Urethritis. Symptoms and treatment regimen for urethritis: how it is transmitted, diagnosis Symptoms of viral urethritis in men

Urethritis is a disease that is accompanied by the development of an inflammatory process in the urethra.

The reasons for the development are different, but the clinical picture follows one variant. It occurs more often in women, but rarely occurs in isolation.

The disease in the fairer sex is combined with cystitis. In men, pathology develops more often for infectious reasons. Urethritis is treated promptly and adequately to reduce the risk of complications.

Anatomical features

Answering the question regarding urethritis - what kind of disease is it, let us turn to the anatomical features.

The structure of the urethra in both sexes has characteristic features. The anatomy of the urethra determines the nature and risk of the inflammatory process.

Let's look at the structural features of women:

The length of the canal is 2–3 cm, which facilitates the penetration of infection into the bladder.
Due to this size of the canal, women rarely experience a violation of the outflow of urine.

In men, the structure of the urethra is as follows:

The length is 10-12 cm, for this reason men rarely develop cystitis or pyelonephritis.
Along the channel, the canal forms a series of bends, which causes a disruption in the outflow of urine.

There are three parts of the canal: prostatic, membranous and spongy. Each department has structural features.

The disease occurs in isolation in men, since the infection rarely spreads along an ascending path.

In women, due to anatomical features, the disease occurs in combination with other pathologies of the urinary system.

The risk of developing complications with urethritis in women is much higher. Following the disease, cystitis occurs, which turns into pyelonephritis. If treatment is not carried out in a timely manner, the disease is complicated by bacterial sepsis or transition to the chronic stage.

What causes the development of urethritis

The disease occurs acutely and occurs with a pronounced clinical picture. Therefore, patients often wonder: what is urethritis, and what are the causes?

The etiology of the disease is divided into groups:

Bacterial.
Viral.
Fungal.

The causes of urethritis are most often associated with. In the classification of the disease, there is a separate group of urethritis, which occurs due to the penetration of bacteria into the canal area, which leads to the development of a pronounced inflammatory reaction.

So, bacterial urethritis is a group of diseases that occur when the following types of bacteria enter:

Escherichia coli, which occurs in 40% of disease cases;
Klebsiella;
enterobacters;
Proteus;
staphylococci.

Staphylococcus aureus is often the cause. Occurs in microbial associations with other microorganisms.

Acute urethritis in men is caused by the following microbes:

chlamydia:
mycoplasmas;
pathogens of gonorrhea.

Mycoplasmas are dangerous; they can quickly spread upward and cause kidney damage.

Viral urethritis occurs when there is a type 2 herpes virus in the human body. This pathogen is a type of genital herpes and provokes the development of genital warts.

Urethritis caused by a fungus occurs when fungi of the genus Candida are activated. In women, the disease is associated with damage to the genital organs, in men it occurs in isolation.

Gardnerella plays a special role in the development of the disease. This pathology occurs when the genital tract becomes infected and is often combined with other infections, such as chlamydia or mycoplasma.

Is it possible to get infected with urethritis?

The mechanism of disease development is closely related to risk factors. Pay attention to the conditions under which pathology occurs:

Marked decrease in immunity against the background of secondary immunodeficiency.
Promiscuous sexual intercourse without the use of barrier contraception.
Smoking, alcohol abuse.
Insufficient physical activity.

Based on the modern concept of the disease, it is noted that the patient’s own microflora plays a role in the development of the disease. Activated against the background of reduced immunity.

You cannot become infected with urethritis from a sick person; the disease does not spread from one person to another. Only genital tract infections are important, but for transmission there must be unprotected sexual contact.

How does the disease manifest itself?

Symptoms of urethritis occur in the same way, but each group has its own characteristics. General characteristics:

Painful sensations when urinating.
Discharge from the urethra in the form of pus and mucus.
The appearance of crusts on the penis in men that are yellow in color.
Cloudy urine due to strings or sediment.

Chronic urethritis is accompanied by a less pronounced clinical picture. Characteristic:

No discharge from the urethra.
Normalization of urine clarity.
Discomfort when going to the toilet.

Symptoms of bacterial urethritis

Bacteria often cause the disease in women. Relapse is associated with the appearance of Escherichia coli, Proteus, and Klebsiella in the canal area.

At risk are women after menopause. There is a change in the normal pH of the vagina, atrophy of the mucous membrane is noted.

Such changes contribute to the growth of pathogenic flora and penetration into the urethra.

The disease is accompanied by the development of the following symptoms:

Sharp pain in the canal area, which intensifies when you want to go to the toilet.
Disruption of the urination process, urinary retention is often observed.
The appearance of white, green or yellow discharge.
In men, the head of the penis swells and the urethral sponges swell.

Changes in bacterial urethritis also affect the outer labia of women. Externally they look swollen, with pronounced redness. Itching and burning appears in the canal area.

