Inflammatory diseases urinary system occur in both women and men. The kidneys, bladder, and urethra are susceptible to this pathology. The infection can penetrate these organs by importation from the outside, as well as by lymphogenous or hematogenous routes.
The urethra in women is shorter and wider than in men, for this reason inflammation urethra in women it does not occur as often as an independent disease.
Normally, the urethra should not contain microorganisms, that is, it is sterile, and any entry of microflora into it causes irritation and an inflammatory process.
There are specific and nonspecific urethritis, depending on the infection that causes the disease. The first option occurs with the introduction of gonococci, chlamydia, etc. pathogenic flora, which is transmitted through sexual intercourse. Non-specific appearance inflammation of the urethra occurs when opportunistic microbes enter it.
Urethritis in women can also be caused by viral infection or fungus, which also cause inflammation.
According to the course, urethritis can be chronic and acute. And depending on this, its symptoms appear.
The occurrence of an inflammatory process in the urethra in women occurs as a result of certain types of factors:
Predisposing factors for the development of urethritis are:
In case of inflammation of the urethra, the symptoms of the underlying disease in a woman come first. Most often it is a consequence kidney stone disease, and in this case renal colic will be noted.
With a pathology such as inflammation of the urethra in women, the following symptoms develop:
The next exacerbation of urethritis can manifest itself in different ways - from severe pain to mild discomfort. But at the same time, the chronic process leads to the fact that pain and discomfort persist almost constantly. Inflammation of the urethra in women has nonspecific symptoms, so a thorough examination is necessary to make a diagnosis.
If left untreated, urethritis often progresses to cystitis and even pyelonephritis. A woman may develop vulvovaginitis or adnexitis. With a long and sluggish process, atrophy occurs on the inner wall of the urethra, it becomes deformed, which leads to impaired urine output from Bladder.
With gonococcal inflammation of the urethra, symptoms begin to appear after 12 hours. But sometimes incubation period lasts up to 10 days. This disease is characterized by acute and pronounced symptoms.
Mycoplasma and chlamydia most often lead to chronic urethritis in women with periodic exacerbations due to decreased immunity or exposure to other provoking factors.
For such a phenomenon as inflammation of the urethra in women, treatment should only be prescribed by a specialist. It is held in outpatient setting. First you need to find out the cause of the disease and identify the infection, since effective treatment requires exposure to the etiological factor.
To improve the patient’s quality of life and reduce symptoms, you can also use symptomatic treatment, but without eliminating the infection, the process will become chronic and complications such as cystitis or pyelonephritis will occur.
The question arises that when inflammation of the urethra develops in women, how should it be treated correctly in order to prevent the next relapse. The treatment regimen must include:
Besides, in complex therapy baths with weak solution manganese, or douching with antiseptic solutions or decoctions of anti-inflammatory herbs (calendula, chamomile). Simultaneous instillations of protargol, miramistin or chlorhexidine, carried out by a doctor, help well.
With such a phenomenon as inflammation of the urethra in women, treatment should be comprehensive, using all possible methods. During the period of exacerbation, it is necessary to reduce everything physical exercise, having sex, with a pronounced process recommends several days of bed rest.
For complete treatment and Get well soon you should follow a certain diet. Fatty, fried, smoked foods are excluded from the diet. It is not recommended to use marinades and pickles, as well as preserved food.
Salt should be limited. At normal operation kidneys, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids. During an exacerbation, you should completely switch to dairy products and plant foods.
Prevention of the inflammatory process plays an important role. To prevent urethritis from developing, the following tips should be followed:
Promptly identify and treat other inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system.
The urethra, in both women and men, plays important role throughout the entire urinary system. It is designed to remove urine from the body. Through the canal, urine enters the bladder, from where it exits through the urethra. The anatomical structure of the urethra in women and men has significant differences.
First of all, this is its length, and in addition to this, the urethra in men is a component of the sexual organ. We will tell you what the urethra is in women in this article, and readers will also be able to familiarize themselves with what diseases can arise as a result of damage to this organ.
According to its purpose, the urethra (urinary canal) is necessary for the body to remove urine accumulated in the urethra. In women, it is a tubular cavity connected to the bladder and has a relatively short size than in men.
The walls of the urethra are represented by three layers:
The mucous membrane of the organ is represented by numerous folds.
