Cystitis

Nearly half of all women will experience a painful attack of cystitis at some point in their lives.

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 in women's bladders it is much easier for bacteria to travel than it is in men's bladders.