Manifestations of gonorrheal urethritis

The onset of symptoms of urethritis, which is caused by Neisseria, occurs acutely and over a short period of time. This type of disease often occurs in men.

Infectious agents are transmitted only through sexual contact, without the use of contraception.

The pathogenic microbe penetrates the scaphoid fossa of the glans penis and then spreads through the urinary canal.

Penetration occurs passively, since the bacterium is not capable of independent movement. The inflammatory process in gonorrheal form occupies only the spongy part.

With this type of pathology, the symptoms are as follows:

Discomfort in the urethra, which occurs when urinary retention occurs.
The discharge is first grayish-purulent, and then yellow-purulent in nature.
The color of the urine changes and becomes cloudy.

When going to the toilet, patients note a sharp pain at the beginning of urination. If the bacteria penetrates into the deep parts of the urethra, the pain becomes intense. This occurs during the process of urination.

Painful sensations also occur during ejaculation. For this reason, men's libido decreases. Often there are impurities of blood and pus in the urine.

Symptoms of chlamydial and mycoplasma urethritis

Chlamydia are microbes that attach only to columnar epithelium. Therefore, they are found in the urethra, rectum, and genitals.

Symptoms of viral urethritis

Recently, there has been a tendency towards the spread of viral urethritis. With this pathology, the pathogen enters the body after sexual contact, and the clinical picture develops after 3–5 days.

In men it proceeds as follows:

Bubbles form on the head of the penis and are filled with clear liquid.
Such rashes are located on the foreskin, in the area of the urinary canal.
Gradually, the bubbles burst, and erosions or ulcers form in place.
Small vesicles merge into extensive foci.

Often local symptoms are accompanied by low-grade fever, itching, burning, and enlarged inguinal lymph nodes.

Against this background, discharge appears from the urinary canal, which is mucous in nature. They often contain impurities of pus and blood.

Acute urethritis in women occurs:

With discharge from the canal area.
With rashes on the labia, vagina.
With the addition of symptoms of cervical lesions.

Lack of timely treatment is fraught with the development of relapses. As a rule, they proceed much easier. Herpes simplex virus type 2 is difficult to treat.

Clinical picture of candidal urethritis

The development of this type of urethritis occurs with a pronounced decrease in immunity. The disease occurs in the female part of the population, which is associated with the spread of candidiasis of the vagina and genital organs.

In men, candidal urethritis occurs in isolation and develops extremely rarely. Therefore, the risk group is women who do not monitor their immune status.

Characterized by the following features:

The disease occurs 15–10 days after the fungus penetrates.
Discharge from the urinary canal appears watery or scanty. Color - from white to yellow.
The discharge acquires a thick consistency. Therefore, they are often discovered by a woman after going to the toilet.

Upon examination, a white coating is found on the urethra. The mucous membrane is swollen and hyperemic.

In men, this type of urethritis is often complicated by prostatitis, epididymitis, and cystitis.

Manifestations of Trichomonas urethritis

Non-infectious urethritis

Non-infectious diseases occupy a separate group in the classification of urethritis. Develop when:

Trauma to the urinary canal. This includes placing a catheter, the appearance of a stone, and performing cystoscopy.
Allergic reaction to taking medications.
The presence of strictures in the urinary system.
Tumors.
Changes in metabolic processes, development of phosphaturia, oxalaturia.
Congestion in the pelvic organs.

Against the background of these reasons, urinary retention develops, which is a condition for the activation of microflora.

The onset of the disease occurs according to a nonspecific type. Non-infectious urethritis is characterized by:

Acute pain in the urethral area.
The appearance of pain when urinating, with pronounced intensity.

The risk of developing cystitis, pyelonephritis, and prostatitis increases.

How is diagnostics carried out?

With the development of urethritis, diagnosis is carried out on the basis of general data, the results of laboratory and instrumental research methods.

An algorithm that includes:

Bacteriological examination of urine and culture on nutrient media. As a result, the infection that caused the urethritis is identified.
Bacterioscopic analysis, in which microbes are detected using a special stain.

Additionally, patients undergo immunological diagnostics. This method is based on the determination of specific antibodies that are produced in the body in response to infection.

Against the background of a pronounced clinical picture, a general examination and questioning of the patient about complaints is sufficient to make a diagnosis.

Diagnostic measures vary depending on the type of urethritis.

For bacterial urethritis, urine culture is prescribed on a medium, followed by identification of the pathogen.
In case of gonorrhea, the attending physician prescribes smears to detect diplococci.
For chlamydia, cytological studies, PCR.
Mycoplasma urethritis requires culture on nutrient media.
Viral - carrying out PCR, identifying the virus in smears taken from burst blisters.
: detected using direct microscopy and culture on media.

Taking an anamnesis is important in diagnosis. The doctor clarifies questions regarding sexual life and the presence of concomitant diseases.

It is interesting that urethritis occurs repeatedly. In this case, an additional examination is carried out to identify hidden foci of infection.

