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Health

First aid for cystitis in women and men

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Cystitis is an inflammatory disease of the bladder, which is quite common in modern medicine and causes significant discomfort to patients. The main cause of this disease is an infectious process that affects the urinary organs. Inflammation occurs. One of the leading symptoms of this pathology is severe pain, which intensifies during urination. Frequent urination is also observed. The incidence of this disease ranges from 20 to 40 percent. People of reproductive age are most often affected. Emergency first aid for cystitis should be provided as quickly as possible, since the patient experiences severe pain.

What to do at the first signs of cystitis?

When symptoms of cystitis appear, first aid should be provided, since the disease tends to progress. It cannot disappear on its own. The main reason is the penetration of infection into the genitourinary tract, so the patient should be given antibacterial therapy. But this is usually prescribed by a doctor. Pre-hospital care consists of stopping the pain syndrome, which is quite pronounced and accompanies the progressive inflammatory process.

Various means will help to relieve pain. First of all, analgesics, painkillers are prescribed. For severe pain syndrome, ketanov, ketopronol, and its analogues are used. For moderate and mild pain syndrome, no-shpa, analgin, nimesulide, nimesic and other means are prescribed. A specific means that has an effect directly on the genitourinary system, thereby relieving pain and removing the inflammatory process, is urolesan. This is a homeopathic remedy that relieves pain in a relatively short time, but requires long-term treatment. You can also apply a heating pad.

These remedies will only help to relieve pain for a while, to ease the patient's suffering. Then you must definitely call an ambulance, since cystitis is a dangerous disease that requires immediate qualified help. Only a doctor can prescribe the necessary examination and choose the best treatment.

Should you call an ambulance if you have cystitis?

In case of bladder inflammation, you need to call an ambulance as soon as possible. The patient can only temporarily relieve the pain on his own, but the inflammatory and infectious process will not stop. It will proceed asymptomatically in the genitourinary tract, causing increasingly severe lesions.

The consequences can be unpredictable – from complete blockage of the bladder and cessation of urination to the spread and progression of the infectious process, up to the development of bacteremia and sepsis. Structural lesions of the bladder and urinary tract, ascending flow of infection (its penetration into the kidneys) are also quite dangerous. In addition, a person can stop an attack only for a while. In the absence of adequate treatment, after some time, the attack will develop with even greater force and intensity. Moreover, repeated attacks often cannot be stopped by available medications.

What to do with cystitis?

In case of cystitis, there is only one optimal course of action – call an ambulance. Doctors will provide the necessary pre-hospital care, after which hospitalization is indicated for further treatment. Cystitis requires mandatory qualified care. Self-treatment is not only not recommended, but can also be dangerous to health. Diagnostics and further long-term treatment are required, otherwise numerous complications may arise.

Before the ambulance arrives, if there is a pronounced pain syndrome, you can relieve the pain yourself, using painkillers, antispasmodics, analgesics. However, all these are temporary measures that will only help to temporarily alleviate the person's condition. The main treatment is prescribed only by a doctor, based on the results of laboratory and instrumental studies.

What to do if blood appears during cystitis?

Blood in cystitis is an extremely unfavorable symptom. It indicates the development of the most severe form of the disease - hemorrhagic cystitis. Single drops can be a sign of mild cystitis, or the initial form of hemorrhagic cystitis, while the appearance of a large amount of blood in the urine, its stable appearance in all samples, indicates a severe form of the disease. As a rule, this form is characterized by an acute course: the disease begins suddenly, the temperature rises sharply, severe pain develops. This disease is accompanied by frequent urination, as well as frequent false urges to urinate.

The danger of this form is primarily that blood clots can block the urethra, as a result of which urination will stop completely. This is especially common in women, due to the short urethra. Another danger is that the blood acts as a nutrient medium for microorganisms, as a result of which the infectious process only progresses, spreading to other parts of the body. Accordingly, the inflammatory process also intensifies.

As soon as blood appears in the urine, you need to seek qualified medical help. If a small amount of blood appears (a few drops), you need to go to a clinic, preferably a hospital. Hospitalization and inpatient treatment are recommended. If blood appears in all portions of urine, in large quantities, then you need to call an ambulance as soon as possible, without waiting for a critical condition.

