Cystitis can be a painful, unpleasant and even debilitating condition — having to drink glass after glass of water and use the bathroom every 10 minutes makes it difficult to go any further than your living room! For a few days this is manageable, if a bit annoying. For some, however, cystitis is a recurring condition that just keeps coming back.
Recurrent cystitis usually means two infections within six months, or three in a year. In some cases, they can occur much more frequently than that. Cystitis is the term used for the inflammation of the bladder, and this inflammation is most commonly caused by a bladder infection. Some people are naturally just more prone to developing cystitis without any real cause. However, there are also a number of more specific causes that you should look out for, as knowing the cause makes it easier to prevent.
There are a number of reasons why you might not be fully emptying your bladder, including obstructions in the urethra. If you often feel like you still need to pee after emptying your bladder, the best course of action would be to consult your doctor, who may refer you for an ultrasound of your bladder.
This is a really easy way to spread bacteria into the urethra. As well as this, sex can cause irritation, damage or bruising to the bladder wall and the urethra, causing inflammation. Poor diet has a really important role in the development of cystitis.
Bacteria feed off sugar, so eating too much sugary food can cause recurring cystitis. This also means that diabetes can be a problem, because diabetics often have more sugar in their urine than most people. For more information, read my diet tips for cystitis. Just that sometimes people who are prone to cystitis need to be extra careful about hygiene when it comes to this area, because it is so easy for bacteria to transfer to the urethra and up into the bladder.
Our bodies are naturally home to a whole host of bacteria, and usually our friendly bacteria have the important responsibility of helping to keep our bad bacteria in check. However, things like antibiotics, poor diet or an over-use of antibacterial soap can alter this balance, and leave bad bacteria free to multiply. Some people are unfortunately just naturally more prone to developing cystitis; the good news is that there are still a number of preventative measures you can take regardless of the cause.
Here are my top tips for reducing the chances of cystitis returning. Try as many of these measures as you can to see which ones work. It may be that there are a few contributing factors to your symptoms so a combination of preventative measures usually works best. If nothing seems to help your cystitis, consult your GP. They will be able to do a number of tests to make sure everything is working okay, including ultrasounds and urine analysis.
They can prescribe you antibiotics which help relieve the infection quickly, but it is not very healthy to take them regularly for recurring cystitis. If no cause can be found, it may be that you are suffering from interstitial cystitis. Click the link for more information. Join Now. Looking for a solution to relieve symptoms of cystitis? Look no further. Our Uva-ursi and Echinacea tincture is a licensed herbal remedy used to relieve symptoms of cystitis in women.
To find local independent stores in your area that sell Uva-ursi and Echinacea tincture, simply type your postcode below. Fresh extracts of uva-ursi and echinacea to help maintain bladder health and comfort. Expert opinions vary on whether certain lifestyle changes reduce the risk of bladder infection. It may be helpful to:. Some studies have shown that cranberry products may have infection-fighting properties to help prevent urinary tract infections.
But evidence is limited and inconsistent. Cranberry does not help treat an existing UTI. There is a problem with information submitted for this request.
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Mar 15, Issue. Clinical Questions Which interventions prevent further recurrence of cystitis in women experiencing at least two infections per year? Definition In most cases, cystitis is a bacterial infection of the lower urinary tract that causes pain when passing urine and causes frequency, urgency, hematuria, and suprapubic pain not associated with passing urine. Incidence Recurrent cystitis is common among young, healthy women, even though they generally have anatomically and physiologically normal urinary tracts.
Etiology Cystitis is caused by uropathogenic bacteria in the fecal flora that colonize the vaginal and periurethral openings and ascend the urethra into the bladder. Prognosis We found little evidence on the long-term effects of untreated cystitis. Read the full article.
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Best Value! To see the full article, log in or purchase access. Author disclosure: Nothing to disclose. Email Alerts Don't miss a single issue. Sign up for the free AFP email table of contents. Navigate this Article. Likely to be beneficial. Cranberry products juice, capsules. Unknown effectiveness. Continuous prophylaxis with methenamine hippurate. Estrogen topical in postmenopausal women. Passing urine after intercourse.
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