Treatment of urethritis consists of several areas:

Drug therapy, which is carried out to eliminate the cause and symptoms.
Physiotherapy - used to increase the body's resistance.
Surgical, which is used if necessary when non-infectious urethritis is diagnosed.

Treatment of urethritis is considered depending on the type.

How to treat bacterial

Therapy is carried out based on the results of urine culture. The following antibacterial drugs are used:

Cephalosporins are mainly 2nd and 3rd generation.
Protected penicillins.
Fluoroquinolone preparations.
Aminoglycosides.

The therapeutic effect occurs when several drugs are combined. The duration of taking the tablets is 7-14 days. Sometimes they resort to using local medications.

How to cure gonorrheal urethritis

Apply:

"Ceftriaxone" - 125 mg, or "Cefepime" - 400 mg.
Second-line drugs “Ciprofloxacin” or “Levofloxacin”.

If necessary, drugs are replaced with Spectinomycin, Cefoxitin, Metronidazole. Additionally, patients are prescribed immunostimulating therapy.

Chlamydial urethritis is treated using:

: “Josamycin”, “Clarithromycin”, “Levofloxacin”.
Immunomodulators.
Drugs to prevent the development of candidiasis.

The antibiotics Azithromycin and Doxycycline show good activity. In ongoing studies, the effectiveness for chlamydial urethritis was 97%.

You can cure urethritis from mycoplasmas with:

Tetracyclines.
Macrolides.
Furazolidone.

After treatment, culture is done on nutrient media.

Herpetic (viral) urethritis:

Treatment is carried out using antiviral drugs.
Acyclovir and Famciclovir are used.

Therapy is carried out at the first symptoms: the appearance of itching and burning, preferably before the stage of blistering. With timely treatment, vesicles may not develop.

Candidal urethritis is treated:

Using antifungal drugs.
Drugs "Fluconazole", "Neomycin".

The treatment regimen for urethritis is determined by the doctor. Dosages and duration of therapy are selected based on the type of disease, duration and severity of the clinical picture.

Treatment measures are carried out in a timely manner, since the risk of developing a chronic form is 60%.

What complications can there be?

The development of complications with inflammation of the urinary canal occurs for a number of reasons. These include:

Delay in seeking medical help.
Lack of adequate treatment.
Failure of the patient to comply with the doctor's recommendations.

The complications are as follows:

Transition to a chronic form, which is accompanied by periodic relapses. The risk of developing sclerosis of the organ and disruption of normal urination increases.
Inflammation of the prostate, which is fraught with male infertility.
Spread of infection to overlying sections. Changes occur in the bladder and kidneys. Risk of developing chronic nephritis.

Additionally, complications arise at the time of therapy and are associated with immune failure.

In this case, patients are additionally given supportive treatment aimed at strengthening the body's defenses.

Video

The viral type of urethritis in the male half of the population is diagnosed much less frequently than other forms of this disease. Inflammation of the walls of the mucous membrane of the urinary canal located inside the penis is provoked by viral microorganisms that entered the urethra during unprotected sexual intercourse, or as a result of contact and household infection. The symptoms of viral urethritis are always distinguished by an acute clinical picture of its course, lasting for 5-7 days, and then the disease systematically reduces its manifestation, becomes chronic, or is successfully eliminated with the help of antiviral drugs. The main causative agents of the disease are herpes virus genotypes 1,2 and 6 and Epstein-Barr.

Causes

There are not a large number of causative factors influencing the development of the viral type of inflammation of the urinary canal. Based on many years of medical practice, the following reasons are identified, the presence of which is a catalyst for the occurrence of a viral form of urethritis in men.

Disordered sex life

Most often, the disease is encountered by young men aged 20 to 33 years, who are not married, lead an active lifestyle, change sexual partners and are not protected by barrier contraceptives in the form of condoms. If there are viable or other pathogenic viral infections inside the vagina of a woman with whom a man has had intimate intimacy, then just one sexual contact is enough for the pathogenic microflora to enter the urethral mucosa and begin its activity aimed at inflammatory damage to the urethra.

Weak immunity

Every day, the male genitourinary system encounters a large number of different strains of viruses, but this does not always end in the development of the disease, because the cells of the immune system eliminate biological danger and do not allow microbes to undergo adaptation in the male body and further build their colonies. If a patient has a significantly reduced immune status due to chronic fatigue, stress, or taking antibiotics, then viral urethritis may develop as a consequence of the lack of the body’s protective function.

Contact and household infection

This cause of the disease is also quite common and is common among men of various age groups. In order for the virus to penetrate inside the urethra, it is enough just to use the same bath towel, robe, underwear, bar soap or other personal hygiene products that come into contact with the genitals of a healthy person and a carrier of a viral infection. As a result, the man experiences symptoms of viral urethritis, but cannot understand how he developed this disease. Therefore, it is very important to have individual items used to care for the intimate area. We recommend reading about.

