Specialised Care For:

Cystitis, Recurrent Infections and Cystoscopy

Cystitis is infection of the bladder. It is very common, with an estimated 50 to 70 per cent of women developing this infection at least once during their lives.

What are the symptoms of cystitis?

• Burning sensation or pain when passing urine
• Strong odour from urine
• Cloudy urine
• Frequent urination
• Pain directly above the public bone

However, it is possible to have cystitis without developing any symptoms.

It is also important to note that although in most cases, mild cystitis can be successfully treated with a course of antibiotics, recurrent cystitis left untreated can lead to serious complications.

How do you get cystitis?

The most common cause of cystitis is infection from bacteria is by far the most frequent cause of cystitis. Women are affected more often than men because in women the urethra – the tube which passes urine out from the bladder – is shorter than in men and more easily contaminated by bacteria from the bowel.

Cystitis does also occur in men and children. This is usually due to problems with the urinary function or abnormalities in anatomy.

I am pregnant – is it safe to be treated for cystitis?

Changes which occur during pregnancy increase the risk of women developing cystitis. You must seek treatment as untreated cystitis can lead to premature labour.

What is Interstitial Cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder, also known as hypersensitive bladder and painful bladder syndrome. Unlike simple cystitis, it is not caused by common bacteria and does not respond to conventional antibiotics.

Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis

Typical symptoms of interstitial cystitis are bladder pain and the need to go to the toilet very frequently (frequency) and the need to empty the bladder being very sudden (urgency). The severity of the condition varies – it can be fairly mild thorough to severe, when the patient experiences chronic pelvic pain.

Treatment for Interstitial Cystitis

The cause of interstitial cystitis is not fully understood. It may be triggered by a rare organism, or may be related to abnormalities in the nerve endings in the bladder. Sufferers of IC often spend a long period being treated with conventional antibiotics for cystitis without success, before being diagnosed with IC.

The condition is diagnosed by a number of different tests – it is necessary to rule out other causes of bladder problems before establishing IC as the cause of problems. Therefore patients will need to undergo a urodynamics test and cystoscopy.

However, effective treatments for IC are available. The symptoms of IC can be controlled with what is known as bladder installation therapy, when a combination of medication in a liquid solution is flushed into the bladder. The procedure is quick and painless and needs to be repeated, initially on a two weekly basis, then with less frequency once it is established. To find out about a patient’s experience of IC go to testimonials.

Testing for cystitis and cystoscopy

In most cases, a simple urine test can be undertaken to detect whether bacteria causing cystitis is present. If the condition is recurrent and/or accompanied by serious complications such as fever, it is important that an ultrasound scan of the kidneys is undertaken. This is to check for any abnormalities and ensure the bladder is being correctly emptied. For patients with recurrent cystitis you my need a telescopic examination of the bladder, cystoscopy.

What is a cystoscopy?

A cystoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor inserts a lighted instrument, called a cystoscope, into the urethra in order to examine the inside of the urethra and the bladder.

The cystoscope is as thin as a pencil and has lenses like a telescope or microscope. These lenses let the doctor focus on the inner surfaces of the urinary tract. The images are transferred to a camera and a monitor system with option for you to watch the procedure if you wish.

Why is a cystoscopy carried out?

Cystoscopy may be done for any one of a number of reasons including frequent urinary tract infections, loss of bladder control (incontinence) or an overactive bladder, blood in the urine, unusual cells that have been found in urine sample, the need for a bladder catheter, chronic pelvic pain and a stone in the urinary tract.

What is ultrasound?

Ultrasound involved sending sound waves into the body. These sound waves are then reflected off internal organs. The reflections are then recorded by special instruments which create an image of parts of the internal anatomy. There is no ionizing radiation, or x-ray involved in ultrasound.