What is the treatment for cystitis?
- Antibiotics. A three day course is a common treatment. Symptoms usually improve within a day or so. See a doctor if symptoms have not gone, or nearly gone, after three days. (Some bacteria are resistant to some antibiotics. If symptoms persist it is usual to send a urine sample to the laboratory. This finds which bacterium is causing the infection and which antibiotics will kill it. A change of antibiotic is needed in some cases to clear the infection.)
- Have lots to drink is traditional advice to 'flush out the bladder'. However, there is no proof that this is helpful. Some doctors feel that it does not help, and drinking lots may just cause more (painful) toilet trips. Therefore, it is difficult to give confident advice on whether to drink lots, or just to drink normally.
- Paracetamol or ibuprofen ease pain or discomfort, and lower a high temperature.
- Not taking any treatment is an option if you are not pregnant. Your immune system can often clear the infection. (Studies have shown that in about half of cases, the symptoms and infection go within three days without treatment.) However, if you are pregnant, you should be treated with antibiotics to prevent possible complications.
See a doctor if you have recurring bouts of cystitis to discuss ways of preventing it.
© EMIS and PIP 2006 Updated: June 2006 PRODIGY Validated
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- Users tips on treating cystitis
- Expert advice on treating cystitis
- Real life story: 'I wear morphine patches to cope with my cystitis'
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keely brooks, about 1 year
do i need to worry? it started of i had pain and couldnt sleep, was bk and forwards to the loo feeling like i needed to wee and couldnt, a friend had told me it sounded like cystitas so i left it a few days and drunk water and cranberry juice, i then went to the drs and was trying to tell the dr my symtoms i hadnt even finished and she was wrightin a perscription, she handed it to me and said sounds a bit more like a water infection heres a 3days course, i took them and that didnt work. i left it again a few days thinking they wouldnt work straight away, i still had it but not as bad but i went bk to the drs and saw a different dr who said i needed to try a 7day course of antibiotics which is 14tablets, i taken 9 of these and there not working yet, should it be getting better yet, it did feel better for a few days but 2nt it seems worse again. i feel like i really need a wee and just trickling half the times i go. is this deffinatly cystitas or a water infection or should i worry about something else?? my symptoms are - pain when weeing - at the end of each wee, fills as though it burnin as though on fire wee is coming out {hard to explain hehe this is the best i could do} thats either at the end of wee or when i do trickle wees. sometimes hurts for a little while after. and sometimes feels like im bursting for a wee and when i try i cant go. i did have some blood around the beginning but i was thinking that may have been because my pill was messed up and i had just finished my period a day or 2 b4 so thougght maybe that was connected to that. 2nt i have a slight bit of blood after i wee wen i wiped me self, but very small and pale bit, bit like a little bit of discharge but very pale blood colour. pain in me low belly - not sure if this is connected though as i had a bug yest n was sick so think they may just b acking from that though i did have a slight belly ake at the beginning of this 2 but this may have been connected to my period even though it wasnt like period pains. i think thats it. can any1 put my mind at ease n tell me im ok
Report this commentsleepless night, about 1 year
i've been awake since 2.30am, its now 5.15 n i'm in constant pain, the 3 day anti-biotic course didn't work, i felt ok for about a day and now i'm back to sqaure 1! the only thing i have is paracetomal and sleeping pills! anything is worth trying right now!
Report this commentunbearable, about 1 year
i am a regular sfferer although it tends to clear itself after 24hours....although i have had it now 4 2weeks almost ..straight. it is the worst pain ever u cannot concentrate on anything uther than ur bladder..and i have no social life as i have 2 spend everyday on the toilet with 20 glasses of water next to me!! : (
Report this commentIn Pain, about 1 year
I have never even heard of this problem before, the other night i was in crippling pain, i used a full toilet roll and got 4 hours sleep. The pain for me was unbearable and all i had to do about it was suffer, surely it should me made more aware to us that we can contract it at any time so we can have the medication ready. i did have a disolvable asprin in a blackcurrant drink which stopped the pain for a short time but was left over night with no help and no clue as to what was happening to me. we need to be fully informed of things like this as i didnt know what was going on with my body!
Report this commentPatricia Jones, about 1 year
I have always found that if I take a teasponful or two of Bi-carbonate of soda in a glass of water, as soon as the symptoms appear and again about an hour later then it clears up within in a couple of hours.
Report this commentann wright, over 2 years
At 3a.m. reading the above is not very helpful as when the pain and bleeding is bad you want to see if there is anything you can do (a) the thought of having this for 3 days without help is horrendous and (b) how do you get a prescription on a saturday/sunday to start any course of treatment.
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dee, 2 months
can anyone tell me what sleeping pills wont affect my cystitus. i take a alkalizing pill and pyridium sometimes and i do pretty good. i just cant drink coffee which i miss! ive had this now for 25 years and im thirty eight. i know alot of remedies if you would like i will help anyone with their suffering. you definatley live with it for the rest of your life. dee
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