Urethritis is a chronic or acute inflammation of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine out of the body. Pain with urination is the main symptom of urethritis. Urethritis is usually caused by a bacterial infection. It can typically be treated with antibiotics.
How is urethritis caused?
It is usually due to colonization by microorganisms. Often the microorganisms are transferred through sexual contact. But there are also cases of urethritis where the inflammation is due to other causes, such as:
- Injury (e.g. in patients who self-care)
- Presence of a foreign body (e.g. in patients with a permanent catheter)
Depending on the microorganism that caused it, urethritis is divided into:
- Gonococcal urethritis: caused by the microorganism Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
- Non-gonococcal urethritis: usually caused by the microorganism Chlamydia Trachomatis
- Other microorganisms that can cause urethritis are: adenoviruses, coliforms, herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, mycoplasma, ureoplasma, trichomonas
Other factors that increase the risk of urethritis are:
- the large number of sexual partners
- a history of sexually transmitted diseases
How is urethritis treated?
The medications given are designed to treat the underlying cause of urethritis, as well as to prevent it from spreading. If the infection is caused by a bacterium, antibiotics are necessary. The drugs most commonly prescribed for the treatment of urethritis are doxycycline, azithromycin, levofloxacin, tinidazole, erythromycin and metronidazole.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may also be given to some patients to treat pain.
When to contact a doctor
Call your doctor if you have signs or symptoms of urethritis.
Prevention
Some causes of urethritis can be prevented by good personal hygiene and good and safe sex practice, such as monogamy (only one sexual partner) and the use of condoms.
Source : www.edae.gr
