Cystitis

Cystitis, or inflammation of the bladder, is most commonly caused by the presence of bacterial infection in the bladder. This is thought to occur as a result of commonly occurring bacteria present on the body entering into the bladder through the urethra. Although it is not always apparent as to why this occurs, there are a number of factors which are thought to contribute to contraction and development of the infection. These are:

• Having sex
• Wiping your bottom from back to front after passing stools
• Using a contraceptive diaphragm
• Insertion of a tampon into the vagina or usage of urinary catheters

Trimethoprim is an antibiotic commonly used in cystisis treatment. It is routinely prescribed when symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) fail to resolve by themselves. Trimethoprim works by treating the root cause of the UTI and killing the bacteria associated with the infection. In most cases a short course (3 days) of the antibiotic is highly effective.

If you are experiencing a fever, back pain and/or vomiting, this may be a sign that the urinary infection has spread to your kidneys.In such cases you should seek urgent medical attention by contacting your GP.