Cystitis is a bladder inflammation which mainly affects women because of a bacterial infection. Although mostly benign, this inflammation requires adequate treatment to relieve symptoms and prevent complications from occurring.

Cystitis is a inflammation of the bladder, hollow organ of the urinary tract. Common, this condition is one of the main reasons for medical consultation.

When diagnosing cystitis, it can be considered as:

• simple acute cystitis, sometimes called simple cystitis or classic cystitis, which is punctual and easily treated;
• acute complicated cystitis, which presents a risk of complications and requires increased vigilance;
• recurrent acute cystitis, when it becomes frequent and occurs at least 4 times over a 12 month period;
• chronic cystitis, more commonly known as interstitial cystitis, which is a rare form of cystitis characterized by painful and frequent symptoms in the bladder.

The development of cystitis can have many causes. We distinguish in particular:

• Infectious cystitis: They are the most common and are mainly caused by a bacterial infection (bacterial cystitis). In the majority of cases, the germ responsible for cystitis is E. coli Escherichia coli. However, they can be caused by other bacteria or parasites, especially during urogenital tuberculosis or urogenital bilharzia. Infectious cystitis can also be due to the development of a fungus (fungal cystitis).
• The interstitial cystitis : A chronic and rare form of cystitis, interstitial cystitis is also called painful bladder syndrome because of its painful symptoms in the bladder and urethra. Although some hypotheses are put forward, the precise causes of interstitial cystitis have not yet been defined. They could in particular be caused by an autoimmune disease, an alteration of the wall of the bladder, or an allergic reaction (allergic cystitis).
• Iatrogenic cystitis: They are caused by a medical procedure, a medical examination or the taking of certain treatments. In particular, iatrogenic cystitis can occur following radiotherapy (radiation cystitis).

Cystitis common in women.

Cystitis is a condition that affects mainly women. It is estimated that one in two women will have at least one cystitis in her lifetime. Men are much less affected by cystitis than women because they have a longer urethra. The urethra is the channel that carries urine from the bladder to the outside.

Cases of cystitis in men.

Although they are rarer than in women, cystitis in men should by no means be overlooked. The risk of developing cystitis increases especially with age. In addition, the symptoms of cystitis in men can be confused with those of prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate, or epididymitis, an inflammation of the epididymis. These inflammations require medical advice.

A real risk of complications. In the majority of cases, a cystitis is benign, that is to say without danger to health. However, medical advice and adequate treatment are essential to limit the risk of complications.

The risk of infectious cystitis. Untreated or poorly treated, infectious cystitis can, for example, spread and be the cause of pyelonephritis, an inflammation of the kidney. This condition is serious and requires urgent medical attention.

The risk of cystitis during pregnancy. In the most serious cases, cystitis can put the pregnant woman at risk of premature labor.

Cystitis can manifest itself with different symptoms such as:

• urinary burns ;
• frequent and urgent urges to urinate, without succeeding in evacuating a lot of urine;
• a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, sometimes accompanied by pain;
• an unusual smell of urine.

In some cases, traces of blood may be seen in the urine. Cystitis can sometimes lead to urinary incontinence, with involuntary and uncontrollable urine loss.

Several factors can increase the risk of developing cystitis.

In women, these factors include:

• the pregnancy ;
• menopause ;
• urinary incontinence;
• a lack of personal hygiene;
• sexual intercourse;
• genital prolapse;
• l’immunodépression ;
• severe kidney failure.

In humans, these factors include:

• prostate disorders;
• urinary incontinence;
• l’immunodépression ;
• severe kidney failure.

Preventative measures. Simple measures can be taken to limit the occurrence of cystitis such as:

• to drink a lot of water ;
• not holding back when you want to urinate;
• avoid the use of too aggressive hygienic products;
• wipe back and forth after urinating.

Preventive action of cranberries. Several scientific studies have also highlighted the interest of cranberries in preventing infectious cystitis. Better known by its English name cranberry, cranberry has shown beneficial effects in people at risk including pregnant women.

In the majority of cases, cystitis is treated by taking antibiotics.