Going with the flow: recognising and managing UTIs like cystitis

You know it's cystitis when you get a sudden urge that leaves you running for the nearest toilet, only to experience a burning pain when you pee. But there are simple ways to keep the bladder infection at bay

Pic: iStock

To pee or not to pee — the question doesn’t even arise for someone suffering from cystitis. The urge to get to a toilet is imperative — you need to get there fast. But there is no relief when you do — rather a burning pain as you urinate that can leave you wincing. You finish, stand up and before you’re in the next room you feel the need to go again.

Cystitis is no joke. It commonly presents with pain passing urine, increased frequency of urination, and need to pass urine urgently — lower abdominal discomfort can also be a problem, says Mallow-based GP and assistant medical director of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) Dr Nóirín O’Herlihy.