Cystitis

Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by a bladder infection.

It’s a common type of urinary tract infection (UTI), particularly in women, and is usually more of a nuisance than a cause for serious concern. Mild cases will often get better by themselves within a few days.

However, some people experience episodes of cystitis frequently and may need regular or long-term treatment.

There’s also a chance that cystitis could lead to a more serious kidney infection in some cases, so it’s important to seek professional advice if your symptoms don’t improve.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of cystitis include:

pain, burning or stinging when you pee needing to pee more often and urgently than normal urine that’s dark, cloudy or strong smelling pain low down in your tummy feeling generally unwell, achy, sick and tired

Possible symptoms in young children include a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above, weakness, irritability, reduced appetite and vomiting.

Read more about the symptoms of cystitis


Cystitis can cause problems with peeing and make you feel unwell.


Cystitis in adults can cause:

pain, burning or stinging when you pee needing to pee more often and urgently than normal feeling like you need to pee again soon after going to the toilet urine that’s dark, cloudy or strong-smelling pain low down in your tummy feeling generally unwell, achy, sick and tired blood in your urine

In adults, cystitis doesn’t usually cause a high temperature (fever). If you have a temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above and pain in your lower back or sides, it may be a sign of a kidney infection.


It can be difficult to tell whether a child has cystitis, because the symptoms can be vague and young children cannot easily communicate how they feel.

Possible symptoms of cystitis in young children may include:

a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above weakness and tiredness irritability  reduced appetite vomiting

Children with cystitis can sometimes also have symptoms usually found in adults, such as pain when peeing, peeing more often than normal and pain in their tummy.