Due to the anatomical features of the female urethra, it has the following parameters that are largely different from the male urethra:
The location of the organ is in front of the anterior wall of the vagina and lies among the pelvic floor muscles. The external opening is located under the clitoris between the labia minora. At the exit of the urethra there is a slightly weakened muscle tone.
Fact. Full maturation of the urethra in girls occurs already at 12 weeks of pregnancy.
The urethra, like other organs of the urinary system, performs important functions, which are as follows:
Important. The urethra is not a simple tube that acts as a conductor for urine to the outside. During education various diseases organ, a woman may experience reflex disorders, which subsequently affect intimacy women with a man.
Let's move a little away from the topic of what the urethra is in women and focus on the functions of the urethra in male body. Thus, in addition to the urinary function, the organ performs another important role - the release of seminal fluid. Thus, the urethra in men is an integral part of reproductive activity.
Microflora begins its development at the moment of human birth. Bacteria, when they get on the skin, penetrate inside and are distributed on the mucous membrane of organs, which creates a special microflora.
It is believed that the urethral mucosa contains:
Microorganisms that have penetrated inside and settled on the mucous membrane do not spread further to other organs and departments; this is prevented by urine accumulated in the bladder and internal secretions. The ciliated epithelium serves as an additional barrier.
Fact. Number of living microorganisms colonizing slime layer the urethra in women is much larger than in men. This feature predominates in women due to anatomical structure organ and proximity to the rectum.
In the healthy microflora of the female urethra, 90% of microorganisms produce acid, which helps suppress the development of an alkaline environment, which results in the formation of inflammatory processes.
The inside of the urethra is covered with a mucous layer, which in some areas has a flat structure and in others a high structure. It turns out that if you cut the urethra across, you can see the shape of a star. The largest and highest section of the mucosa is located on back wall, it is called the ridge of the urinary canal.
The entire mucous membrane is covered with lacunae. IN lower parts the urethra is located so-called orifice secretory glands. On both sides of the external exit of the organ there are opening tubules (ducts). The connective tissue of the urethra contains many elastic fibers and blood vessels.
The muscle tissue of the organ has several layers:
It consists of smooth muscles and elastic fibers. Joining the circular canal, the muscle tissue forms the lower urethral sphincter.
There are several reasons why organ diseases can develop. They are divided into several types, each of which is associated with a particular phenomenon.
Table No. 1. Urethral diseases: causes of development.
| Pathological phenomenon | Description |
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This phenomenon in medical practice not uncommon, men often suffer from it, however, women are no exception. Drug therapy for inflammation of the canal () necessarily includes taking antibiotics, since this process is caused by a bacterial nature and, as a rule, occurs in an acute form. Signs of urethritis are as follows:
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This pathology is characterized by the absence of the anterior (epispadias) or posterior (hypospadias) wall of the organ. Treatment is carried out only operationally. |
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These are benign neoplasms on the urethra. They consist of connective muscle tissue and are caused by hormonally dependent reasons. Treatment is based on their removal through surgery. |
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A polyp is a small tumor that can only be removed surgically. The formation of polyps can be provoked by:
The onset of the development of the pathology is asymptomatic, however, after some time the woman begins to feel severe discomfort. |
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This problem is considered rare in medical practice. Women are diagnosed malignant tumors many times more often than in men. |
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A cyst is a gland filled with fluid. Paraurethral cysts are located near the external urethra. Its appearance resembles a bulging vaginal wall. Signs of cyst formation are as follows:
Treatment of parurethral cysts is aimed at their removal under local anesthesia. |
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Wherein pathological condition there is a strong protrusion of the urethra outward. In women, this disease occurs elderly age, while in the fairer sex, urethral prolapse is accompanied by vaginal prolapse. The main cause is weakening and damage to the pelvic floor muscles. This happens after:
Treatment is carried out only through surgery. |
Urethritis is a disease accompanied by the development of inflammation in the walls of the urethra. Urethritis, as an independent disease, often affects the stronger sex, and in women, a similar pathology also includes inflammation of the bladder ().
Pathology can be caused by:
All pathogenic microorganisms that provoke an inflammatory process in the urethra can easily spread to neighboring organs of the urinary system, leading to serious consequences in the future. Therefore, at the first suspicion of a disease, a woman should definitely visit a doctor.
