Cystitis
Cystitis is a very common urinary infection that occurs in the bladder. It is usually not serious. 1 in 2 women will have one or more episodes of cystitis during her lifetime. It can be caused when the rules for good personal hygiene are not properly followed. Here are a few tips to remedy it.
What are the causes of urinary infections in women?
A woman’s urethra – the small tube leading out of the bladder – is very short, which can allow the germs found in the anal area to travel up to the bladder in the event of poor hygiene. The proliferation of these germs can cause symptoms of urinary infection, such as irritation and feelings of discomfort in the vulvovaginal area.
What is the connection between cystitis and personal hygiene?
Unsuitable personal hygiene – either overly frequent (more than twice a day) or insufficient – can imbalance the vaginal microbiota and encourage the appearance of pathogenic germs responsible for a urinary infection. For the same reasons, using aggressive cleansing products or antiseptics during your personal hygiene routine can promote an imbalance in the microbiota and, indirectly, the appearance of the germs that cause cystitis (colibacilli).
Our personal hygiene recommendations in the event of a urinary infection:
- Use water and a personal hygiene product that protects your intimate area. How often? Once to twice a day. And avoid vaginal douches, which destroy your natural microbiota.
- Choose personal hygiene products with a suitable pH;
- Opt for showers over baths;
- Wipe from front to back after using the toilet;
- Always empty your bladder immediately after sexual intercourse and avoid using spermicides*;
*Spermicides are contraceptive substances that destroy sperm or render them inactive. They come in various forms, such as gels, creams, pessaries, sponges, tablets and suppositories.
JEAN-MARC BOHBOT
Infectiologist/ Medical Director, Fournier Institute