Cystitis
Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by a bladder infection.
It's acommon type of urinary tract infection (UTI) , particularly in women, and is usually more of a nuisance than a cause for serious concern. Mild cases will often get better by themselves within a few days.
However, some people experience episodes of cystitis frequently and may need regular or long-term treatment.
There's also a chance that cystitiscould lead to a more serious kidney infection in some cases, so it's important to seek medical advice ifyour symptoms don't improve.
The main symptoms of cystitis include:
Possible symptoms in young children include a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above, weakness, irritability, reduced appetite and vomiting.
You can try the self-help measures listed below, or ask your pharmacist for advice.
See your GP if:
Your GP should be able to diagnose cystitis by asking about your symptoms. They may test a sample of your urine for bacteria to help confirm the diagnosis.
Most cases are thought tooccur when bacteria that live harmlessly in the bowel or on the skin get into the bladder through the urethra (tube that carries urine out of your body).
It's not always clear how this happens, but itcan be caused by:
Women may get cystitis more often than men because their anus (back passage) is closer to their urethra, and their urethra is much shorter, which means bacteriamay be able toget into the bladder more easily.
These should start to have an effect within a day or two.
If you've had cystitis before and don't feel you need to see your GP, you may want to treat your symptoms at home.
Until you're feeling better, it may help to:
Some people find it helpful to try over-the-counterproducts that reduce the acidity of their urine (such as sodium bicarbonate or potassium citrate), but there's a lack of evidence to suggest they're effective.
If you keep getting cystitis, your GP may give you an antibiotic prescription to take to a pharmacy whenever you develop symptoms, without needing to see yourdoctor first. Your GP can also prescribe a low dose of antibiotics for you to take continuously over several months.
However, it's not clear how effective most of these measures are.
These measures include:
not wearing tight jeans and trousers
Drinking cranberry juice has traditionally been recommended as a way ofreducing your chances of getting cystitis. However,large studies have suggested it doesn't make a significant difference.
Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by a bladder infection. Find out about the symptoms, causes and treatments for this common condition.
Find out about the main symptoms of cystitis in adults and children, and when you should see your GP.
Find out what causes cystitis and what can increase your chances of getting the condition.
Find out what you can do to relieve the symptoms of cystitis and what treatment your GP may prescribe.