What are the clinical manifestations of urethritis?

Urethritis is a common disease, which refers to inflammation of the urethral mucosa. It is more common in women. Clinically, it can be divided into acute and chronic, nonspecific urethritis and gonococcal urethritis. The latter two have similar clinical manifestations and must be differentiated based on medical history and bacteriological examination. It is mostly caused by pathogenic bacteria retrogradely invading the urethra.

Symptoms of acute cystitis include frequent urination, urgent urination, painful urination, hematuria, and urethral discharge. Male patients may also have redness and swelling of the urethral opening, purulent discharge, slight burning and itching sensation in the urethra during urination, etc. Female patients may experience increased leucorrhea, slight itching of the vulva, slight burning sensation in urine, dull pain in both lower abdomen, and menstrual disorders.

Chronic urethritis presents with symptoms such as urethral discomfort, itching and burning, as well as painful and frequent urination. Mild pain may occur during urination, and the urine may appear cloudy or bloody. Chronic urethritis may also lead to urethral stricture, which can make urination difficult.

Gonococcal urethritis is an inflammation of the urethra caused by gonococci and is contagious. Symptoms include redness, swelling, itching, pain, purulent discharge at the urethral opening, etc. It may also be accompanied by symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and pain during urination.

Nonspecific urethritis is an inflammation of the urethra caused by nonspecific pathogens. The symptoms are similar to those of gonococcal urethritis, but milder. Treatment includes drinking plenty of water, using sedatives, analgesics, and antispasmodics, paying attention to rest, and antibiotic treatment.

Treatments for urethritis also include drinking plenty of water to increase urine output, using sedatives, analgesics and antispasmodics to relieve pain, taking rest, and avoiding sexual intercourse in the short term during the acute phase. At the same time, effective antibiotics should be selected for treatment based on bacterial culture and drug sensitivity tests. For chronic urethritis or urethral strictures, urethral dilation should be performed in addition to drug treatment.

Ways to prevent urethritis include keeping the vulva clean and dry, changing underwear frequently, paying attention to personal hygiene, etc. Timely treatment and prevention of inflammation of adjacent organs such as urinary stones and prostatitis are also important measures to prevent urethritis.