Cystitis
Cystitis means inflammation of the bladder, and produces the symptoms of pain and burning on urination, possibly associated with increased frequency, nocturia (getting up at night to pass water), haematuria (blood in the urine) and urge incontinence. The cause is usually infection by a bacterium which has entered the urethra and colonised the bladder. In younger women this may be associated with sexual intercourse (which is why many years ago it was called honeymoon cystitis) while in the elderly it is often associated with relative dehydration (the fear of incontinence makes them frightened to drink, which makes them likely to get infected, which makes them likely to be incontinent). While established infection may need treatment with antibiotics, the symptoms may be helped by taking liquids to neutralise the acidity of the urine. Attacks may be avoided by, for example, passing urine after intercourse and, in the elderly, increasing fluid intake. Persistent symptoms in the absence of infection with a bacterium may be due to low-grade inflammatory response in a condition called interstitial cystitis whose cause is unknown.
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