Cystitis

Cystitis is the medical term for inflammation of the bladder. Inflammation is when a part of your body is swollen and hot. It can also be painful.

Most of the time, cystitis happens when there’s an infection caused by bacteria. This is called a urinary tract infection (UTI). Having a bladder infection can be painful and annoying. It can become a serious health problem if the infection spreads to your kidneys.

Check if it’s cystitis

Symptoms of cystitis include:

pain, burning or stinging when you pee
needing to pee more often and urgently than usual
pee that’s dark, cloudy or strong smelling
pain low down in your tummy

Symptoms in young children may also include:

a high temperature – they feel hotter than usual if you touch their neck, back or tummy
wetting themselves
reduced appetite and being sick
weakness and irritability

In older, frail people with cognitive impairment (such as dementia) and people with a urinary catheter, symptoms may also include:

changes in behaviour, such as acting confused or agitated (delirium)
wetting themselves more than usual
shivering or shaking (rigors)

Call 999 or go to A&E now if you or someone has any of these:

Signs of a heart attack (chest pain, pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across the chest)
Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, cannot hold both arms up, difficulty speaking)
Sudden confusion or delirium (unsure of own name or age)
Suicide attempt (by taking something or self-harming)
Severe difficulty breathing (not being able to get words out, choking or gasping)
A serious accident, or severe injuries burns or scalds
Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring or enough to make a puddle)
Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault)
A seizure or fit (shaking, jerking, or unconscious & can’t be woken up)
Sudden, rapid swelling (of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue)

How to prevent cystitis

If you get cystitis frequently, there are some things you can try to help prevent it returning.

wipe from front to back when you go to the toilet
pee as soon as possible after sex
drink plenty of fluids, especially water – so that you pee regularly during the day and do not feel thirsty
have a shower rather than a bath – this stops exposing your genitals to cleaning products for too long
wash the skin outside the vagina (vulva) with water before and after sex
change soiled nappies or incontinence pads promptly
keep the genital area clean and dry
do not use scented soap, bubble bath or talcum powder
do not use spermicide with diaphragm or condoms – try non-spermicidal lube or different type of contraception
do not hold your pee in if you feel the urge to go
do not rush when going for a pee – try to fully empty your bladder
do not drink lots of alcoholic drinks or coffee – they may irritate your bladder
do not have lots of sugary foods or drinks – they may encourage bacteria to grow