This is inflammation of the bladder and may be due to:
- Upward spread of microbes that are commensals of the bowel from the perineum via the urethra,especially in women.
- Trauma,with or without infection,following healthcare interventions,eg. radiology,insertion of urinary catheter into the bladder.
The effects are inflammation,with oedema and small haemorrhages of the mucosa,which may be accompanied by hematuria. The sensory nerve endings in the bladder wall become hypersensitive and are stimulated before the bladder has filled,leading to frequency of micturition and dysuria. The urine may appear cloudy and have an unpleasant smell. Lower abdominal pain often accompanies cystitis. If untreated,upward spread may cause acute pyelonephritis or septicaemia.
Cystitis is uncomplicated when it occurs in otherwise healthy individuals with a normal urinary tract. When it affects people with structural or functional abnormalities of the urinary tract or those with pre-existing conditions, eg.diabetes mellitus or urinary outflow obstruction,it is described as complicated.