Dirty hands

Some men, after going to the toilet, pick up residual droplets of urine from the head with their fingers to completely eliminate the possibility of urine getting on the surface of their panties. If there are virus virions on the bundles of dirty fingers, then they may well enter the anterior urethra and, by dividing, spread throughout the entire length of the mucous membrane of the urinary canal.

Preventive elimination of these causes allows you to avoid the occurrence of viral inflammation of the urethra and preserve men's health for many years of life.

The first symptoms of viral urethritis in men

Viral-type urethritis is characterized by instability of its manifestation, since in some patients it begins immediately with an acute pain syndrome and develops dynamically from the first days of infection. Other patients complain of a sluggish inflammatory process with periodic exacerbations. This is explained by the physiological characteristics of each male body separately and the fact that everyone has a different immune status.

In general, the first signs of the disease look like this:

itching, pain and severe burning inside the urethral canal, which intensifies as urea passes through it;
the epithelial tissue of the head around the entrance to the urethra becomes red, may become covered with an itchy rash and other foreign formations of inflammatory etiology, which indicate precisely the presence of viral microorganisms;
periodically, a man detects blood impurities in his urine and semen, the volume of which depends on the severity of the disease;
the inguinal lymph nodes are inflamed and painful when trying to feel them, or during intense walking;
The body temperature rises, but there are clinical cases when the patient does not experience fever and the fever is completely absent.

If the disease is caused by a herpetic infection, then in this case, along with the symptoms of urethritis, watery blisters may appear on the surface of the glans penis.

Diagnostics and tests

Not even the most experienced attending physician is able to give a patient an accurate diagnosis based solely on the external signs of the disease. Therefore, every man who complains of an inflammatory process inside the urethra must undergo the following types of tests:

These tests and diagnostic procedures provide the doctor with comprehensive information about how severe the disease is and what methods of therapy to use to eliminate it.

How and with what to treat viral urethritis?

The type of medications used depends on what type of viral infection was found in the patient’s urethra. Most often, doctors prescribe medications to patients in the following categories:

broad spectrum of action (Trimethoprim, Bactrim, Biseptol, as well as drugs related to sulfonamides);
vitamin and mineral complexes designed to strengthen the body’s immune system and increase the level of resistance to pathogenic viruses;
Viferon, Cycloferon, Gerpevir in tablets and ointments, if inflammation of the urethra is caused by one of the genotypes of the herpes virus (in this case, the treatment regimen, dosage and duration of the course are determined by the attending physician).

Complications

Advanced forms of viral urethritis, which have not been treated with medication for a long period of time, or when a man sought help too late, are characterized by the presence of complications, manifested in the following pathologies:

viral inflammation of the bladder, kidneys and ducts that ensure the outflow of urine outside the body;
the development of chronic or acute prostatitis, which entails an increase in prostate tissue and impaired urine flow;
sexual disorders associated with poor erection, premature ejaculation, pain in the groin area during orgasm;
renal failure, if the virus has penetrated the kidneys and, as a result of chronic inflammation, they have ceased to perform their function of purifying the blood;
male infertility associated with the production of non-viable sperm.

Each of the described complications is dangerous in its own way and significantly reduces a man’s quality of life, regardless of what age he is and how active his lifestyle is.

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

Diagnosis of urethritis in women

Diagnosis of urethritis in men

Diagnosis of urethritis

Symptoms of urethritis

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

The main symptoms of urethritis may be as follows:

pain and burning when urinating (in women they are localized mainly at the end of the urethra (outside), in men - along the entire length of the urethra);
copious 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;
urinary 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 a general urine test.

Types of urethritis

Depending on the degree of intensity of the process and the duration 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 lasting more than 2 months) is characterized by a duration of course, erased symptoms and the development of complications.

Based on the nature of occurrence, the following types of urethritis are distinguished:

primary (after sexual intercourse or therapeutic manipulations in the groin area) and secondary urethritis (the appearance of infection from other organs of the genitourinary system);
allergic urethritis (allergy to medications, shampoos, soaps, condoms);
chemical urethritis (reaction to drugs entering the urethra);
mechanical urethritis (occurs due to mechanical damage to the urethra);
infectious urethritis (caused by specific pathogens, such as chlamydia, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, gardnerella, gonococcus, and nonspecific pathogens (streptococcus, staphylococcus, E. coli);
non-infectious urethritis , occurs due to injuries to 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 pelvis;
nonspecific urethritis - purulent inflammation, which is caused by streptococci, staphylococci and E. 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 and personal items - washcloths, towels, etc.);
bacterial urethritis (the causative agent is a nonspecific bacterial flora, the disease can appear as a result of endoscopic manipulations or long-term use of a catheter);
trichomonas urethritis (characterized by the presence of foamy, whitish discharge, itching, and in the absence of treatment 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 long-term use of antibacterial drugs, less often after contact with an infected partner);
chlamydial urethritis (viral urethritis, affects the urethra, conjunctiva, vagina and cervix).

