8 causes of cystitis (urinary tract infection)

In the woman, cystitis is a urinary tract infection in the bladder, most often linked to a bacterium. Among its characteristic symptoms: burning during urination, an increase in the frequency of urination but for small quantities of urine, pain, absence of fever. In humans, urinary tract infection is a very different pathology. This is prostatitis (painful inflammation of the prostate). Acute cystitis is a benign pathology which does not recur in most women. On the other hand, it is important to be properly taken care of in the event of recurrent cystitis which can seriously alter the quality of life. Tour of the 8 possible causes of cystitis.

1. The rise of bacteria in the bladder

Acute bacterial cystitis is currently considered to be an exclusively female pathology. The urethra is very short in women and its end is located near the vaginal orifice, in an area where many bacteria from the intestinal flora are naturally present which colonize the perineum. Thanks to various phenomena that are sometimes imperfectly understood, some of these bacteria manage to travel up the urinary tract from the urethra to the bladder and trigger acute cystitis, or lower urinary tract infection. “The entry into sexual life is often the moment of the first cystitis“ says Dr. Maxime Vallée, urologist surgeon at the University Hospital of Poitiers and member of the Infectiology Committee of the French Association of Urology (CIAFU).

2. An STD

“In young men, prostatitis is rather due to sexually transmitted infections or sometimes linked to anatomical abnormalities”, says Dr. Maxime Vallée,

3. A narrowed urethra

“Prostatitis is sometimes linked to anatomical abnormalities, such as a narrowing of the urethral canal, but prostatitis is generally a pathology that is encountered after 50 years of age” he informs.

4. Menopause

With the onset of sexual life, there menopause is the most favorable period for cystitis. “Because of estrogen deficiency, the protective vaginal bacterial flora tends to change and bacteria that can colonize or infect the bladder take over” explains Dr. Maxime Vallée. Sometimes there are anatomical risk factors cystitis, this is the example of stenosis (narrowing) of the urethral meatus in postmenopausal women which can cause difficulty in emptying the bladder”.

5. Unbalanced diabetes

immunosuppression or uncontrolled diabetes are also risk factors for acute cystitis.

6. Not drinking enough

Not drinking enough increases the risk of urinary tract infection. “To prevent recurrent cystitis, it is advisable to drink at least 2 liters of water a day, to urinate often enough (especially after sex)”, advises our interlocutor.

7. Not peeing after sex

Similarly, not urinating after sex is a risk factor for cystitis. The fact of urinating after a report will make it possible to eliminate by the stream of urine the possible germs and bacteria.

8. Genetic factors

Finally, there are probably genetic risk factors or immunological of cystitis. “This would explain why women who do not particularly follow the advice for the prevention of cystitis never have it and that others who respect hygiene measures have repeated cystitis” explains the urologist.

Thanks to Dr Maxime Vallée, urologist surgeon at the University Hospital of Poitiers and member of the Infectiology Committee of the French Association of Urology (CIAFU).