Cystitis: What is it and how do I get help?

So many of us have experienced the pain and inconvenience of Cystitis. This common symptom of a UTI (urinary tract infection) can bring great discomfort for its, usually, female sufferers. And as well as being uncomfortable, the frequent trips to the loo are incredibly annoying. The condition can make you want to go what seems like every two minutes.

In this blog, our Head of PR, Gill Galassi, talks about the symptoms and remedies for cystitis, who it affects and how you can treat the condition without needing to see a health professional.

What are the main symptoms of Cystitis and what causes it?

Did you know, around 2 in 5 women will suffer from Cystitis during their lifetime? Estimates suggest that as many as 150 million UTIs occur around the world every year. In other bad news, 1 in 5 women who have had a UTI will experience another infection.

It mostly affects women who are peri-menopausal, menopausal or post-menopausal. If you’re in this category and notice a burning sensation when you pee, an increased in the amount of times that you need to go, dark or cloudy coloured urine, or pain in your stomach, you should think about taking a test.

UTIs such as cystitis are also more common during pregnancy. This is due to the location of the uterus, as it sits directly on top of the bladder. As the uterus gets bigger, it can inadvertently stop the bladder from draining the urine and can lead to infection.

Treating Cystitis

It’s a common belief that cranberry juice can cure cystitis, but this is actually untrue. Cranberry juice can help prevent the condition taking hold by stopping bacteria from adhering to your bladder’s lining. It’s unlikely to make a difference when an infection is established.

There are so many home remedies that can actually improve or get rid of symptoms before they really take hold.

• Drink plenty of water to try to flush the infection out

• Wear cotton underwear that’s loose fitting

• Make sure to pee after sex

• Don’t hold in your urine, make sure you pee when the urge takes hold!

Sometimes, these home remedies aren’t quite enough, and you may need medical help. There are solutions out there that now mean you can get help from medical professionals without having to see a doctor.

Making accurate testing more accessible

The team behind TestCard wanted to help make testing more accessible and affordable. We wanted to develop medical testing kits that you could use at a time and a place to suit your needs – without needing to see a doctor. And we wanted our testing kits to be both accurate and affordable.

TestCard has developed a fully accurate, postcard sized testing kit and app to help you test for a UTI from the comfort of your own home. When you’ve taken the test, your results are instant. You’ll then be given the choice to share your results with your health professional, making it quicker and easier to get treatment.

You can find out more about UTIs in menopause in our blog.