Diagnosis of urethritis in men

Diagnosis of urethritis in women

Diagnosis of urethritis

Features 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. Men may experience redness and sticking of the sponges of the external opening of the urethra in the morning.

Urethritis in men

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

infection through sexual intercourse;
hypothermia of the body;
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 occur:

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

Urethritis in women

Compared to 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.

Various infections play a major role in the disease of urethritis in women. Among the infectious types of urethritis in women, the most common is gonorrheal. Within 12 hours of infection, a woman may experience symptoms of acute urethritis. If left untreated, after 20 days the disease becomes chronic.

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

Candidal urethritis in women can occur with long-term use of antibacterial agents.

Typically, the first signs of the disease occur at the beginning of menstruation, the cessation of contraceptives, or the onset of menopause.

Diagnosis and treatment of urethritis

Treatment of urethritis requires careful diagnosis; you need to undergo special tests for urethritis. First of all, this is the collection and culture of secretions from the urethra (if they are absent, an analysis of the first portion of urine is collected). Laboratory diagnostics makes it possible 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.

Urethroscopy in MedicCity

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

Self-medication in this case can lead to serious complications. Only a urologist can select the correct medications for the treatment of urethritis 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 usually carried out on an outpatient basis, but severe purulent complications require hospitalization.

The multidisciplinary clinic "MedicCity" occupies one of the leading positions in the diagnosis and treatment of urological diseases in Moscow. We will help you with prostate adenoma, prostatitis, pyelonephritis, impotence, decreased libido, and urinary incontinence in women.

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Inflammation of the urethra is called urethritis. The disease has no gender, it affects both men and women.

The male body is more susceptible to it. Let's take a closer look at the intricacies of the disease urethritis in men, symptoms, treatment.

Inflammation of the genitourinary system is often caused by infections, fungi or injuries. Types of urethritis are distinguished based on its causative agent.

There are several types of infection:

trichomonas;
gonorrheal;
ureaplasma;
bacterial;
viral;
mycoplasma;
chlamydial.

An infectious type of disease is caused by sexually transmitted bacteria and viruses.

Non-infectious urethritis occurs:

allergic;
traumatic;
congestive.

According to the severity of symptoms, urethritis is divided into:

spicy;
chronic.

Course of the disease

The process of inflammation development begins with the incubation period. Duration from 3 days to several years. The timing of the onset of the first visible symptoms depends on the type of disease.

For gonorrheal urethritis, the incubation period is 3-7 days, for tuberculosis - 1-2 years, and for allergic - 3-4 hours.

Inflammation of the urethra in men

Particular attention should be paid to the course of a chronic type of disease. From experience, patients who have not completed the course of treatment become hostages of their laziness or irresponsibility. Symptoms of the disease cease to appear, but the disease fades away and becomes invisible.

But under the pressure of other infections or viruses, even those not related to the genitourinary system, it manifests itself in an acute form. Then the man has to urgently seek medical help. Pain can only be relieved with strong medications.

Delaying treatment, especially for an infectious disease, leads to a deterioration in the man’s condition.

Symptoms

Common symptoms:

. Later pain and itching occurs;
, possibly with cereal, urine;
bloody discharge from the penis;
pain during completion of sexual intercourse;
severe swelling of the penis, urethra;
itching in the groin area;
discharge from the penis. This is green or white mucus that appears in the morning and has an unpleasant odor. The penis becomes covered with a crust of dried secretions. The urethra has a red, inflamed tint.

Allergic urethritis is characterized by swelling of the penis, itching or burning. The traumatic type of the disease is accompanied by pain when urinating and redness of the penis.

Urethritis symptoms are similar to. A doctor can confirm the disease only based on test results.

Treatment

Before prescribing therapeutic measures, conduct a diagnosis and identify the type of disease under the guidance of a doctor. To do this, a man takes a urine and blood test. The urologist takes swabs from the urethra and performs urethroscopy on the patient.

Infectious

It is eliminated with antibiotics. In this case, it is important to follow the doctor's recommendations. If a sick man takes medications irregularly or drinks alcohol, the disease becomes chronic.

Before prescribing antibiotics, it is better to undergo an antimicrobial sensitivity test. This procedure will allow you to select a therapeutic agent individually.

During therapy you cannot:

have sex;
drink alcohol;
eat sweet, spicy, salty;
use drugs.

Gonorrheal urethritis is treated with Kanamycin or Tetracycline.

The doctor prescribes antibiotics from the cephalosporin group. At the same time, he uses vitamin complexes and immunomodulators.

After treatment for gonorrheal urethritis, the man undergoes control smears. Receiving a negative result is confirmation of cure. You will have to take this test three times.

