Problems related to the urinary tract are quite annoying. This happens, for example, with diseases such as urethritis. If you have suffered from it on some occasion, you surely agree with the discomfort of having an inflamed urethra. If you didn't pass it but came to this article looking for information about the symptoms and prevention of urethritis, perhaps because you suspect that you may be suffering from it, you are in the right place.
We are going to explain to you in detail what this evil consists of, which is basically one of the sexually transmitted infections more frequent. Stay tuned for the symptom that it produces, so that you can start treatment as soon as possible.
It usually affects people who have an active sexual life, so using a condom is essential to prevent this disease that causes discomfort in the genitals, in addition to other symptoms. Let's learn more about urethritis, because it's better to be prepared.
What is urethritis
When we talk about urethritis We are referring to an inflammation that occurs in the area of the mucosa of the urethra. They are germs that cause this inflammation that can affect the entire genital area and appear in both men and women.
In the case of men, the symptoms mainly affect the urethra and the groin or genitals. While in women, in addition to these areas, the vagina and cervix may be affected. In them the disease may be more asymptomatic and the woman may not even realize that she is infected.
Urethritis is not only a penis disease. It can be classified into different types depending on the bacteria that is producing it. In this way, they occur:
- Gonococcal urethritis: caused by gonorrhea.
- Non-gonococcal urethritis: caused by chlamydia or mycoplasma.
- Urethritis can also occur due to viruses such as herpes simplex or caused by adenovirus.
What are the causes of urethritis?
La Urethritis can be caused by bacteria or viruses, as we have just seen. These bacteria, as well as adenovirus or herpes simplex, are transmitted through sexual relations. Any sexual relationship that involves contact with the genitals, anus and mouth, with an infected person, is a risk in which we expose ourselves to being infected and suffering from urethritis, in addition to other diseases.
There are occasions, although they are rare, in which this inflammation appears as a consequence of an autoimmune disease, without the need for there to have been a previous infection.
What are the symptoms caused by urethritis?
The symptoms that can alert you that you are suffering from urethritis are the following:
- A lot of burning, itching or even pain in the urethra area.
- Secretion of mucus or purulent liquid that may give off a bad odor and is expelled independently of urine.
- There are patients who develop small lumps in the groin, due to swollen lymph nodes or adenopathy.
- Wounds may also appear on the genitals.
- The inflammation can cause vaginitis (in women, an inflammation of the vagina)
- Inflammation of the uterus (in women, the cervix becomes inflamed, giving rise to cervicitis).
- If there has been oral-genital contact with an infected person, the infection can also spread to the oropharyngeal area.
How is urethritis diagnosed?
Mainly, the Urethritis can be diagnosed based on symptoms, since they are usually quite clear, except in the case of women, where it can occur without symptoms or be confused with other diseases. In any case, if suspected, the doctor will perform a lab test to confirm the diagnosis, through a culture. To do this culture, a sample will be taken from the discharge or directly from the urethra to see if it contains bacteria or gonococci.
Once the sample has been analyzed, if the presence of gonococcus is ruled out, a PCR analysis of secretion, to identify the microorganism responsible for the problem that is causing the urethra and genital area to become inflamed.
How to treat urethritis?
First of all, it is essential that you know that it is vitally important treat urethritis, because if treatment is not applied, it can remain latent in the body and cause much more serious problems. Even if you think you're cured because you don't have symptoms, the infection can come back and cause much more damage.
Among the most serious health problems that urethritis can cause are:
- Epididymitis: inflammation of the tube that connects the testicles to the vessels through which semen travels. In men, this makes procreation difficult.
- Prostatitis (in men).
- Obstruction of the vas deferens and infertility (in men).
- Pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility (in women).
- Scars in the urethra and subsequent stricture.
That said, and trusting that you are aware that it is very important that you go to the doctor at the slightest symptom and that you follow treatment, the way to treat urethritis is with antibiotics.
They can different antibiotics may be prescribed to treat urethritis depending on the germ causing the infection. Among the most common medications are: azithromycin, ceftriaxone and doxycycline. But the choice of one or another medication will depend on the bacteria that is affecting us.
Furthermore, it is not only necessary to treat the patient with symptoms, but also to check the sexual partner or partners they have had, because we are dealing with a very contagious disease.
How to prevent urethritis
Prevention is better than cure, whenever we talk about diseases and, especially effective when we are faced with an STD. Remember to always use a condom, although it must also be clarified that this is not infallible to prevent the spread of germs that cause urethritis, because they may be present in areas that are not covered by the condom. In any case, avoiding sexual relations is risky.
Now that you know everything about symptoms and prevention of urethritis, become aware of how important it is to be cautious in our sexual life and go to the doctor if any symptoms occur.