Often in women, urethritis appears against the background of existing pathologies of the genitourinary system or pelvic organs. Wherein anatomical features The structure and location of a woman’s urethra contribute to the spread of the inflammatory process further.
Female urethritis is classified into several types, each of which has its own typical signs. By the way the disease shows itself, one can judge the nature of its origin; this greatly facilitates the diagnosis and further treatment of the pathology.
Table No. 2. Types of female urethritis.
| Type of urethritis | Description |
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The causative agents of inflammation are fungi of the genus Candida. When in contact with the mucous epithelium of the canal, they can live without manifesting themselves for 2 to 3 weeks. Often the cause of this type of urethritis is long-term use antibacterial drugs. almost always becomes chronic. |
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From the name it is clear that this type Urethritis is caused by bacteria such as:
These types of pathogens almost constantly live on the walls of the urethra and activate their harmful effects only when they weaken immune function person or injury. Pathogenic microflora, when affected by bacteria, passes into the vagina, so a competent approach to treatment is required here. |
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This type of disease is caused various substances, for example, medicines, food or personal care products. The allergic nature of the disease leads to the development of a complex inflammatory process, provokes severe swelling and involves pathological mechanism mucous layers of neighboring organs. The most serious threat in this case is blocking the channel exit. |
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The causative agent of the disease in this case is Trichomonas infection. It is transmitted through sexual contact. The peculiarity of this pathogen is that it is present in the body long time without any manifestations. When activated negative influence Infections appear in women:
The first symptoms may appear only 2 weeks after sexual intercourse. Neglect of treatment leads to the development of a chronic form, which is subsequently difficult to combat. |
In addition, urethritis can be caused by the following reasons:
Important. All pathogens of urethritis, as a rule, affect the urethra, however, the possibility of infection spreading upward to the vagina, uterus, tubes and ovaries cannot be ruled out. This circumstance poses a serious threat women's health in general, therefore treatment should be started immediately when the first signs of pathology appear.
There are three ways that infection can enter an organ:
Urethritis, like many diseases of the urinary system, has two forms of progression:
In the acute form, the woman clearly feels all the signs of the disease, but the chronicity of the process has a more blurred picture, only during the period of exacerbation, manifesting itself with characteristic symptoms.
The manifestation of urethritis is expressed by the following symptoms:
As the disease progresses to chronic form symptoms become less pronounced, which often makes a woman forget about her problem. But remember that this is a deceptive factor and the disease needs to be treated, and not wait for everything to go away on its own.
The acute form of the disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:
Important. Often clinical picture urethritis shows itself only a few days after infection.
Neglect of treatment for female urethritis can lead to serious complications. So, first of all, the long-term harmful effects of infection give impetus to degeneration acute form pathology into a chronic form, which subsequently requires long-term and complex treatment.
To the most frequent complications urethritis include:
The most basic methods to determine the presence pathological process, include examination by a doctor and delivery laboratory tests. In this case, it does not matter at all what form of the disease a woman has, chronic or acute.
To identify the problem, you need to pass the following tests:
As additional diagnostic measures The patient may be prescribed ultrasound, fluoroscopy with contrast, or voiding cystourethrography.
Treatment of female urethritis depends entirely on the form, course of the disease and its causative agent. The treatment method is determined by the attending physician.
Treatment is aimed at:
Drug therapy is developed by a doctor based on the individual characteristics of the body, the type of pathogen and the severity of the disease.
Table No. 3. Main drug therapy depending on the type of pathogen.
| Type of urethritis | Group of drugs |
| Bacterial | Appointed antibacterial drugs having wide range actions. This:
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| Trichomonas | Recommended use antimicrobial drug Metronidazole. Including the doctor prescribes:
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| Candida | Antifungal drugs are prescribed for its treatment:
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| Chlamydial | Therapy is carried out using the following antibiotics:
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| Viral | Here, antibiotic therapy is inappropriate; accordingly, the use of antiviral drugs is required:
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Attention. All medications are applied strictly, as indicated by the instructions and doctor’s prescriptions.
After proper treatment, the disease should recede. All characteristic symptoms disappear, however, cases are not excluded when a woman does not feel any improvement. This is possible when the pathological process is neglected. But it’s too early to panic, because urethritis has already receded, which means that the symptoms should disappear over time.