Tetracycline tablets

Chlamydial urethritis does not manifest itself clinically. Men have no discharge or pain when urinating. Therefore, it is often possible to diagnose it when the patient consults a doctor for other reasons. It is necessary to treat an illness caused by chlamydia with courses using Erythromycin, Ofloxacin and other drugs.

Mycoplasma urethritis is complicated by arthritis or orchiepidimitritis. To detect it, the doctor takes a scraping from the urethra. Several years ago, this type of infectious disease was successfully treated with standard antibiotics, such as tetracycline. But bacteria have developed protection against these drugs, so today new medications are being developed to destroy them.

Erythromycin tablets

A man gets viral urethritis during oral sex from a partner’s infected oral cavity. These can be herpes viruses or adenoviruses. The manifestation of the disease is small discharge and unpleasant painful sensations when visiting the toilet

The symptoms are mild, so they are often attributed to colds when the patient self-analyzes his condition. To determine the type of disease, it is necessary to take a smear from the urethra, since bacteriological culture cannot determine the virus.

Herpes infection can be effectively treated with a course of Acyclovir.

Non-infectious

Allergic types are neutralized by antihistamines, which are widely used to eliminate the symptoms of any allergy. These are Zyrtec, Zodak, etc.

Congestive urethritis requires solving problems with blood stagnation in the pelvic area in men.

Traumatic - treated with antimicrobial agents, sometimes with surgery.

Complementary therapy

In solving problems with the urethra, not only taking antibiotics helps, but also physiotherapy, which is prescribed by the doctor simultaneously with taking medications. These include:

electrophoresis;
magnetic therapy;
laser therapy.

Additional treatment methods are prescribed only for chronic types of the disease.

All procedures are supervised by the attending physician.

Self-medication for inflammation of the urethra is strictly prohibited. Of course, after several injections of your chosen antibiotics, the condition will improve. But the infection will remain inside the body and can be transmitted to sexual partners during sex.

Causes

There are many reasons why men get urethritis, the main ones being:

sexually transmitted infections. Men who lead a varied and active sex life with a large number of partners are at risk for infectious urethritis. The use of condoms is guaranteed to protect them from any viruses and sexually transmitted infections;
urolithiasis disease.

It can be infectious or bacterial in nature and cause different symptoms in men and women.

Urogenital infections are the most extensive bacterial infections and represent one of the pressing problems in modern urology and venereology. Inflammatory processes in the urethra appear due to infection in the urethra, but inflammation can also be non-infectious.

Inflammation of the urethra in women

In women, infection from the urinary canal spreads to the area:

Bladder,
ureters;
kidney;
appendages;
vagina;
ovaries and fallopian tubes.

In rare cases, the infection affects the rectum.

Diseases that contribute to the development of non-gonorrheal inflammation:

Urethritis. One of the reasons for the appearance is the penetration of infection into the urinary canal.
Urolithiasis disease. Passing through the ureters, stones damage the urethra, causing irritation and inflammation.
Cystitis. Changes under the influence of the inflammatory process occurring in the walls of the bladder. It has a bacterial and non-bacterial nature. Cystitis is provoked by kidney stones, the development of tumors, polyps in the bladder, and congestion. Often occurs due to the introduction of bacteria during sexual intercourse.
Pyelonephritis. The short length of the urethra in women contributes to the spread of infections and the appearance of pyelonephritis much more often than in men. Inflammation of the renal pelvis often occurs in women during pregnancy, and the right side is predominantly affected. Risk factors for the appearance of gestational pyelonephritis are pathogenic flora in the urinary tract.
Urogenital tuberculosis. In case of illness, mycobacteria easily penetrate into any organs, including the urethra. This type of inflammation occurs as a complication of tuberculosis.

Inflammation of the urethra in women, the symptoms of which are pronounced, often occurs due to sexual transmission of infections.

Diseases that provoke inflammation in the urinary canal:

Gonorrhea. Occurs due to gonococci entering the urethra.
Inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs. Chlamydia and herpes simplex virus cause damage to the vagina, cervix, ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Inflammatory processes caused by bacteria occur under the influence of certain conditions:

when the rules of genital hygiene are violated;
aggressive detergents are used;
Immunity is impaired.

Women at risk are more likely to develop urethritis:

using contraception such as vaginal caps;
Women in menopause, when hormonal changes make them more susceptible to infections in the urinary tract.

Stages and degrees

In medicine, urethritis is divided into two large groups - infectious and non-infectious.

The first group includes species caused only by infections:

gonorrheal;
trichomonas;
tuberculous.

This also includes nonspecific causes of urethritis:

bacterial;
viral;
mycotic;
chlamydia;
candida.

The group of non-infectious species includes:

traumatic;
stagnant;
allergic;
caused by diseases of the urethra.

In addition to the above types, there are residual, iatrogenic and psychogenic causes of inflammation of the urinary canal.