First aid for cystitis in women

In women, cystitis is more severe than in men, due to the shortened urogenital canal and its proximity to the anus and vagina. This facilitates the penetration of infection and its rapid spread throughout the urinary system. In addition, women's immunity is usually lower than that of men, as a result of which the inflammatory and infectious process progresses much faster.

In order to cure cystitis, you must strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations, as well as stick to a diet, and observe a rest and work regime. A prerequisite for effective treatment is drinking plenty of fluids. It is important to exclude all spicy, salty foods. In no case should you eat fried foods (they should be boiled or steamed). You should also exclude smoked foods, marinades, spices, and various seasonings. Sour and fermented milk products are also not recommended, as they have an irritating effect on the genitourinary system.

You also can't apply a heating pad. Any heat exposure promotes vasodilation and can cause bleeding and increase the inflammatory process.

Women have two forms of cystitis - endogenous and exogenous origin. With endogenous origin, there is a source of infection in the body. From there, the infection spreads through the blood and lymph and falls into various organs, including the bladder. As a result, an inflammatory process develops.

In the exogenous form, the infection penetrates the genitourinary system from the outside. In women, the main source of exogenous infection is the vagina. Quite often, the infection penetrates from the anus through the urethra. The anatomical structure of the genitourinary system especially contributes to this method of infection penetration.

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First aid for cystitis in a child

First aid consists of giving the child painkillers, as well as analgesics and antispasmodics, which alleviate the condition and help relieve pain in relatively short periods of time. After this, you need to immediately call an ambulance. Treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor. This requires a preliminary thorough diagnosis. As a rule. The child is hospitalized, since the disease develops especially quickly in children and can have serious consequences.

Cystitis in a child can be recognized by severe pain, which becomes even stronger during urination. The child also becomes lethargic, whiny, restless. Frequent urination bothers him. Quite often, false urges are observed, or a small amount of urine is released. The main cause of the disease in children is the intensive reproduction of bacterial microflora, therefore the essence of the treatment is that the patient is prescribed antibacterial therapy as the leading therapy. The corresponding pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy is also carried out.

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First aid for cystitis at home

Self-medication is not recommended, since cystitis is a very serious disease that can only be cured by a doctor. Even a doctor will not prescribe treatment without having the patient's test results. However, if it is not possible to immediately contact a doctor or call an ambulance (which is extremely rare these days), then you can try to cure cystitis yourself within a few days. It should be understood that at home you can only alleviate the condition, eliminate the main symptoms, but the pathological process itself cannot be completely eliminated.

At home, first aid can be provided only to alleviate the patient's condition until an ambulance arrives or a visit to a doctor, or as additional measures to the main treatment prescribed by a doctor.

So, the essence of home treatment is as follows: the patient can be given painkillers, antispasmodics, analgesics that relieve pain. Drinking plenty of fluids is also recommended. It will help remove toxins from the body, reduce the bacterial load, as well as the degree of autointoxication of the body. As a result, the inflammatory process can be significantly reduced. To cleanse the body, it is necessary to drink clean water, without gas. In order to support and stimulate the body, it is necessary to drink vitamin juices, fruit drinks, various decoctions. Various herbal decoctions that contain anti-inflammatory herbs, mixtures have proven themselves well.

You can apply a heating pad to the inflamed area. But this method should be used with caution by women, as they have a fairly high risk of bleeding. You cannot use a bath for warming up. It is also not recommended to heat the inflamed area for a long time. During pregnancy, a heating pad is also contraindicated, as it can cause a miscarriage, premature birth. At high temperatures, a heating pad and any other thermal procedures are also contraindicated. You should also refrain from this method if blood appears in the urine.

Various folk remedies will definitely come to the rescue when treating cystitis at home. Thus, a positive effect can be achieved through the use of plant extracts, medicinal herbs, mixtures, homeopathic remedies. Anti-inflammatory herbs work well, especially in combination with pharmaceuticals and physiotherapy prescribed by a doctor.

Calamus officinalis has proven itself well. Rhizomes and leaves are used in the form of a decoction. Calamus contains a large number of phytoncides, glycosides, alkaloids, due to which the main medicinal properties of the plant are achieved, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antiseptic action. The composition also includes essential oils and vitamin C, which stimulate human immunity, increase endurance and resistance of the body, as a result of which recovery occurs much faster.

