Embarrassing Illnesses

If you have had cystitis before, you may be able to recognise the symptoms and diagnose the condition yourself. However, men and children with cystitis should always see their GP. You should also see your GP if:

• this is the first time you have had cystitis,
• there is blood in your urine (haematuria),
• you have a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F),
• you are in a lot of pain, or
• you have had cystitis three times in one year.

Your GP should be able to diagnose cystitis from asking about your symptoms. In some cases, they may also use a dipstick to test your urine. This is when a chemically treated strip of paper is dipped into a sample of your urine. The paper will react to the presence of certain bacteria and reveal which kind of infection you have.

Urine culture

In some cases, your GP may wish to send a sample of your urine to a laboratory for further testing. This sample is called a urine culture. This may be necessary if:

• you have recurrent cystitis (more than three times in one year),
• it is possible that you may have a kidney infection - cystitis can be a symptom of this,
• you are on immunosuppressant medication (medication that suppress your immune system) - these affect your body's defences so you may be more prone to infections,
• you have diabetes (a long term condition caused by too much glucose in the blood) - cystitis can be a complication of diabetes, 
• you may have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) - such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia, or
• it is possible that you may have another infection - such as thrush (candida).

The urine culture will confirm which bacteria are causing your cystitis. Alternatively, it may reveal that your cystitis is caused by another condition. Your GP will be able to advise you about the most appropriate treatment for you. 

Further tests

If you have recurrent cystitis that does not respond to antibiotics, even after a urine culture has been tested, you may be referred to a specialist. You may need to have some other tests such as:

• an ultrasound scan,
• an X-ray, or
• a cystoscopy.

A cystoscopy is when a fibre-optic camera, called a cystoscope, is used to examine your bladder. The cystoscope is a thin, fibre-optic tube that has a light source and a camera at one end. It is inserted into your urethra (the tube that passes from your bladder out of your body) so that images of the inside of your bladder can be transmitted to a screen.

Any further tests that you require will be explained to you by the healthcare professional treating you.