What Is Cystitis?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
7. The Difference Between Cystitis and UTI
A urinary tract infection refers to an infection anywhere along the path urine takes as it begins in the kidneys, passes through the ureters, is stored in the bladder, and finally exits the body through the urethra. Most people use the terms cystitis and UTI to describe the same set of symptoms, but a UTI is only one type of cystitis.
Some people also refer to bladder and kidney infections as UTIs, but they also are distinct types of cystitis. A bladder infection results from overgrowth of bacteria inside the bladder, and a kidney infection can occur when a bladder infection spreads up the ureters and into one or both kidneys.
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