The Urology Center Glossary terms

Cystitis (Female):

The term cystitis means inflammation of the bladder. The inflammation my be caused by bacterial infection (common), stones inside the bladder, cancer, radiation, autoimmune disease or any other cause of bladder irritation. Differentiation of the causes of cystitis beyond simple infectious cystitis requires evaluation by a urologist.

The urinary tract includes the kidneys, ureters (the tubes between the kidneys and the bladder), bladder, urethra (the tube between the bladder and the outside) and, in men, the prostate. When specific parts of the urinary tract become inflamed (but not necessarily infected) particular medical names are assigned:

kidney inflammation -- pyelonephritis

bladder inflammation -- cystitis

prostate inflammation -- prostatitis

urethra inflammation -- urethritis

The most common cause of cystitis in adult women is infectious cystitis (true bacterial cystitis), which means bladder infection. Confirmation of an infection of the bladder requires more than a simple urine analysis, it requires culture of the urine. Without cultures of the urine the cause of the cystitis may never be known. Furthermore, without urine culture, other potentially serious causes for the cystitis symptoms may be confused with an infection.

True bacterial cystitis, bladder infections, in women are generally caused by bacteria displaced from the gastrointestinal tract (the stool). Gastrointestinal tract bacteria become adherent to the lining of the vaginal opening. From there, the bacteria may easily become transmitted into the bladder through the short female urethra.

Simple bacterial cystitis in sexually active adult women is very common and generally are not of great cause for concern. A short, no more than 3 day course of antibiotics speeds recovery. In fact, most cases of simple bacterial cystitis may be alleviated with just one antibiotic pill.

The standard treatment of simple bladder infection in women is a three-day course of antibiotics. Use of antibiotics for longer than three days simply promotes side effects like vaginitis.

The standard treatment of simple bladder infection in women is a three-day course of antibiotics. Use of antibiotics for longer than three days simply promotes side effects like vaginitis. Longer courses of antibiotics tend to destroy the natural protective lining of the vagina, allowing the growth of yeast in its place. Symptoms of vaginitis include vaginal burning near the urethra. Vaginitis symptoms are commonly confused with symptoms of bladder infection. However, vaginitis produces burning just after urination, as well as during urination. An additional ill-effect of long courses of antibiotics is the development of antibiotic resistance. This can be a dangerous situation.

(See related glossary terms: "urine analysis", "inflammation", "culture", "bladder infection", "prostatitis", "urine analysis", "urinary tract infection", "kidney infection", "reflux", "vaginitis").