We must not forget about the quality of nutrition, because all urinary organs are interconnected with what a woman eats.
Be sure to exclude from the diet:
About the fact that a woman needs to exclude everything bad habits It’s not worth talking about, because everyone already knows about harmful influence alcohol, smoking and drugs.
In addition to drugs that eliminate the harmful effects of pathogens, patients with urethritis are prescribed an additional set of procedures:
Timely treatment of urethritis reduces the risk of developing severe consequences. High-quality therapy ultimately leads to complete recovery.
The video materials presented in the article will allow our readers to familiarize themselves with the signs accompanying urethral diseases.
The urethra (urethra) is an elastic tube responsible for removing urine from the bladder to the outside. In women it is much shorter and wider than in men (3–4 cm long and 1.5 cm wide versus 16–22 cm and 8 mm, respectively). The internal opening of the urethra extends from the bladder, and the canal, passing through the urogenital diaphragm, ends in the vestibule of the vagina with the external opening of the urethra. The hole has a round shape. It is surrounded by hard, roll-like edges. The urethra fuses with the anterior wall of the vagina and runs parallel to it. At the external entrance, the opening of the urethra is narrowed, and at the internal entrance it is widened and has a funnel shape.
Around the canal there is connective tissue, the density of which is different (in the lower sections it is the densest). The wall of the urethra itself consists of muscle and mucous membrane. The muscularis propria consists of an outer, circular layer of smooth muscle and elastic fibers. The mucous membrane is covered with epithelium, which has several layers.
The condition of the urethra can be assessed by a gynecologist during an examination.
The most common disease of the urethra in women is urethritis (inflammation of the urethra). It manifests itself as burning, itching, pain and pain in the urethra during urination or without any connection with it.
The disease can affect any woman if she is exposed to a number of hazardous factors. Among them, especially noteworthy are hypothermia, sexual hyperactivity leading to microtrauma of the urethra, poor nutrition(excessive consumption of spicy, sour, fried foods and alcohol), disorders of the vaginal microflora and gynecological diseases, kidney diseases ( urolithiasis disease), weak immunity, mechanical damage at medical procedures(catheterization, smear), pathogenic effect toxic agents and radiation factors.
Female urethritis develops, starting with temporary exacerbations of the disease. Manifestations may be different strengths– from mild to severe discomfort cutting pains. Usually, quite a lot of time passes between exacerbations, and women are in no hurry to see a doctor. But this is a huge mistake, because after a while the pain and burning sensation will come more often, and the effect of antibiotics will become less effective. The most severe stage of female urethritis is constant pain in the urethra.
What causes this unpleasant and dangerous disease? Most often these are some gynecological diseases associated with a violation of the vaginal microflora. This disorder (dysbiosis) can be caused by sexually transmitted infections, among which the most common are chlamydia, trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis, etc. But, in addition to them, the disease can also develop under the influence of streptococci, staphylococci and other bacteria.
Urethritis can lead to various complications: when inflammation spreads to the bladder, cystitis develops, and if the infection goes further, it can also affect the kidneys, causing pyelonephritis. Chronic urethritis often causes deformation of the urethra, which prevents the normal excretion of urine.
Treatment of inflammation of the urethra in women involves therapy to restore the properties of the urethral wall, normal microflora vagina and strengthening the immune system. For this purpose, antibiotics, immunomodulators and vitamins are used.
Urethritis is quite difficult to treat, but preventive measures, helping to prevent this disease are quite simple. It is necessary to avoid severe hypothermia, dress according to the weather, follow the rules intimate hygiene and use contraceptives. It is also important to eat properly and on time, to prevent constipation in every possible way and to avoid stress.
Urethra (urethra) is part of the woman's urinary system and the man's urinary and reproductive systems.
In men, the 20 cm long urethra is located both in the pelvis and inside the penis, and opens into an external opening on the glans. Anatomically distinguished the following departments male urethra:
(1) external opening;
(2) scaphoid fossa;
(3) penile;
(4) bulbous;
(5) membranous;
(6) prostatic (proximal and distal areas).
