries contain compounds called proanthocyanidins, which prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. This reduces the chance of developing a urine infection. These compounds have been the subject of numerous studies, such as the one published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which supports their effectiveness.

Studies and Scientific Evidence

A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health showed that regular consumption of cranberry juice can reduce the frequency of recurrent urinary tract infections in women. Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also highlights the benefits of this fruit.

My personal opinion

Incorporating cranberries into your daily diet can be a natural and effective strategy to prevent urinary infections. However, it is always advisable to consult your doctor before making significant dietary changes or starting new supplements. Keep in mind that blueberries are usually sold the same as other fruits such as raisins, and therefore have a large amount of sugar, so if you are diabetic or are on some type of diet, you should consider this.

In my case, I take great care of my diet and try to eliminate sugars as much as possible. Among other things because my mother is diabetic, and as she told you above: better safe than sorry.

So, I started searching the internet, and I found a solution that worked great for me. It turns out that there are different types of blueberries, and of course, some more effective than others, and as if this were not enough, I also did not know in what proportion they would be «effective» for me. That is, should I buy these red ones or those from the other brand? How many should I eat? If I already have symptoms of cystitis, will they be effective?

After researching, I discovered that the most effective are American cranberries, but of course, I still didn’t know the quantities I should consume, so I started looking for supplements…

And yes, there are a wide variety of natural cranberry supplements for cystitis. All of them without a medical prescription, some for sale in pharmacies, others in herbal stores and others, on Amazon. So since I am always short of time, I looked at them all online, compared their information and opted for some in particular; For these that I put here in the photos (I try not to upload many photos because I have less and less space but now the occasion warrants it).

I want to make it very clear that I have taken them, that these capsules were great for me, personally, and that I hope they do well for you too. So I’ll explain how I took them: in my case I had cystitis because I didn’t follow the advice I gave you above (the first step is to recognize it).

So I went to the doctor and he prescribed me antibiotics for 8 days (complete cycles are usually 7-8 days). When I finished the antibiotics, I still felt discomfort, so, as I explained, I started researching and searching until I found these. I bought them and took one capsule, which is what the instructions indicate. Since I saw that it did nothing for me, I took two capsules in the morning and two before bed for a week and the discomfort went away. I have not felt anything again and the cystitis has not appeared again.

I explain this to you on a personal basis and as a personal experience, and it is in no way a recommendation for use or anything like that. I simply decided to try more doses and it went well, nothing more. This doesn’t mean that everyone will do well of course.

Currently I no longer take them but I have 2 bottles in the closet just in case… In fact, if I see that there may be any possibility of my cystitis returning (due to not following the advice above), I I take a capsule as prevention. Here below I leave you the link in case you want to take a look. Sorry but I couldn’t find the same product for USA but I found something very similar:

You can continue reading about Allergies here.