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Cystitis is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that occurs in the bladder - balloon-shaped urinary tract structure that stores urine until it is eliminated through urination. Cystitis is commonly caused by bacteria. Often, these bacteria travel from the urethra—the small tube that drains urine from the bladder—proliferate and cause inflammation to the urethra, called urethritis. Sometimes, the bacteria are not flushed out and can travel up to the bladder to cause bladder infection, or simply cystitis causing inflammation.

Symptoms

Symptoms of cystitis may include burning feeling when you urinate; frequent or intense urges to urinate; pain in the back or lower abdomen; cloudy, dark, bloody, or unusual-smelling urine; and fever or chills.

Treatment

Treatment of cystitis usually involves antibiotic therapy. However, the antibiotics prescribed depend on the type of bacteria causing the infection. Often, the health care provider recommends drinking fair amounts of water to help flush the bacteria.

Our Urinary Tract Infection page has more detailed information about urinary tract infections.

Source:
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. What I Need to Know About Urinary Tract Infections (http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/uti_ez/index.htm). NIH Publication No. 07–4807, August 2007. Retrieved November 2009

Page Last Revised: November 22, 2010

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