Cystitis is an infection in the urine which causes the bladder lining to become raw and inflamed. Most women will have cystitis at least once in their lives.
Men also get it, although less often than women and usually after middle age.
The most frequent sufferers from cystitis are women in their late teens or older, often after the onset of sexual activity. Some women are genetically more prone to cystitis, because bacteria find it easier to adhere to the lining cells of their bladders. Pregnancy is another time of risk for cystitis. Men get cystitis later in life and it is quite common in elderly people, particularly if they are unwell and in a nursing home or hospital. Bladder catheters and some urinary tract operations may also predispose to attacks.