Women’s troubles, shhhh, don’t talk about it…

I am this week’s Bookshelf Boyfriend blogger, but as you may have noticed for most of this week I have been silent.  This is because I have been suffering from the most god-awful bladder infection, aka cystitis, …de da duhh….  

The pain has been excruciating  - the sensation of urinating a combination of mini corn-on-the-cob knives and caustic soda; a constantly burning urethra and throbbing bladder, and the feeling of desperately needing the loo all the blimmin’ time.  On top of this I’ve been sleeping for Britain whilst my body’s been trying to fight the infection.  Consequently it has rather taken over my life this last week and pre-occupied most of my thoughts. When people (friends, family and colleagues that is, not just any mere acquaintance) ask me how I am, as an honest chick I feel compelled to tell them that “I’m very well thank you, apart from this goddamn bladder infection that’s taking over my life right now.”  And that’s when the looks of prudish horror and disgust start to appear.  

We all, men and women alike, have bladders and urethras, and we are all susceptible to bladder infections. Admittedly, women are more vulnerable to them because their urethra is shorter, but this doesn’t rule men out of the ability to get them either.  Possible causes for infection can include among others: generally being sexually active; having a weakened immune system; and not emptying your bladder fully when urinating.   So why the look of shock, as if I’ve spilled the beans on a sordid sex life of extreme bondage and wife-swapping, whenever I mention cystitis?  Urinary tract infections are extremely common, and should be no more of a taboo to mention than having a cold.  

This ineffable nature is particularly worrying among men, who I imagine are even less likely to raise the subject. UTIs, including cystitis, in men can be a sign of an enlarged prostrate gland, and consequently it is extremely important that medical advice is got as soon as possible.  In both men and women the infection needs to be carefully monitored and controlled, so that it doesn’t spread up the urinary tract to infect the kidneys or spine. If there is any sign of kidney, back pain or fever then medical attention should be sought immediately, regardless if you are already taking a standard course of antibiotics to treat the cystitis.

Having said all that, I am well on the mend now, having been prescribed my second dose of antibiotics. One of the advantages I’ve had from shouting my mouth off about it to everybody is that I’ve gained a lot of tips and advice from others on how to treat it or at least ease some of the discomfort. So I thought I’d write a few of the tips that I found most beneficial here, as well as some standard and more obvious advice. I hasten to add that whilst this advice helped me it does not come from medical practitioners, and ultimately I still needed to visit the GP twice.  So whilst the below suggestions can help ease the symptoms, if you have any concerns, if your are pregnant or breast-feeding, if your symptoms last more than a couple of days, or if it is a child with the symptoms, seek medical assistance. It is also worth looking at sites such as NHS Direct for further detailed advice.

 

Recommendations for cystitis

• Drink lots and lots of water – a good 2 litres a day. Avoid alcohol, and do not allow yourself to get dehydrated at all.
• Its probably the last thing you feel like doing, but no sex until the condition is completely clear.
• Drinking a glass of water with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda can ease some of the acid burn when passing urine.  Alternatively sodium citrate, bought generically and therefore cheaply over the counter at the chemist, or sachets such as Cymalon or Oasis, can be added to water. It may well be a case of seeing which of these options works for you this particular time.
• Gently wash your urethra after every time you go to the toilet, with a cotton wool ball dipped into a weak solution of a drop or two of tea tree and cedarwood pure essential oils in cold water. This should both prevent further infection, and ease the continuing burn, especially if a pinch of bicarbonate of soda is added to the solution.
• Don’t be a martyr and do take pain killers! If you find paracetamol or ibuprofen aren’t working, then speak to your pharmacist or doctor about taking co-codamol.
• Have a bath once or twice a day in tepid water with a few drops each of tea tree, cedarwood and lavender essential oils. Do not use soap or shower gels etc to clean with, the antiseptic properties of the essential oils is enough to clean you. This along was the single most relieving treatment for me (apart from antibiotics!).
• There’s no harm in drinking lots of cranberry juice, although it may be better for preventative purposes rather than curing, just make sure its sugar free.

We’re looking to creating a medical section on BookshelfBoyfriend.com.  If you can submit any articles, tips or make further suggestions, do get in touch we’d love to hear from you.  

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