Common Risk Factors And Causes Of Cystitis

Use Of Certain Hygiene Products

The use of certain hygiene products can cause an individual to be at a higher risk of developing cystitis than others. Usually, the urinary tract is completely sterile. However, this changes when allergens and other irritants are introduced to the genitourinary region. Many individuals enjoy using hygiene products like a bubble bath with added powdered crystals, certain liquids, and perfumes to create foam in their bathwater. Those products, spermicidal jellies, feminine sprays, tampons, diaphragms, vaginal douches, and sanitary napkins can irritate the urethra and vagina. This irritation can promote bacterial passage and colonization in the individual's urinary tract. Bath oils, vaginal lotions, vaginal creams, and certain soaps that are used on the skin around the urethra and vagina can stimulate changes in the vaginal flora that cause the development of cystitis. The vaginal lactobacilli are helpful flora in the vagina that prevents regional colonization of pathogens. Some females naturally lack enough lactobacilli, but more commonly, hygiene products cause the impairment of the function of this microbiota. This impairment puts the female at a higher risk of developing infections and cystitis.

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Menopause

Women who are going through menopause are at an increased risk of developing cystitis. Menopause is the stage that occurs after a female's last menstrual period. It is characterized by a loss of estrogen, vaginal epithelium thinning, vulvovaginal atrophy, and lower amounts of lactobacilli in the vaginal microbiota. Estrogen is an important hormone in the body that prevents infection in the urinary tract through several mechanisms. Estrogen increases the natural production of proteins that have strong anti-microbial properties in an individual's bladder. The cells in the bladder infected with bacteria tend to shed as a defense strategy, which leaves underlying cells vulnerable to infection by the bacteria. High estrogen levels help the cells in the bladder bind together better, which helps prevent the shedding associated with infection progression. The general weakening of tissues can be characteristic of postmenopausal women, putting them at a greater risk of prolapse of pelvic organs. The altered structure of the connective tissues near the vagina and urethra have the potential to increase the risk of cystitis in women going through menopause. Additionally, the loss of estrogen and a decrease in lactobacilli in the vaginal microbiota are also known to contribute to the elevated risk of cystitis.