At a glance

Standby antibiotic treatment for women who are prone to cystitis and have been diagnosed with recurrent cystitis by their GP or doctor.

Cystitis is the medical term for inflammation of the bladder. Most of the time, the inflammation is caused by a bacterial infection, and is known as a urinary tract infection (UTI). A bladder infection can be painful and annoying, and it can become a serious health problem if the infection spreads to your kidneys.

Cystitis in women is common with some women being prone to repeated episodes of cystitis. A short course of antibiotics, along with education around transmission of germs, is the usual treatment. Men rarely suffer from cystitis and the treatment offered here is not for men. 

The treatment offered by HealthHero Ireland is for those women who have a diagnosis of recurrent cystitis and have been investigated for potential underlying causes by their GP or regular doctor.

Symptoms

When certain germs get inside your urethra, they can travel up into your bladder and kidneys and cause an infection. Up to 15% of women have cystitis each year and about half of women have at least one bout of cystitis in their life.

Urine is usually free from bacteria. In cystitis, bacterial infection in the urine causes irritation in the bladder, leading to burning when passing water and, usually, a need to run to the toilet frequently. There may also be an offensive smell to the urine which may be cloudy and blood stained.

Cystitis is not normally a serious condition, however occasionally infection can travel up into the kidneys leading to a serious infection known as pyelonephritis.

Pyelonephritis is infection in the kidneys that can cause kidney damage. The symptoms of pyelonephritis are- high fever, back ache, shivering, headache, nausea and vomiting. Pyelonephritis requires urgent medical attention and sometimes hospital treatment.

The vast majority of women improve within a few days of developing cystitis. However, if your symptoms do not improve despite taking antibiotics then you may need an alternative antibiotic. Some bacteria causing cystitis can be resistant to certain types of antibiotic.

When suffering with symptoms of cystitis for the very first time, it is important to see a doctor so that certain tests can be carried out to rule out more serious underlying causes.

Treatments

A short course of an antibiotic will normally successfully treat cystitis.

Symptoms of simple cystitis should begin to improve within 24 hours of starting the treatment. If symptoms are not improving after the first 24 hours of treatment, or have not gone completely after 3 days, you should consult a GP. If symptoms worsen rather than improve you should seek urgent medical attention.

Some people might experience few side effects including gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating and loose stools. Please consult the patient information leaflet for a complete list of side-effects.

Please note that if you develop any symptoms such as rash, wheezing or feeling faint whilst using the treatment prescribed you should stop and seek medical advice promptly.