Ouch! Just the thought of cystitis brings tears to the eyes.

Cystitis, or ‘honeymoon disease’, is basically a bladder infection caused by bacteria entering the urethra and making their way to the bladder, causing inflammation, pain and burning when you urinate.

Most women will experience cystitis at least once in their life and for some women it can be a recurring problem.

What you can do

First and foremost, take measures to avoid getting it, including making sure you wipe from front to back when using the toilet so you avoid spreading bacteria to the urethra.

Another useful tip is to ensure that you urinate directly after sex; this helps flush away any bacteria from the opening of the urethra.

Herbs for cystitis include diuretics such as couch grass, celery seed and marshmallow to soothe inflamed mucous membranes.

Drinking cranberry juice regularly has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrent infection, due to a compound found in cranberries which blocks bacteria from attaching to the epithelial cells lining the bladder.

Celery and parsley are natural diuretics and can be juiced with cucumber to make an alkalising drink to help flush the bladder.

If you have to take antibiotics for severe cystitis, remember to take probiotics each night to help protect your gut microbiome.