Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) is often due to a bacterial infection of the lower urinary tract. Each year, around 5% of women present to their GPs with typical symptoms of cystitis, such as pain when passing urine and urinary frequency, about half of whom are found to have a urinary tract infection.

The remaining women will have symptoms in the absence of bacterial infection, which is often referred to as interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome. Typical symptoms of cystitis include pain when passing urine, and frequency and urgency of urination. Suprapubic pain, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, haematuria, or confusion (in older patients) may also occur.

Most urinary tract infections occur in women who are otherwise healthy; Escherichia coli is the cause of at least 70% of such uncomplicated urinary infections presenting in general practice. The key risk factors for uncomplicated infections include sexual intercourse, a personal or family history of urinary infection, and the use of a contraceptive diaphragm plus spermicide. Recurrent cystitis is usually defined as three episodes of urinary tract infection in the previous 12 months, or two episodes in the previous 6 months. Around of half of all women who have an attack of cystitis will experience another within a year.

Antibiotics such as trimethoprim are used in the treatment of cystitis due to a bacterial infection. General measures to treat urinary infection include drinking more to increase urinary output, and an analgesic or antipyretic for pain or fever. Oral treatments that alkalinise the urine is sometimes used to alleviate symptoms of cystitis.
How acupuncture can help?
Acupuncture may help in the treatment of cystitis by:
~reducing inflammation, by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors;
~reducing pain and swelling;
~improving bladder irritation by inhibition of capsaicin-sensitive C-fibre activation.