Here are definitions of medical terms related to cystitis.
Antibiotics: Medicines that kill bacteria or prevent them from growing.
Bacteria: Microscopic germs that can cause infection.
Bacterial infection: Infection caused by bacteria.
Biopsy: Removal of a small piece of tissue from the body to study under the microscope for any abnormality.
Bladder: The muscle-like sac that stores urine produced by the kidneys.
Catheter: A small flexible tube used to drain urine from the bladder.
Chlamydia: A sexually transmitted disease caused by certain types of germs.
Clean catch: A urine sample collected in the middle of urinating to avoid contaminating the sample with other body germs.
Congenital: A condition present at birth.
Cystocele: Hernia of the bladder in which the tissue weakens and causes the bladder to fall into the vagina.
Cystoscope: An instrument used to look inside the bladder.
Dipstick: A stick containing chemicals that, when dipped in urine, change color to indicate infection or the presence of other abnormalities.
Diverticula: Abnormal pouches inside a hollow organ such as the bladder.
E. coli: The strain of bacteria that usually causes cystitis.
Gonorrhea: A sexually transmitted disease.
Interstitial cystitis: A long-term, recurring bladder infection for which no cause can be found.
Intravenous pyelogram: An x-ray test that tracks the movement of a chemical substance as it collects in the kidneys and exits through the bladder. Also called an IVP test.
Kidneys: A pair of organs that rid the body of waste materials from the bloodstream.
Kidney stones: Rock-like substances that form in the kidneys of some people. They can cause blockage of the urinary tract, which in turn can cause cystitis.
Organisms: Microscopic forms of life, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Perineal area: The tissue area surrounding the opening of the bladder, vagina (in women) and rectum.
Perineum: See perineal area.
Prophylactic: An action that works to prevent disease recurrence, such as taking antibiotics before a cystitis attack.
Prostate: A muscular-like gland at the base of a man's urethra.
Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate gland.
Pyelonephritis: Inflammation of the kidneys caused by bacterial infection.
Reye's Syndrome: a serious complication in children following treatment with aspirin, usually after a viral infection. It may progress to coma and death.
Sterile: Free of germs.
Ultrasound: A test that uses sound waves to produce two-dimensional images of internal body organs and structures.
Ureters: Body tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
Urethra: Body tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the body. The tube acts like a drainpipe, allowing urine to run from the bladder to the outside of the body.
Urethritis: Inflammation of the urethra.
Urinary tract infections: Infections involving all or part of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Often called UTIs.
Urologist: A doctor who specializes in diseases of the urinary tract.
Vagina: A woman's birth canal.
Voiding cystourethrogram: An x-ray test taken as a person urinates. It tracks a chemical put into the bladder and can detect back-up of urine. Often called a VCUG test.