Figure taken from www.urologyhealth.org
The prostatic urethra passes through the prostate and is divided into proximal and distal parts at the level of the seminal tubercle. In the proximal part of the prostatic urethra, the excretory ducts of the prostatic glands open at the orifices along the posterolateral surfaces. On the sides of the seminal tubercle are the mouths of the right and left ejaculatory ducts, through which sperm enters the lumen of the urethra from the seminal vesicles and vas deferens. In the distal part of the prostatic part and in the membranous part of the urethra there are elements of the urethral sphincter. Starting from the bulbar region, the urethra passes inside the corpus spongiosum of the penis. The bulbar region is located inside the bulb of the corpus spongiosum. In the membranous and bulbar sections, the urethra bends anteriorly upward. In the penile region, the urethra is located medially along the ventral surface of the penis downwards from cavernous bodies. The capitate part of the urethra is located inside the head of the penis. Inner surface The male and female urethra are covered with mucous membrane (transitional epithelium, with the exception of a short area near the external opening, where there is flat non-keratinizing epithelium).
IN female body, the reproductive and urinary systems are closely interconnected into one, called the genitourinary system.
The structure of the female genitourinary system is quite complex, and is based on the performance of both reproductive and urinary functions. We will talk about the anatomy of this system in detail later in the article.
Urinary system in women (see photo close-up) not much different from men's, but there are still some differences.
IN urinary system includes:
The kidneys, in both men and women, have the same shape and structure, and their size is about 10 cm. They are located in the lumbar region and are surrounded by a dense layer of fat and muscle tissue. This allows them to stay in one place without falling or rising.
The bladder in women is oblong, oval shape, and for men - round. Volume of this important body can reach 300 ml. From it, urine flows directly into the urethra. And here, too, there are significant differences in the structure of the female and male body.
In women, urethral length cannot exceed 3-4 cm, while in men, this figure is 15-18 cm or more. Moreover, in women the urethra functions only as a channel for the removal of urine, but in men it also has a fertilizing function (delivery of semen to the uterus).
In the urethra of any person there are special valves (sphincters) that prevent the spontaneous outflow of urine from the body. They are external and internal, and it is the internal valve that allows us to independently control the process of urination.
As for the female reproductive system, it includes the external genitalia and reproductive (internal) organs. The external organs are usually called the labia majora, clitoris, labia minora and the opening leading to the vagina.
In young girls and girls, this hole is tightly closed with a special film (hymen).
The reproductive system includes:
The urethra is very close to the vagina, therefore all these organs, due to their location, are called a single genitourinary system.
Urine is formed directly in the kidneys, which take an active part in cleansing the blood of harmful substances. During this cleansing process, urine is formed (at least 2 liters per day). As it forms, it first enters the renal pelvis, and then through the ureters into the bladder.
Due to the structure and shape of this organ, a woman can endure the urge to urinate for quite a long time. When the bladder is filled to capacity, urine is released from the urethra.
Unfortunately, the length and location of the female urethra contribute to the penetration of all kinds of infections into the body and the development of inflammatory processes. While, thanks to the length of the urinary canal, they are protected from this.
As already noted, the majority similar diseases provoked by infections. Moreover, the close location of the urinary and genital organs causes not only urological problems and ailments, but also gynecological.
There are several other causes of genitourinary diseases:
Most often, women suffer from the following diseases:
In addition, women are often exposed to infection venereal diseases and STIs (sexually transmitted infections). The most common of them:
Ureaplasmosis, like mycoplasmosis, are transmitted only sexually, affecting the urethra, vagina and uterus. They are characterized by itching, pain, and mucus discharge.
Chlamydia- this is very dangerous infection, difficult to treat and affecting absolutely everything genitourinary system. Accompanied by weakness, fever, purulent discharge.
HPV in women it occurs without pronounced signs and pain. The main symptom is the presence of papilloma formations in the vaginal area. It is not easy to cure; it causes a huge number of complications.
Syphilis and gonorrhea also dangerous and extremely unpleasant ailments, requiring immediate inpatient treatment. And if you can diagnose gonorrhea in yourself in the first days after infection, according to the characteristic painful urination and secretions, then syphilis is much more difficult to detect.
It is much easier to prevent any disease than to try to get rid of it.
Just a few simple rules will reduce the risk of genitourinary lesions to a minimum. Adviсe on prevention:
It is important to remember that women genitourinary area is a complex, interconnected system. Any disease can lead to dire consequences: from chronic lesions internal organs, to infertility or oncology. That's why it's so important to comply preventive actions to prevent their development.
How is the female reproductive system- watch the video:
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