Women are far more susceptible to urinary symptoms than men.
We do not usually have clear information available to the public that helps them to identify the differences between some of these conditions which are often lumped under the possibility of a UTI (urinary tract infection).
- A UTI could be a bladder infection or it could be a sexually transmitted infection. Careful history and arranging timely investigations can help to differentiate between the two as their treatments are very different.
- Over-active Bladder (OAB) is a condition causing urgency, increased frequency and nocturia (passing urine at night) due to increased bladder muscle contractility despite the bladder not being full. It can be significantly exacerbated by stress and improving bowel habits, managing anxiety and retraining the bladder are all found helpful to address the condition. In some cases medication may also be used, however the conservative approach is preferred.
- Interstitial Cystitis is a condition where bladder pain, increased urinary urgency and frequency including nocturia is present but not due to the bladder muscle contractility or an infection. The causes are unknown but there are some associations with pelvic pain, depression, dyspareunia (pain during sex) and constipation. Treatment includes CBT, pelvic physiotherapy to relax the pelvic floor, cystoscopy with hydrodistension and intravesical pentosan or steroids with local anaesthetics.
- Perimenopause is a stage where a relative oestrogen deficiency starts to manifest in some women with a dry and burning sensation in the vagina. This can lead to painful sex, blood in urine or urinary infection.
It is imperative to understand the possible conditions that can present with similar symptoms because they all have different management options.