Urethritis has stages of development:

Spicy. It affects up to 80% of women. Characteristic signs: sharp pain in the urethra, frequent urination, increased body temperature.
Chronic. From the initial stage with mild symptoms to the transition to a chronic form, it can take 20 or more days.

Symptoms

Inflammation of the urethra, which has a non-gonococcal form caused by opportunistic microflora, is not as pronounced in women as in the gonococcal form.

Symptoms are subtle, which often leads to complications due to late contact with medical professionals:

burning, pain during urination;
frequent urge;
itching in the genital area;
rare discharge, greenish-yellow in color.

With the gonococcal form, the symptoms are more vivid and unpleasant:

constant discharge of green or yellow color, often having a bloody structure, with an unpleasant odor;
sharp pain in the lower abdomen;
redness of the outlet of the urethra;
pain when urinating;
temperature increase;
the appearance of a small amount of blood after sexual intercourse;
heavy, painful periods.

Reasons for appearance

The urethra is a thin tube through which the bladder drains urine from the body. Inflammation in the canal is caused by microorganisms that enter the microflora of the lower genital tract during sexual intercourse or when the composition of the vaginal microflora changes.

The disorder in women is more dangerous than in men due to the structure of the genitourinary organs. The female canal is wider than the male canal, its length is from 2 to 4 cm, and is located near the opening of the rectum, which creates conditions for opportunistic flora to enter the canal.

Thus, it is like an open gate through which infections can pass freely. The inner wall of the canal is lined with epithelium, which promotes the development of bacteria. Normally, in humans, the canal is populated by numerous representatives of microflora, which under normal conditions do not cause inflammatory processes.

The occurrence of nonspecific inflammation of the urethra can be provoked by opportunistic bacteria:

various types of staphylococci;
streptococci;
enterobacteria, in the form of Klebsiella;
mushrooms;
coli.

Other reasons for the development of inflammation may be allergic reactions, injuries, or chemical factors that disrupt the integrity of the mucous membrane.

Mechanical causes of urethral inflammation:

vigorous sexual intercourse;
catheterization;
passage of stones through the urethra.

Chemical reasons:

detergents with aggressive perfume additives;
lubricants;
condoms;
spermicidal creams;
local flavors.

Urethritis caused by external causes is temporary and goes away on its own after the irritating factor is removed. In the event of a secondary infection, inflammation may develop.

Diagnostics

To diagnose the disease, women initially consult a gynecologist. The doctor conducts a preliminary conversation, but examination and collection of complaints in this case provides little information.

The doctor gets a broader picture after studying clinical and microscopic analyses:

Urine examination. An increase in the white blood cell count indicates an existing infection. The cost of the procedure is from 250 rubles.
Urinalysis according to Nechiporenko. Based on its results, the doctor determines the exact number of red blood cells, leukocytes, cylinders, an increased level of which indicates the presence of an inflammatory process. The cost of the study is from 300 rubles.
Sowing on flora. The analysis is of great importance for identifying infectious diseases. The choice of antibiotics depends on its results. Analysis price from 400 rub.
General blood analysis. Cost – 150 rubles.
Determination of ESR. This indicator is not specific for infections, but allows you to determine the degree of inflammation occurring in the body. Analysis price from 130 rub.

If renal function is impaired, tests for serum creatinine and urea may be necessary. Each type of analysis costs 140 rubles.

Other studies:

Ultrasound of the kidneys, bladder, cost of one session from 190 rubles.
CT scan of the urinary system, the price of the procedure is from 2 thousand 500 rubles, the cost depends on the use of a contrast agent.
X-ray of the urinary system, Survey urography costs from 4 thousand rubles, review of the kidneys from 1 thousand 500 rubles.
Retro- and cystoscopy for suspected cystitis. The cost of the procedure is from 2 thousand rubles.

After establishing the causes of the inflammatory process, you may need to be examined by a venereologist.

When to see a doctor

Inflammation of the urethra in women (symptoms should not be ignored) is not always pronounced. This leads to the fact that women are much less likely to seek help from specialists, as a result of which they lack early diagnosis. For symptoms indicating urethritis, only a doctor can decide what tests need to be taken.

Non-infectious types of inflammation often require specific research methods.

If acute symptoms described above appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. Initially, this may be a gynecologist or therapist, who will subsequently refer you to a urologist or venereologist. But even with minor signs of inflammation, you should seek help from a doctor, because this inflammatory process has a long period of asymptomatic development of microorganisms.

Prevention

As a preventative action, simple rules should be followed:

Treatment methods

Inflammation of the urethra in a woman whose symptoms are pronounced is treated, like any infectious disease, with antibacterial therapy, which includes both local treatment and general medications.

