What is cystitis?
"Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder, and it can be the result of infection, irritation, or bruising, or even a combination of these three factors. Women are more prone to cystitis than men because the tube (urethra) that runs from the bladder to the outside of the body is much shorter (about 5cm/2ins) in women than it is in men (about 18cm/7ins). This means that bacteria can more easily travel to a woman's bladder than it can a man's. What's more, the opening to the urethra is close to both the anus and the vagina in women (in men, it's quite a distance away), which provides even easier access for bacteria to enter the urethra and to make its way up to the bladder.

What symptoms can you experience?
"The symptoms of cystitis make the diagnosis crystal clear, and if you have ever suffered from cystitis in the past, you'll recognise them immediately. The two most common symptoms of cystitis are:

• An overwhelming urge to urinate every few minutes, normally with little urine to pass
• Burning pain during urination

"Other symptoms may include:

• Dragging pains in the lower abdomen and back
• Nausea and vomiting
• A painful burning sensation at the outer end of the urethra
• Dark, often foul-smelling urine, which may also contain some traces of blood
• Fever, if there is an infection present

What can cause cystitis?
"There are two main types of cystitis: bacterial (infectious) and non-bacterial.

Bacterial
"Bacterial cystitis is responsible for about 50 percent of all cases of cystitis. Bacteria (normally the E-coli bacteria, see below) enters the urethra in one of a variety of different ways. Once in, it can stick to the walls of the bladder and occasionally travels to the kidneys. The urinary tract itself is normally kept clean by the rush of urine when we eliminate waste products, but infection can develop in the urethra if the bacteria sticks to the walls and multiplies. It then travels up the urethra to the bladder causing inflammation and infection.
"Women who use tampons are more susceptible to bacterial cystitis than..."