Cystitis

Cystitis means ‘inflammation of the bladder’. It causes:

• an urgent and frequent need to urinate, and
• pain, or stinging, when passing urine.

Cystitis is usually the result of an infection in the bladder, but it can also be caused by irritation or damage. Cystitis caused by a bladder infection is sometimes called ‘bacterial cystitis’.

Untreated bladder infections can cause kidney infections.

Cystitis in females

Cystitis is more common in women because women have a short urethra (the tube that passes from the bladder out of the body), and its opening is located very close to the anus. This makes it easy for bacteria from the anus to reach the bladder and cause an infection. 

Almost all women will have cystitis at least once in their lifetime. Around one in five women who have had cystitis will get it again (recurrent cystitis). Cystitis can occur at any age, but it is more common in:

• pregnant women,
• sexually active women, and
• post-menopausal women (after the menopause).

Cystitis in males

Cystitis is less common in men, but potentially more serious. This is because it could be caused by:

• an underlying bladder, or prostate, infection, such as prostatitis, or
• an obstruction in the urinary tract, such as a tumour, or an enlarged prostate (the gland located between the penis and the bladder).

Male cystitis is not usually serious if treated quickly, but it can be very painful. Sexually active gay men are more likely to get cystitis than other males.

Outlook

Mild cystitis usually clears up within 4-9 days. It can be treated at home by drinking plenty of water (around 1.2 litres, or 6-8 glasses, every day) and taking painkillers, such as paracetemol and ibuprofen. More severe cystitis can also cause abdominal pain, or a fever, and may need treatment with antibiotics.

Children and men should always see their GP if they have cystitis. Women should always see their GP the first time they have the condition. They should also return to see their GP if they have the condition more than three times in one year.

Glossary

Urethra

The tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.

Anus

The opening at the end of the digestive system where solid waste leaves the body.

Prostate

A small gland found only in men, located in the pelvis, between the penis and the bladder.

Kidneys

Kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located at the back of the abdomen. They remove waste and extra fluid from the blood, and pass them out of the body as urine.