Specialists define cystitis as an inflammatory process of the bladder caused by a bacterial infection. If not treated in time, it can become a painful discomfort to become a severe health problem that can seriously affect organs. Important like the kidneys.
Appropriate treatment should be indicated once the first symptoms of this condition appear, although cystitis medications can often be obtained at the pharmacy without a prescription. This FastlyHealarticle will discuss the prescription or non-prescription medicines for cystitis.
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Medicines for cystitis
Cystitis is a fairly common infection, primarily. The most commonly used medications to treat it are the following:
Ciprofloxacin
Ciprofloxacin is one of the most widely used antibiotics to treat cystitis that can be purchased in pharmacies with a prescription. This antibiotic belongs to the group of quinolones that acts on bacteria such as Staphylococcus Aureus and Escherichia Coli.
To treat this condition, ciprofloxacin is usually prescribed by the doctor at a dose of 250 to 500 mg every 12 hours:
- In women for 3 days.
- In men for 7 days.
It is recommended to take it with or without food but avoids taking them together with dairy products since these can interfere with the effectiveness of ciprofloxacin. The use of this drug can generate side effects such as:
- Diarrhea.
- Abdominal pain.
- Vomiting
- Sickness.
- Headache.
- Dizziness.
Nitrofurantoin
On the other hand, another drug used for cystitis is nitrofurantoin, which is usually known commercially under furantoin or Macrodantin. This is an antibiotic used for many years since the 1950s and has proved helpful in treating bladder infections. While other antibiotics cannot be used during pregnancy, nitrofurantoin is widely used to treat urine infection in pregnancy between the second and third trimesters. However, this medicine can only be used with a prescription.
Nitrofurantoin can be used in children over 12 years of age and adults in a dose of 100 mg every 12 hours for 5 to 7 days. The effectiveness of this drug is that it tends to have a shallow rate of side effects. However, when they appear, it is normal for them to appear:
- Sickness.
- Diarrhea.
- Abdominal pain.
- Loss of appetite
Prescription Cystitis Medications
The most frequent bacterium to suffer from cystitis in Spain is Escherichia Coli, representing approximately 79.2% of cases, followed by Staphylococcus saprophyticus in 4.4%. In this second case, a widely used treatment is amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid [1].
This is very useful to treat these bladder infections and should always be taken with a prescription. The clavulanic acid amoxicillin is a drug that must be used at doses of 875mg / 125 every 8 hours for seven days.
Similarly, another therapeutic option used in case of bladder infections is fosfomycin trometamol. This is a bactericidal drug responsible for inhibiting the synthesis of bacterial walls, which is why the doctor should indicate it.
The dose of fosfomycin used is 3 grams orally in a single amount for women over 18 years of age. The most common adverse reactions to this medicine are:
- Dyspepsia.
- Dizziness
- Sickness.
- Vomiting
Over-the-counter cystitis medications
Certain medications can be used without a prescription, and that is useful to treat bladder infections:
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, known commercially as Bactrim, action, or cotrimoxazole, is an over-the-counter drug that works against certain bacteria, Escherichia Coli being one of them. This drug works by stopping bacterial growth through the bacteriostatic mechanism. Bactrim comes in two forms – sulfamethoxazole 400 mg + 80 mg of trimethoprim or sulfamethoxazole 800 mg + 160 mg of trimethoprim. The usual recommended dose for cystitis is one 800 mg sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg trimethoprim tablet every 12 hours for three consecutive days. A small number of people who take trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole have side effects, including:
- Sickness.
- Vomiting
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea.
- Loss of appetite
Bactrim should not be used during pregnancy.
Flavoxate
Another solution for cystitis without a prescription is known as genuine or flavoxate. These medications accelerate the healing process and reduce the number of visits to the medical emergency area. Natural acts as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antispasmodic of the urinary tract and the bladder. Similar to the effect exerted by ibuprofen, it also has minimal action as a bactericide. The recommended dose to take generic is one tablet every 8 hours.
C vitamin
In addition to the drugs mentioned above, high doses of vitamin C or ascorbic acid allow them to be natural acidifiers of the urine, allowing the creation of a medium not suitable for the growth of bacteria. The recommended dose is one gram of vitamin C every 12 hours. This can be purchased without a prescription. If you do not have vitamin C, you can use citrus fruits such as orange, grapefruit, and lemon, which have the same component.
Cranberries
Finally, cranberries are a natural therapy that can be purchased without a prescription to treat bladder infections. Cranberry juice reduces the action of bacteria on the walls of the bladder, promoting the healing of cystitis.
Prevention of urine infection
As we have already explained throughout this article, most cases of cystitis are caused by Escherichia Coli. Sexual intercourse is a predisposing factor for bladder infection among women 20-50 years of age. It is more common among women because, in relation, their urethra is much shorter than that of men.
It is worth keeping an eye out for any symptomatic manifestations related to the urinary tract:
- Painful urination or dysuria
- Need to urinate frequently at night or nocturia.
- Cloudy urine or blood in the urine.
- Strong-smelling urine.
- Painful intercourse
These are some of the main symptoms related to urine infection, before which we should go to a specialist to diagnose it. This can be done very quickly with a urine test or a culture. If this is the case, he will be the one to decide the most appropriate medicine, with or without a prescription.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Medicines for cystitis: with or without a prescription? We recommend that you enter our category of Kidneys and urinary system.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.