Cystitis in Men: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

Definition: Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract, usually caused by bacterial infections.

It may not cause any symptoms at all, or it may cause pain or burning when urinating, or the need to urinate more often than usual.

In young men, cystitis is uncommon. It can mean that the urinary system has some abnormality that is allowing entry to germs (bacteria).

The abnormality could be a pocket-shaped pocket protruding from the wall of the bladder, or a bladder calculation.

Young men sometimes think they have cystitis if it hurts when urinating, but the cause is more likely to be inflammation of the urethra (the tube that runs from the bladder, along the penis).

The inflammation of the urethra is called urethritis. It is often caused by a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia.

Men older than 50 years are more likely to have cystitis than younger men. This is due to the prostate gland that often begins to expand in middle age.

An enlarged prostate stops the correct emptying of the bladder, and the bacteria can reproduce in the stagnant urine in the bladder.

What are the symptoms of cystitis in men?

Although bladder infections are more common in women, men can also have them.

Symptoms of bladder infection in men include:

  • Frequent urination
  • Persistent urgency to urinate.
  • Burning or tingling sensation during or right after urinating.
  • Febrile
  • Cloudy urine with a strong odor.
  • Blood in the urine.
  • Difficulty urinating, especially if you have a problem with the prostate.


Most urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria that come from the intestine itself. It does not cause any damage to your bowel, but they can cause infection if they reach other parts of the body.

These bacteria sometimes travel to the tube that passes urine from the urethra to the bladder. Some bacteria develop in the urine and multiply rapidly causing infection.

A urinary infection is often technically known as a urinary tract infection (UTI).

When the infection is only in the bladder and urethra, this is called a lower urinary tract infection. If it moves to affect one or both kidneys, so it is called an upper urinary tract infection.

This can be more serious, because the kidneys can be affected by the infection.

What can be done in a case of cystitis?

If you have pain when you urinate, you should go to a genitourinary medicine clinic, because there you can do all the necessary tests very easily.

They will make sure that there are no sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea that can inflame the urethra, and they will give you the right treatment.

You will also have a urine test to see if you have cystitis. Alternatively, you could consult your trusted doctor.

If you have a urine infection, you will need antibiotic treatment. If the infection returns, more research is needed to look for abnormalities of the urinary system.