Cystitis: Tips to Ease the Pain

Cystitis is a painful inflammation or infection of the urinary bladder. When caused by germs, cystitis is called a bacterial urinary tract infection. A urinary tract infection such as cystitis can become a serious health problem if the infection spreads into your kidneys. Most people with cystitis develop signs and symptoms. These may include: A strong and persistent urge to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating, blood in the urine, passing cloudy or strong-smelling urine, a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen and a low-grade fever.

Cystitis is sometimes referred to as honeymoon cystitis because this bladder infection commonly occurs in women as a result of sexual intercourse. During sexual activity, bacteria can be introduced into the bladder through the urethra. But even girls and women who are not sexually active can be susceptible to lower urinary tract infections because the female genital area often harbors bacteria that can cause cystitis.

The medications most commonly recommended for simple urinary tract infections are antibiotics such as amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and Trimethoprim. Make sure your doctor is aware of any other medications you’re taking or any allergies you might have. You don’t want to have reaction from medicine coupled with cystitis.

Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. For me I have found cranberry juice to help the most and the quickest. However, don’t drink cranberry juice if you’re taking the blood-thinning medication Coumadin. Possible interactions between cranberry juice and Coumadin can lead to bleeding.

There are steps you can take to minimize your risk of getting cystitis. Urinate frequently,
Don’t hold back when you feel the urge to urinate any longer then you absolutely have to.
Wipe from front to back after a bowel movement. Take showers rather than tub baths. If you’re susceptible to infections, doing so can help prevent infections.

Cystitis can be very painful, but there are steps you can take to ease your discomfort until antibiotics clear the infection. Sometimes a heating pad placed over your Belly can help minimize feelings of bladder pressure or pain. Drink plenty of fluids, but avoid coffee, alcohol, soft drinks with caffeine, citrus juices and spicy foods until your infection has cleared. These items can irritate your bladder and aggravate your frequent or urgent need to urinate. It also may be helpful for your pain to sit in a bathtub of warm water for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cystitis is painful and can become a big problem if it is not taken care of. But its also can be treated fairly easily and there are ways I mentioned above to help ease the pain until it goes away. Practice the tips I gave you to minimize your risk of getting cystitis.