Cystitis or Urinary Tract Infection is an infection in the urine which causes the bladder to become raw and inflamed. If untreated, the infection can spread to the kidneys. Most women will suffer from this at least once in their life. The symptoms are a frequent urge to pass urine with pain and a burning sensation, the urine may smell strongly and may appear cloudy and may have blood in it.
Urine infections are usually caused by bacteria that normally lives in the bowel. Some women develop urine infections after sex. Cystitis is not a sexually transmitted disease, it's just that sex can irritate the opening of the urethra (the tube that urine passes through) and allow bacteria to travel up to the bladder. For women prone to cystitis it is important to pass urine after having sex because this flushes away any bacteria. Urine infections can easily be treated with antibiotics.
General measures that may help are drinking lots of water and taking powders available from chemists such as Ural that will make the urine less acidic and decrease stinging. You should avoid caffeine and alcohol. Drinking cranberry juice can prevent infections by reducing the number of bacteria in your bladder.
It is important to consult a doctor when cystitis occurs and to return if symptoms are not settling promptly. For more information contact your doctor or Family Planning Clinic.