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Here’s why even more people suffer from cystitis during the Covid-19 outbreak

My dear friend,

the Covid-19 pandemic shocked the whole world and caused numerous unpredictable consequences. But did you ever imagine that this disease could also affect the symptoms of cystitis?

Let’s find out together the connection between Covid-19 and cystitis in this article.

Cystitis and Covid-19: here’s how the two are related

What is the relationship between Covid-19 and cystitis?

Covid-associated cystitis is the result of Covid-19 infection, which, in this specific case, involves the urinary tract.

How?

Causing the typical symptoms of cystitis, such as frequent urge to pee, feeling like you have never emptied your bladder, etc.

But how was it discovered?

In the early days of the pandemic, some German urologists were the first to describe the sudden onset of urinary symptoms in patients with Covid-19. They shared an unusual case of a patient admitted to the hospital who reported fever, chills, pain, urgency, and increased urinary symptoms, although there were no signs of a typical bacterial urinary tract infection.

A swab taken on the same day revealed Covid-19 infection. The researchers therefore sought to determine whether this occurred in other patients and found that a small but significant number of patients admitted for Covid had increased urinary symptoms.

Shortly thereafter, researchers at several Michigan medical centers initially found 39 patients with Covid-19 (32 men and 7 women) who had developed urinary symptoms and whose urine cultures had revealed no bacterial infection

The results?

85% of these patients had problems with increased urinary frequency and nocturnal urination more than four times per night. Next, they completed a larger study that identified 350 patients with de novo OAB symptoms (De novo OverActive Bladder, or more simply overactive bladder syndrome) worsening 10 to 14 weeks after hospitalization due to Covid.

Read also: How to sleep more soundly with cystitis: yes, it really is possible

Covid-19 vaccines and cystitis: case study from the Journal of Clinical Medicine

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, the Covid-19 vaccines from Astrazeneca, Moderna and Pfizer were associated with significant worsening of lower urinary tract symptoms and greater detected change in urinary frequency and urgency.

The study, which included 889 participants, 586 of whom received vaccines from AstraZeneca-Oxford, 260 from Pfizer-BioNTech, and 89 from Moderna, found that 13.4 percent of the participants showed worsening of their existing urinary infection after receiving the coronavirus vaccine.

According to the report, the most frequent adverse effects were:

  • urinary urgency;

  • The frequency to urinate;

  • nocturia-that is, the frequent urge to pee during the nighttime hours;

  • urinary incontinence.

These are similar to the symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) that I mentioned earlier.

Although further prospective studies are needed to Demonstrate the causal association between the vaccine and urinary symptoms after vaccination, scientists from the Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan suggest closely monitoring LUTS (English acronym for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, i.e., a cluster of lower urinary tract symptoms) after Covid-19 vaccination, especially in those who already suffered from symptoms of overactive bladder, and to seek medical attention if necessary.

But in the end-why did so many people suffer from cystitis during the pandemic?

Leaving aside for a moment the case studies and research conducted by scientists–why did so many women complain of cystitis symptoms during the lockdown?

Actually, there is a very specific reason that I will now explain.

I know it has been a while since the ‘reclusion’ period, but surely you remember that most of us spent it singing on balconies and cooking.

People were running to supermarkets looking for flour and brewer’s yeast to bake anything: pizza, bread, cakes, muffins, you name it.

All this allowed bacteria to find fertile ground: why?

You should know that a diet of refined carbohydrates and simple sugars can cause the onset of cystitis because these are foods that promote the growth of fungi and bacteria.

This is why a healthy, balanced diet is the basis of cystitis prevention tips. ❤️

In these cases, many women have relied on D-mannose, a natural alternative to antibiotics that helps expel bacteria while you pee, so all-natural!

But how?

You should know that this simple sugar is particularly akin to the little legs- called lectins-of many bacteria that attack bladder walls.

Here, because of the adhesive capacity of D-mannose, it prevents bacteria from hanging on and, consequently, developing an infection. By inhibiting this binding, bacteria do not adhere to the bladder and ‘slip away’ during urination.

If you wish to learn more remember that you can always write to me. 🥰

I hug you from here,

Lorenza

Read also: Can cystitis occur even without burning?

In this article we talked about…

  • Covid-19-associated cystitis is a condition that occurs when Covid-19 infection involves the urinary tract, causing symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency, pressure, and/or pain.
  • Covid-19-associated cystitis was initially discovered by German urologists who described the sudden onset of urinary symptoms in patients with Covid-19.
  • Subsequently, the researchers found that a significant number of patients hospitalized for Covid had increased urinary symptoms.
  • A study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that Covid-19 vaccines from Astrazeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer were associated with a significant worsening of lower urinary tract symptoms and greater detected variation in urinary frequency and urgency.
  • A diet of refined carbohydrates and simple sugars can cause the onset of cystitis, as these foods promote the proliferation of foulants and bacteria. A healthy, balanced diet is the basis of cystitis prevention tips. In case of infection, D-mannose can be a natural alternative to antibiotics.

FAQ on the relationship between Covid and cystitis


What is Covid-associated cystitis?
Covid-associated cystitis is the result of Covid-19 infection involving the urinary tract, causing the symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency, pressure, and/or pain that we already know.

How was Covid-associated cystitis discovered?
In the early days of the pandemic, some German urologists were the first to describe the sudden onset of urinary symptoms in patients with Covid-19. They shared an unusual case of a patient admitted to the hospital who reported fever, chills, pain, urgency and increased urinary symptoms, although there were no signs of a typical bacterial urinary tract infection.

Why did so many people suffer from cystitis during the pandemic?
During the lockdown, many people consumed a diet of refined carbohydrates and simple sugars, which can cause the onset of cystitis because they promote the proliferation of foulants and bacteria. In addition, the lockdown period caused reduced physical activities and increased stress, which may contribute to the onset of cystitis

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