What you can do
Cystitis can come on very suddenly, and the last thing you want to do is go to the shops. So make sure you have paracetamol, long-life cranberry juice, potassium citrate cystitis remedy (available from pharmacists) and two hot water bottles available.

It is not necessary to see your doctor for every attack of cystitis – 60% of attacks of bacterial cystitis cure themselves within 4 days without antibiotics. The following measures will relieve the discomfort, and help you to get through the attack.

• Take painkillers such as paracetamol if you need them.
• Decide whether you need to see your doctor, for example, if this is your first attack (see below).
• Drink plenty of water. As soon as you feel an attack coming on, drink 300 mL (that is a ½ pint or a mugful) of water straight away. Then continue to drink 300 mL of water or very weak tea every hour for 3 hours. Avoid coffee and alcohol because these can irritate the bladder.
• Make sure you empty your bladder completely each time, pushing out every last drop.
• Drink about 300 mL of cranberry juice twice a day, because it may help to shorten the attack
• Use a potassium citrate cystitis remedy according to the instructions on the packet. This neutralizes acidity in urine. It will not get rid of bacteria, but it can relieve symptoms. If you do not have potassium citrate, mix a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda with some water – this will do a similar job. Repeat it three more times, 1 hour apart. (But do not use bicarbonate of soda if you are on a low salt diet for blood pressure.)
• Use hot water bottles, in a cover or wrapped in a towel, and put one on your back, and one between your legs, close to the opening of the urethra (pee hole).

• What is cystitis?
• What your doctor can do
• Preventing further attacks
• Useful contacts