Medications

Prescribed drugs are taken in various forms:

Depending on the root cause of the inflammatory process, medications are prescribed:

Type of inflammation of the urethra	Name of drugs	Price in rub.
Non-specific	Azithromycin	30
	Cefazolin	25
	Ceftriaxone	25
Trichomonas	Benzydamine	200
	Ornidazole	160
	Trichopolum	70
Gonococcal	Ceftriaxone	20
	Cefixime	700
	Ciprofloxacin	15
	Clotrimazole	11
	Levorin	200
Chlamydial	Tetracycline	25
	Erythromycin	25
	Doxycycline	35
Mycoplasma	Tetracycline	25
Viral	Penciclovir	300
Viral	Ribavirin	50
Herpes	Acyclovir	20

The duration of treatment and dose are determined by the doctor depending on the degree of damage, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s tolerability of the drug. Good results are achieved when treating urethritis with Azithromycin. It is used without additional means; it has a gentle effect on the female body.

The drug is well absorbed, quickly penetrates into cells, suppressing the protein synthesis of microorganisms. The daily dose for adults is 0.25 mg.

The drug Ciprofloxacin has a wider spectrum of action. It is prescribed as the main drug, it has no side effects and does not affect the gastrointestinal tract. The duration of treatment is up to 20 days. Prescribed doses are 0.25–0.5 g twice daily. Can be administered by injection, 0.1 g 2 times a day.

Traditional methods

Inflammation of the urethra in women (symptoms must be accurately correlated by the doctor with the type of disease) can be treated with supportive care, in the form of home remedies.

When treating inflammation, you should follow an integrated approach:

At the initial stage of the disease, doctors advise drinking plenty of fluids. This helps flush out bacteria from the body.
At the second stage, you should start taking the prescribed medications. Traditional home remedies should be in addition to the main treatment. And it would be good to consult a doctor before starting to use them.
At subsequent stages of treatment, thermal procedures in the form of sitz baths, to which herbal decoctions are added, help.

Relieve inflammation and unpleasant symptoms with herbal decoctions, which should be taken for at least 15–20 days. After this course, you should take a 2-week break and then continue treatment.

Recipes:

Leaves of nettle, mint, calamus, and horsetail are taken in equal proportions, poured into 500 ml of water, and boiled for 30 minutes. The decoction should be drunk before bed, ½ tbsp.
Take 100 chopped parsley leaves and pour in milk until it covers the herb. Place everything in the microwave and keep until the milk evaporates. Take the resulting product during the day, 40–50 g, every hour.
Herbal mixture consisting of rose hips, horsetail, juniper berries, pour 500 ml of water. The collection should be no more than 2 tbsp. l. Boil everything and leave for 15–20 minutes. Then strain and take 1 glass in the morning on an empty stomach and before bedtime.
Take 2 tbsp. l. dry black currant leaves. Pour 500 ml of water, boil a little and leave for 20-30 minutes. After straining, take the decoction throughout the day.
Infusion of blue cornflower flowers. Add 80 g of freshly picked flowers to 200 ml of boiling water. Infuse the collection for 1–1.5 hours. After straining, take 2-3 tbsp 2 times a day. l. before eating.

All decoctions are taken outside of exacerbation, they are prepared daily and should be drunk regularly, without skipping days. For better infusion, decoctions should be wrapped in a warm cloth.

For pain in the lower abdomen, local warming baths are used. They are made from decoctions of St. John's wort, yarrow and chamomile. Take 3 tbsp. l. each herb, pour 1–15 liters of boiling water, then pour into a basin prepared for the bath, diluting with warm water. The warming procedure should not last more than 20 minutes.

To enhance the diuretic effect and remove infections from the body, you can drink a homemade drink made from apple cider vinegar and honey (1 teaspoon each) added to a glass of water. The drink is consumed within a month.

Freshly squeezed juices from vegetables and berries help with urethritis. They should be taken daily, no more than ½ tbsp.

Carrot.
Cranberry.
Parsley juice.
Currant.
Beetroot.
Cranberry.

Sweet juices go well with sour ones. Eating these foods fresh will also help overcome the disease.

Cranberry juice increases the acidity of urine and increases the effectiveness of anti-infective drugs. Pharmacy tinctures based on Rhodiola rosea, Schisandra chinensis and aralia are used as maintenance therapy. The drugs are taken 20–25 drops daily for half a month.

Other methods

To speed up the recovery process, drug treatment is complemented by physical procedures:

After the sessions, your health improves noticeably; you don’t have to worry about relapses or the disease becoming chronic. Physiotherapeutic procedures are contraindicated for patients with a narrowed urinary canal.

In order to reduce spasms in smooth muscles, doctors advise taking warm sitz baths. Mud therapy, which is carried out on an outpatient basis in physiotherapy clinics or at mud and balneological resorts, is very helpful.

Possible complications

In the absence of timely treatment, complications may develop:

Women with infectious urethral inflammation should begin treatment immediately as soon as symptoms are identified and a diagnosis is made. Delayed therapy can lead to undesirable consequences, and life-threatening sepsis often occurs.

Video about inflammation of the urethra

What is urethritis: