Women over the age of 65 are more likely to suffer from a painful bout of cystitis than any other group. That means as you get older you need to be particularly vigilant and be aware of any signs that you’re getting an infection.
The Mirror recently offered some advice to women in this age group to help them tackle the infection quickly.
In fact, treating it early is one of the top pieces of advice. Cystitis won’t get better on its own, so you need to drink plenty of fluids and follow the steps in my cystitis self help books.
It’s important to note that you don’t need antibiotics to treat cystitis effectively in many cases. In fact, following my tried and tested methods rather than turning to antibiotics will do your body a favour.
Professor Lindsay E Nicolle, from the Department of Internal Medicine within the School of Medicine at Canada’s University of Manitoba, recently spoke to MedicalResearch.com and stressed that the presence of bacteria in urine does not mean you need to take antibiotics.
She explained that in many cases the bacteria identified in urine are asymptomatic and therefore treatment with antibiotics is inappropriate.
Other advice from the Mirror to help alleviate symptoms of cystitis includes wearing the right kind of underwear. Cotton pants are preferable to those made from synthetic materials, and if possible you should sleep with no pants on.
Try not to avoid going to the toilet because it’s a bit more difficult if you have decreased mobility too. It’s far better to drink plenty and go for more regular wees than it is to become dehydrated and need to go to the bathroom less frequently.
