Cystitis is an inflammation of the lower urinary tract, affecting both men and women. We asked Doctor Massimo Lazzeri, a urologist at Humanitas, about this disease and how to cure it.
In general, cystitis is diagnosed thanks to the symptoms patients lament. Typical symptoms are:

  • Increased urinary frequency
  • Pain during urination
  • Suprapubic discomfort
  • A feeling of obstruction and weight
  • Blood in the urine

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should go to your doctor and have them recommend you the most useful exams or a visit to a specialist. Light forms of cystitis cause an increase in the urinary frequency and a burning sensation. More severe forms cause the presence of blood in the urine (hematuria). In this case, patients feel a really strong pain in their urethra while they urinate.

How can you cure Cystitis?

Cystitis may be cured in two different, complementary ways. First of all, you have to drink plenty of liquids, then you should use the right supplements (such as blueberry).
There is a great evidence of the scientific research about the main property of blueberry. It is its ability to inhibit the adhesion of bacteria on the mucous membrane of the bladder. In fact, the infection spreads when bacteria adhere to the mucous membrane of the bladder, feed and reproduce, thus causing cystitis.

When are Antibiotics Necessary?

Unfortunately, people often recur to antibiotics when they first notice the symptoms of cystitis. However, we should note that this therapy is only for bacterial infection.

The misguided use of antibiotics could become a problem in the long run, because actual colonies of antibiotic-resistant germs and bacteria may develop.

Moreover, the spread of antibiotic-resistant germs and bacteria represents, in the medium and long run, a severe hazard for public health.

The use of D-mannose

The inner walls of the bladder make it water-resistant. In fact, they prevent the liquids that are in the bladder (toxic substances our body has to get rid of) from seeping through. Thus, the bladder has, let’s say, sugar-rich structures that protect it from the absorption of toxic substances and prevent the adhesion of germs to the mucous membrane.
D-mannose allows the reconstruction of the mucous membrane of the bladder (like a glaze), protecting it against new bacterial infections.
It is available as a supplement, in different formulations. The problem with D-mannose is mainly its dosage. Patients often require rather large doses, so that the therapy requires multiple administrations during the same day. This may become an obstacle to the cure or to the treatment, because many patients find it difficult to intake the right amount of medication every day, constantly and thoroughly.

Is Hyaluronic acid Useful Against Cystitis?

Hyaluronic acid is the latest non-antibiotic preventive tool science invented. Nowadays it is one of the most studied topics among scientists everywhere. Hyaluronic acid may be used right inside the bladder (something that can’t happen with blueberries or D-mannose doses) and orally.
A confirm to the importance of hyaluronic acid has recently come from a scientific paper published in the British Medical Journal. It demonstrates that, after a year, the prevention of new bacterial infections is better in patients who only used hyaluronic acid. In fact, in time antibiotic therapies determine the creation of new, antibiotic-resistant bacteria.