What to do if you have catheter pain? Treatment for urinary catheter pain

Catheter pain is a very common condition that can affect both women and men. Urinary tract pain is usually caused by a urinary tract infection. Generally speaking, urinary tract infections are divided into three types: non-pregnant urinary tract infections in women, male cystitis, and pregnant urinary tract infections. Different treatments are needed for different situations. Here are some treatments for urinary catheter pain.

1. Urinary tract infection in non-pregnant women

(1) Treatment of acute simple cystitis

A three-day therapy is recommended, which consists of oral co-trimoxazole; or ofloxacin; or levofloxacin. In areas where the resistance rate of pathogens to sulfamethoxazole is as high as 10% to 20%, nitrofurantoin can be used for treatment.

(2) Treatment of acute simple pyelonephritis

For mild cases, oral quinolones can be used for treatment. If the pathogen is sensitive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, this drug can also be taken orally. If the causative bacteria are gram-positive, treatment can be with amoxicillin alone or amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium. For severe cases or those who cannot take oral medications, they should be hospitalized and treated with intravenous quinolones or broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotics. For those who are resistant to β-lactam antibiotics and quinolone antibiotics, aztreonam can be used for treatment. If the pathogen is a Gram-positive coccus, ampicillin/sulbactam sodium can be used, and combined medication can be used if necessary.

(3) Complicated urinary tract infection

Treatment of complicated UTIs depends on the severity of the infection. In addition to antimicrobial treatment, it is also necessary to simultaneously address anatomical and functional abnormalities of the urinary system and treat other underlying diseases. If necessary, nutritional support therapy is also required. If the condition is severe, hospitalization is usually required.

2. Male cystitis

Prostatitis should be excluded in all male patients with cystitis. For uncomplicated acute cystitis, oral treatment with sulfamethoxazole or quinolone drugs is the same as for female patients, but the treatment course needs 7 days; for patients with complicated acute cystitis, oral ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin can be used for continuous treatment for 7 to 14 days.

3. Urinary tract infection during pregnancy

(1) Asymptomatic bacteriuria

The incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy is as high as 4% to 7%, often occurring in the first month of pregnancy. Up to 40% of cases may progress to acute pyelonephritis. Therefore, it is recommended that urine culture tests should be performed routinely on pregnant women in early pregnancy to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria patients in a timely manner. It is currently recommended that anti-infective treatment should be taken for such patients.

(2) Acute cystitis

It is recommended to give 3 to 5 days of antimicrobial treatment based on the results of urine culture and drug sensitivity test. If there is no time to wait for the drug sensitivity test results, nitrofurantoin, amoxicillin, or second- or third-generation cephalosporins can be given.

(3) Acute pyelonephritis

The incidence of acute pyelonephritis during pregnancy is 1% to 4%, and it often occurs in the late pregnancy. It is recommended to first give intravenous infusion of antimicrobial drugs based on the results of urine culture or blood culture and drug sensitivity test. If there is no time to wait for the results of drug sensitivity test, ceftriaxone, aztreonam, piperacillin + tazobactam, cefepime, or ampicillin can be selected for treatment.