Hop cones are also often used, which have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, quickly relieve pain. They are used in the form of an infusion, decoction. This remedy relieves inflammation, stimulates metabolic processes, normalizes immunity, improves overall well-being, increases appetite, has a general strengthening, tonic, anti-infective effect on the body.

Elecampane contains essential oils, allantoin, saponins, gums, resins. Due to this, the plant has a diaphoretic effect, reduces temperature, increases immunity, improves digestion, metabolic processes, improves well-being and quickly relieves pain.

Sage is a traditional anti-inflammatory agent that not only relieves inflammation but also eliminates pain.

Calendula is a well-known anti-inflammatory herb. It is used to treat diseases of the genitourinary system, kidneys, and many other inflammatory diseases. The plant contains a large number of flavonoids, essential oils, organic acids. Due to this composition, it has an antiviral, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing effect. A good antiseptic used for various purposes. Prevents the spread of infection throughout the body.

Also, when treating at home, it is recommended to stay in bed. You need to sleep more, rest, because the body recovers during sleep.

It is important to control your diet: it should be complete, but dietary. You should exclude spicy, fatty, salty, smoked dishes from your diet. You need to minimize the consumption of salt, spices, seasonings, sauces, marinades. Cranberries have a positive effect on the genitourinary system: they can be consumed fresh, as well as in the form of fruit drinks, drinks, compotes. Grated berries with sugar have proven themselves well - a source of vitamins, microelements, which quickly saturate the body with all the necessary substances and promote rapid recovery.

First aid for acute cystitis

Acute cystitis is accompanied by severe pain in most cases. Therefore, first aid consists of alleviating the person's condition. You need to give him painkillers and call an ambulance immediately. You cannot apply a heating pad, since the inflammatory process may intensify. It is also not recommended to apply cold, since the infectious process may intensify.

It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids. It is better to drink pure water, but herbal decoctions and cranberry juice will also have a positive effect. Herbal decoctions have an anti-inflammatory effect, as a result of which the inflammatory process is reduced and further spread of infection throughout the body and progression of the disease is prevented. Cranberry juice saturates the body with vitamins, as a result of which the body's resistance increases and the immune system is normalized.

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First aid for cystitis, medications, tablets

The pathogenesis of cystitis is based on an infectious process. Therefore, treatment is reduced to suppressing the growth of pathogenic microflora. But this treatment can only be prescribed after a bacteriological urine culture has been performed. The analysis is done for at least a week. Therefore, first, a person needs to be given first aid, which will be aimed at other links in the pathological process.

So, first of all, a person is worried about severe pain. Therefore, symptomatic treatment is used, the essence of which comes down to the use of painkillers and analgesics, as well as drugs that relieve inflammation. Antispasmodics have proven themselves well - no-shpa, drotaverine, papaverine. They are used depending on the severity of the pain syndrome. The dosage and method of administration are selected by the doctor individually for each patient. It can be used in the form of tablets, but to achieve the maximum and fastest effect, it is better to use in the form of injections. Intramuscular injections are performed. So the active substance penetrates the blood faster, has an effect much faster. In case of severe pain, a double dosage can be used. In the future, a course of treatment is required, in accordance with the instructions.

The second most frequently used group is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This includes such drugs as diclofenac, nurofen, nimesil. These drugs relieve inflammation, as a result, the pain syndrome is reduced. They can be used in the form of tablets, injections, rectal suppositories. The effect is mainly local, systemic effects are extremely rare, which is one of the positive qualities of this group of drugs, since the risk of side effects is minimized.

The third group of drugs are herbal drugs, such as Kanefron, Cyston, and Fitolizin. These substances have an effect similar to that of the first and second groups of drugs, however, they have virtually no side effects. This is one of the advantages of drugs in this group. The disadvantages are that many of them are cumulative drugs, which means that their effect will not manifest itself immediately, but after a certain period of time, as the active substance accumulates in the body. Herbal drugs should also be taken with caution by people who are prone to allergic reactions.

Since first aid for cystitis must be provided quickly and consists of quickly relieving pain, the first two groups of drugs are most often used.

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