Cystitis

Cystitis is a swelling or infection of the urinary bladder. When caused by germs, it’s called a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTIs can be painful and annoying. They can also become a serious health problem if they spread to infect your kidneys.

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What is Cystitis?

Cystitis is a swelling or infection of the urinary bladder. When caused by germs, it’s called a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTIs can be painful and annoying. They can also become a serious health problem if they spread to infect your kidneys.

Your urinary system is composed of your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

They all contribute to eliminating waste from your system. Your kidneys, a pair of bean-shaped organs in your upper-posterior abdomen, filter waste from your blood.

Tubes called ureters carry urine from your kidneys to the bladder, where it is stored until it exits your body through the urethra. A urinary tract infection can begin when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and then begin to multiply.

The usual treatment is with antibiotics. You can take a number of steps to help prevent a bladder infection.

Signs and Cystitis Symptoms

Most people with bladder infections develop signs and symptoms that include:

A strong, persistent urge to urinate
A burning sensation when urinating
Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
Blood in the urine (hematuria)
Passing cloudy or strong-smelling urine
A feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen
Low-grade fever

The two main types of bladder infections are:

Community-acquired bladder infections. These infections occur when people who aren’t in a medical care facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, develop a bladder infection. This condition is common in women between the ages of 30 and 50, but is rare in men of the same age. However, men older than 50 may be at risk of this type of infection because of prostate enlargement, a common condition that can block urine flow in older men.
Hospital-acquired, or nosocomial (nos-o-KO-me-ul), bladder infections. These infections occur in people in a medical care facility, such as a hospital or nursing home. Most often they occur in those who have had a urinary catheter placed through the urethra and into the bladder to collect urine, a common practice done before some surgical procedures, for some diagnostic tests, or as a means of urinary drainage for elderly people or people confined to bed. Nosocomial bladder infections can occur when a temporary or permanent catheter is placed in the bladder of a person who is unable to void spontaneously.

UTIs typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract from the outside, usually through the urethra, and begin to multiply. The urinary system is a powerful defense mechanism that helps to ward off microscopic invaders. The bladder is equipped with a protective coating that prevents any microbes from adhering to its walls. Urine also has antibacterial properties that inhibit the growth of bacteria. Despite this, there are certain risk factors that could increase the probability of bacteria multiplying and resulting in a full-blown infection.

Sometimes cystitis is referred to as honeymoon cystitis, because this bladder infection commonly occurs in women as a result of sexual intercourse. Bacteria can enter the bladder via the urethra during sexual activity. But even sexually inactive girls and women are susceptible to lower urinary tract infections because the anus, a constant source of bacteria, is so close to the female urethra.

The majority of cystitis incidents are initiated by Escherichia coli (E.coli), a species of bacteria commonly found in the rectal area. A new strain of antibiotic-resistant E. E.coli bacteria may be the root cause of recurrent and difficult-to-manage urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women.

Although rare, other causes of cystitis, or conditions that may mimic bacterial UTIs, include:

Organisms found in tuberculosis or yeast infection (vaginitis)
Radiation treatment to the bladder area
Tumors in the bladder
Interstitial cystitis
Certain medications

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