Question from A. Ghosh: I'm currently laid up with pyelonephritis. Is there any advice on how long I should stop training and when I should start again? What do other cyclists do to prevent bladder infections? Wearing self-knitted woollen pants under your cycling shorts is probably not an option ...
Dr Robert Eifler: Renal pelvic inflammatory disease is a painful, febrile illness of bacterial origin, most commonly caused by coli bacteria (intestinal bacteria). It must be treated with antibiotics, with an absolute ban on sport for three days after you are completely free of pain and fever. Blood and urine should show normal values when you resume cycling training. Renal pelvic inflammatory disease is usually an "ascending" infection, i.e. the bacteria migrate from the urethra and bladder through the ureters leading from the kidneys to one or both renal pelvises. For cyclists, this means taking the greatest care with genital and anal hygiene, cleaning racing shorts thoroughly after every training session, emptying the bladder before training and drinking enough after training to flush the urinary tract well. Cold alone does not cause bladder or renal pelvic inflammation, but it does weaken the local defence of the mucous membranes, making it easier for bacteria to attack. However, cold can lead to functional irritation, especially of the bladder and, in men, also of the prostate. This manifests itself in an urge to urinate and frequent urination and usually passes by itself with warmth and a high fluid intake. It is not yet an infection, but provides good conditions for bacteria to multiply. For the cold season, racing trousers with windstopper fronts offer good protection, otherwise please refer to the measures mentioned above.
