Cystitis is a form of bacterial infection that affects the bladder. This is also known as a urinary tract infection (UTI), and is more commonly found in women. 

Symptoms of cystitis include a burning or itching sensation when you pee, dark cloudy urine or needing to use the toilet more than normal. Some people will experience some nausea or a high fever in some cases.

Although we don’t know what fully causes cystitis, it is often due to bacteria that is typically found in the bowel travelling to the urine tract which can cause infection. Some factors that can aggravate this can be sexual intercourse or wiping back to front when using the toilet.

While cystitis is not considered a sexually transmitted infection, having sex can cause the bacteria that causes the infection to move to the bladder. If you have cystitis, it’s recommended to avoid having sex until symptoms have disappeared with treatment. Peeing immediately after sex can also help to reduce the chances of this occurring in the future.

Some over the counter treatments can help to neutralise the urine to make it difficult for the bacteria to grow in the bladder. However, a short course of antibiotics are a suitable and the best treatment for cystitis.

Following your consultation with MedExpress, our prescribers will recommend the treatment that is best for you. In the case of antibiotics being recommended, the typical course is one tablet to be taken twice a day for three days.

If antibiotics are recommended, the main side effects include stomach upset. For this reason, we recommend that antibiotics are taken on a full stomach to minimise this.

If you are experiencing cystitis regularly or have not got relief from antibiotics within 7 days of starting a course, we recommend seeing your GP. They can rule out any underlying conditions that may be causing your symptoms, and try an alternative antibiotic which might be more suitable for you.