Urethritis in men is a urological disease in which the urethra is affected. Inflammatory process can begin under the influence of many factors. Urethritis is divided into two large groups: non-infectious and infectious.
Infectious urethritis can be caused by various specific pathogens( gardnerella, gonococcus), as well as nonspecific( E. coli, staphylococcus, streptococcus).
The most susceptible to this disease are those people who have a promiscuous sexual life, suffer from urolithiasis, diabetes, underwent instrumental research of the bladder and urethra.
Causes of
Urethritis can be subdivided into the following types:
- Primary -type characteristic is that the inflammatory process affects directly the urethra, which often occurs during sexual intercourse.
- Secondary is the type characteristic of infection in the urethra itself from the source of inflammation, which is usually found in neighboring organs( for example, in the prostate gland, bladder, seminal vesicles, and in other pelvic organs).
Depending on the causative microbial agents distinguish between specific and nonspecific urethritis.
Reasons for nonspecific lesions:
- Staphylococcal bacteria,
- streptococcal microorganisms,
- E. coli and other bacterial pathogens.
Specific urethritis most often determines those pathogens that are the cause of sexually transmitted diseases.
Types of nonspecific urethritis:
- Gonorrhea( causative agent of the gonococcus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae).
- Mycoplasmal( caused by mycoplasmas).
- Ureaplasmic( caused by ureaplasmas, Ureaplasma urealyticum).
- Gardnerella( caused by Gardnerella, Gardnerella vaginalis).
- Trichomonas( caused by Trichomonas, Trichomonas vaginalis);
- Mycotic( caused by fungi).
- Chlamydia( caused by chlamydia, Chlamydia trachomatis).
- Viral( caused by viruses, oculogenital chlamydozoonosis, herpes).
- Bacterial( caused by staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli, proteus, Klebsiella, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Corynebacteria).
- Mixed urethritis is caused by several different infections.
Types of non-infectious urethritis:
- Traumatic - occurs after cystoscopy, urethroscopy, catheterization, bougie, urethra insertion of foreign bodies, after ruptures and urethral tears;
- Allergic - arises as an allergic reaction when intolerance of any substances;
Congestive - occurs with venous congestion in the pelvic organs.
Provoke the onset of the disease, hypothermia, medical manipulation - bladder catheterization or a swab pick, penile trauma, foci of a chronic infection in the body. Symptoms of specific urethritis in men, as a rule, develop after sexual intercourse.
Symptoms of urethritis in men
Depending on the type of pathogen that provoked this disease and its stages, the pattern of symptoms can vary from violent manifestations to asymptomatic flow.
Symptoms of infectious urethritis usually occur 5 to 14 days after infection, and signs of non-infectious urethritis may appear much earlier( see photo).In men, the main symptom is pain, burning along the urethra during urination, and also after it.
A person can also be disturbed by mucous or purulent discharge from the urethral opening, gluing and redness of the urethral sponges, especially in the morning, the appearance of seminal fluid or blood in the urine.
If you do not miss symptoms of urethritis and consult a specialist in time, then the acute form is treated for 7-10 days without any complications. However, if acute urethritis is not treated, then the symptomatology will subside, and the disease will pass into a chronic form in 1-2 weeks.
Chronic urethritis
This disease can occur for long months and even years, but in the end the patient still applies for medical help. Chronic urethritis in men is dangerous because it can lead to complications such as chronic prostatitis or stricture of the urethra.
Urethritis in the chronic stage is much more difficult to treat than at the stage of acute inflammation, because it requires the introduction of drugs directly into the urethra.
Treatment of urethritis in men
First of all, the doctor must identify the causative agent of the disease and only then treat it. After all, incorrectly prescribed drugs can easily transfer the disease from acute to chronic. Symptoms of the disease will disappear, and the man will assume that he has completely recovered, but with a slight decrease in immunity, the urethritis will again become worse.
- The main method of treating urethritis in men is the administration of certain drugs, that is, , the use of antibiotics. Most importantly, the pathogens were sensitive to them. For this, a number of diagnostic studies have to be carried out.
- Simultaneously with antibiotic therapy is performed local antiseptic treatment , which consists in washing the glans penis with solutions of antiseptics( chamomile broth, furacilin solution and others).It is also recommended to hold baths( lasting 15-20 minutes) with the use of these products.
During the course of the disease, an abundant vitaminized drink is recommended and a strict diet is prescribed. In addition, immunomodulators will be prescribed to help the body cope with the infection.
When treating urethritis in men, it is important to start the treatment. If it is started on time and carried out correctly, the disease will disappear without a trace.
Features of therapy of different types of urethritis
Depending on who is the causative agent of urethritis, treatment with drugs for men will vary significantly.
- Bacterial and gonorrhea .A good effect with gonorrheic urethritis is achieved with the use of antibiotics of the cephalosporin group. Also can be appointed tetracycline, erythromycin, oletetrin, kanamycin.
- Ureaplasma, gardneresis, mycoplasma urethritis .Treatment is carried out with the help of preparations of tetracycline series( Doxycycline), fluoroquinols, macrolides( Clarithromycin), lincosamides in combination with immunostimulants.
- Trichomonadal .The drugs of choice are metronidazole, trichopolum, metrogil. If the course of trichomoniasis is chronic, antibiotic therapy is added to the treatment.
- Candidiasis .It requires the appointment of antifungal drugs to cope with Candida. Assign Fluconazole, Clotrimazole, Nystatin, Pimafucin.
- Chlamydia .The most effective antibiotic, which allows to successfully combat the pathology, is Azithromycin. With improper selection of the drug, chlamydial urethritis can lead to serious complications - infertility, Reiter's syndrome, epididymitis, inflammatory diseases.
Self-treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics without a clear treatment regimen can lead to the development of drug resistance of the pathogen and the transition of the disease to a chronic form.