Cystitis Remedies

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by a bacterial infection. The condition, which is very common, is uncomfortable and often painful. It most often occurs in women but men can get it, too. If you have cystitis, it's important to get the infection treated, or else it could develop into a more serious illness such as a kidney infection. Several effective medications are available to treat cystitis, and lifestyle changes may help as well.

Symptoms

• It's important to recognize the signs of cystitis early so you can get effective treatment before the condition progresses into something worse. Symptoms include burning during urination, frequent need to urinate, the passing of urine that is cloudy and has a strong smell and blood in the urine. Quite often, an infection appears in females following sexual intercourse because the activity can allow bacteria to get into the urethra. But many other risk factors can come into play, such as use of a bladder catheter or, in men, an enlarged prostate that keeps urine from flowing freely.

Medical remedies

• Antibiotics are the most common treatment for cystitis. First you'll need to be diagnosed using urine tests that look for bacteria and the presence of blood. Sometimes the inside of the bladder is also inspected using a cytoscope. If cystitis is confirmed, the doctor may use any of several antibiotics, including nitrofurantoin, cephalosporins, doxycycline and amoxicillin. It's common for the symptoms to subside within a few days, but sometimes a longer course of antibiotics is required to completely clear the bacteria. Low-dose preventive antibiotics are sometimes taken by women with a history of cystitis.

Home remedies

• Drinking cranberry juice is probably the best-known home remedy for cystitis. One way it may work is by increasing -- through the juice's absorbic acid, or Vitamin C -- the acidity of the urine, which may reduce the pain associated with the condition. But cranberry juice also contains condensed tannins, which inhibit the action of the E. coli bacteria often responsible for cystitis.

  Other things you can do at home to feel better include drinking plenty of fluids to wash bacteria from the bladder, using a heating pad over the abdomen to relieve pain and soaking in a warm bath. Best avoided are soft drinks, coffee and other sources of caffeine; spicy foods; alcohol; and citrus products. All of these can promote irritation of the bladder.