A Simple Guide to Urethritis

A Simple Guide to Urethritis
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What is Urethritis?
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Urethritis is an acute infection of the urethra(the tube which allows passage of urine from the bladder to the outside).

What are the causes of Urethritis?
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Urethritis is usually caused by the following:

1.sexually transmitted disease like gonorrhea and chlamydia.

2.Urinary infection such as cystitis

3.In males associated with prostatitis

4.Urinary stone stuck in the urethra may cause urethitis

6.urinary catheterisation

7.Injury to the urethra

8.Important component of Reiter's Syndrome

What are the symptoms and signs of Urethritis?
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Persons who has Acute Urethritis has the following

Symptoms:
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1.painful urination

2.purulent discharge from penis in males or vagina in females

3.frequency of urination

4.cloudy and unpleasant smelling urine, sometimes blood in the urine

5.fever and chills

6.Polyathritis and conjunctivitis in Reiter's Syndrome

Signs:
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1. pussy discharge can be seen in male's urethra or in female vagina

2.redness and inflammation of the opening of the urethra

How do you diagnose Urethritis?
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Diagnosis can usually be made by :

1.History of sexual activity followed by frequency of urination, painful urination or pussy discharge from urethra or vagina

2.Urine test shows the presence of pus cells, leucocyte, red blood cells and micro-organisms

3.Urine culture for bacteria and sexually transmitted organisms and the antibiotic most appropriate for it.

4. cystoscopy may be necessary to exclude urinary stones,tumours of the bladder in the case of blood in the urine

What is the complications of Urethritis?
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Upward infections from the urethra can lead to infections of the bladder and kidneys.

What is the treatment of Urethritis?
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Analgesic medicine for pain

Approprate Antibiotics for infections especially after urine bacterial culture

Lots of fluids

What is the prognosis of Urethritis?
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Prognosis is usually good with medication.

Sexual partner may need to be treated.

Recurrence is quite common.

A Simple Guide to Prostatitis

A Simple Guide to Prostatitis
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What is Prostatitis?
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Prostatitis is an acute or chronic infection of the prostate gland.

What are the causes of Prostatitis?
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Prostatitis is usually caused by the following:

1.enteric Gram negative organism from intestinal or bladder infection

2.tuberculosis occasionally

What are the symptoms and signs of Prostatitis?
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Persons who has Acute Prostatitis has the following:

Symptoms:

1.frequency of urination and nocturia

2.urgency of urination

3.hematuria(blood in urine)

4.low back pain

5.perineal pain

6.slow initiation of urine

Signs:

Tenderness on palpation of the prostate per rectum

How do you diagnose Prostatitis?
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Diagnosis can usually be made by :

1.History of frequency of urination, urgent urination

2.Tenderness on palpation of the prostate per rectum

3. Culture of the expressed prostatic fluid by prostatic massage

4.Urine and prostatic fluid culture will determine the micro-organism involved and the antibiotic most appropriate for it.

What is the complications of Prostatitis?
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Infections from the prostate can lead to infections of the bladder and up to the kidney.

What is the treatment of Prostatitis?
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Analgesic medicine

Antibiotics for infections especially after urine and prostatic fluid bacterial culture

Lots of fluids

What is the prognosis of Prostatitis?
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Prognosis is usually good with medication.

Recurrence is quite common.

A Simple Guide to Cystitis

A Simple Guide to Cystitis
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What is Cystitis?
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Cystitis is an acute or chronic infection of the urinary bladder.

What are the causes of Cystitis?
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Cystitis is usually caused by the following:

1. ascending infection of the urinary bladder from the urethra.

2. in females frequently associated with sexual activity eg. honeymoon cystitis

3.In males with enlargement of the prostate or infection of the prostate

4. In children, the bacteria E.coli of the same type as the child's bowels

5.More frequently present in Diabetic patients

6.procedures such as urinary catheterisation

7.cystitis is more common in the female,especially those on contraceptive pills or with intrauterine contraceptive devices.

8. may be associated with congenital abnormalities of the urinary tract such as bladder neck obstruction,urethral reflux,neurogenic bladder,and urinary incontinence.

What are the symptoms and signs of Cystitis?
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Persons who has Acute Cystitis has the following symptoms:

1.frequency of urination and nocturia

2.painful urination

3.suprapubic discomfort

4.cloudy and unpleasant smelling urine, sometimes blood in the urine

5.fever and chills especially in children

Signs:
Tenderness on palpation in the suprapubic region

How do you diagnose Cystitis?
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Diagnosis can usually be made by :

1.History of frequency of urination, painful urination

2.Urine test shows the presence of pus cells, leucocyte, red blood cells and micro-organisms

3.Urine culture will determine the micro-organism involved and the antibiotic most appropriate for it.

4. cystoscopy may be necessary to exclude tumours of the bladder

What are the complications of Cystitis?
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Upward infections from the bladder can lead to infections of the kidneys and kidney failure.

What is the treatment of Cystitis?
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Analgesic or antispasmodic medicine

Antibiotics for infections especially after urine bacterial culture

Lots of fluids

What is the prognosis of Cystitis?
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Prognosis is usually good with medication.

Recurrence is quite common.

cystitis,frequency,painful,nocturia,sexual activity,antibiotics,analgesic, cystoscopy, urine test, bacteria culture,prostate

A Simple Guide to Dysmenorrhea

A Simple Guide to Dysmenorrhea
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What is Dysmenorrhea?
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Dysmenorrhea is a symptom, not an illness.
It means painful menstruation.

What are the types of Dysmenorrhea?
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Dysmenorrhea may be classified into:

1.Primary or Spasmodic Dysmenorrhea

2.Secondary Dysmenorrhea due to causes like

Endometriosis or

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

What are the Causes of Dysmenorrhea?
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The cause of primary Dysmenorrhea is still not known.

There are a few theories:
1.during menstruation, contraction of the uterine muscles occurs in spasms trying to push the menstrual flow through a narrow cervical opening

2.Prostagladins output occurs at time of menstruation producing muscles spasms

3.Menstrual clots occludes the uterine opening and requires more contractions of the uterine muscles to push it through

4.Stress may constrict the opening of the uterus and hence greater contraction of the uterine muscles is required to force out the menstrual flow.

What are the Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea?
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Primary Dysmenorrhea:
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1.typically occurs on the first day of menses and becomes less after the 2nd day.

2.lower abdominal cramp radiating down to thighs and back

Secondary Dysmenorrhea:
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1. Starts about 1 week before menses and reach maximum on first day before reducing intensity for rest of menses peroid

2.dull aching pain in lower abdomen with radiation to the back

Symptoms may be associated with
1.vomiting,

2.urinary frequency,

3.headache,

4.painful breasts,

5.abdominal distension,

6.depression and

7.irritabilty.

What is the Treatment for Dysmenorrhea?
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Primary Dysmenorrhea:
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1.simple analgesics like paracetamol

2.Non-steroidal anti-infammatory drugs like Ponstan, Synflex

3.Antispasmodics

4.Tranquilliser or antidepressant

5.Muscle relaxant

6.female hormones

Secondary Dysmenorrhea:
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1.Identify and treat the underlying cause(eg. antibiotics for PID)

2.Endometriosis may require a course of female hormones or surgery for control

3.Dilatation of the endocervical canal may help

What is the prognosis of Dysmenorrhea?
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Primary Dysmenorrhea may end with first pregnancy due to widening of uterine opening.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea prognosis depends on the treatment of causes.