The antihistamine hydroxyzine failed to demonstrate superiority over placebo in treatment of IC patients in a randomized, controlled, clinical trial.

Amitriptyline has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain and nocturia in many patients with IC/BPS with a median dose of 75 mg daily. In one study, the antidepressant duloxetine was found to be ineffective as a treatment, although a patent exists for use of duloxetine in the context of IC, and is known to relieve neuropathic pain. The calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine A has been studied as a treatment for interstitial cystitis due to its immunosuppressive properties. A prospective randomized study found cyclosporine A to be more effective at treating IC symptoms than pentosan polysulfate, but also had more adverse effects.

Oral pentosan polysulfate is believed to repair the protective glycosaminoglycan coating of the bladder, but studies have encountered mixed results when attempting to determine if the effect is statistically significant compared to placebo.

Diet modification is often recommended as a first-line method of self-treatment for interstitial cystitis, though rigorous controlled studies examining the impact diet has on interstitial cystitis signs and symptoms are currently lacking. Individuals with interstitial cystitis often experience an increase in symptoms when they consume certain foods and beverages. Avoidance of these potential trigger foods and beverages such as caffeine-containing beverages including coffee, tea, and soda, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, citrus fruits, hot peppers, and artificial sweeteners may be helpful in alleviating symptoms. Diet triggers vary between individuals with IC; the best way for a person to discover his or her own triggers is to use an elimination diet. Sensitivity to trigger foods may be reduced if calcium glycerophosphate and/or sodium bicarbonate is consumed. The foundation of therapy is a modification of diet to help patients avoid those foods which can further irritate the damaged bladder wall.

The mechanism by which dietary modification benefits people with IC is unclear. Integration of neural signals from pelvic organs may mediate the effects of diet on symptoms of IC.

The mainstay of treatment is antibiotics. Phenazopyridine is occasionally prescribed during the first few days in addition to antibiotics to help with the burning and urgency sometimes felt during a bladder infection. However, it is not routinely recommended due to safety concerns with its use, specifically an elevated risk of methemoglobinemia (higher than normal level of methemoglobin in the blood). Acetaminophen (paracetamol) may be used for fevers. There is no good evidence for the use of cranberry products for treating current infections.

People with acute pyelonephritis that is accompanied by high fever and leukocytosis are typically admitted to the hospital for intravenous hydration and intravenous antibiotic treatment. Treatment is typically initiated with an intravenous fluoroquinolone, an aminoglycoside, an extended-spectrum penicillin or cephalosporin, or a carbapenem. Combination antibiotic therapy is often used in such situations. The treatment regimen is selected based on local resistance data and the susceptibility profile of the specific infecting organism(s).

During the course of antibiotic treatment, serial white blood cell count and temperature are closely monitored. Typically, the intravenous antibiotics are continued until the person has no fever for at least 24 to 48 hours, then equivalent antibiotics by mouth can be given for a total of 2–week duration of treatment. Intravenous fluids may be administered to compensate for the reduced oral intake, insensible losses (due to the raised temperature) and vasodilation and to optimize urine output. Percutaneous nephrostomy or ureteral stent placement may be indicated to relieve obstruction caused by a stone. Children with acute pyelonephritis can be treated effectively with oral antibiotics (cefixime, ceftibuten and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) or with short courses (2 to 4 days) of intravenous therapy followed by oral therapy. If intravenous therapy is chosen, single daily dosing with aminoglycosides is safe and effective.

Treatment of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis involves antibiotics as well as surgery. Removal of the kidney is the best surgical treatment in the overwhelming majority of cases, although polar resection (partial nephrectomy) has been effective for some people with localized disease. Watchful waiting with serial imaging may be appropriate in rare circumstances.

Uncomplicated infections can be diagnosed and treated based on symptoms alone. Antibiotics taken by mouth such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), nitrofurantoin, or fosfomycin are typically first line. Cephalosporins, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, or a fluoroquinolone may also be used. However, resistance to fluoroquinolones among the bacterial that cause urinary infections has been increasing. The FDA recommends against the use of fluoroquinolones when other options are available due to higher risks of serious side effects. These medications substantially shorten the time to recovery with all being equally effective. A three-day treatment with trimethoprim, TMP/SMX, or a fluoroquinolone is usually sufficient, whereas nitrofurantoin requires 5–7 days. Fosfomycin may be used as a single dose but has been associated with lower rates of efficacy.

With treatment, symptoms should improve within 36 hours. About 50% of people will recover without treatment within a few days or weeks. Fluoroquinolones are not recommended as a first treatment. The Infectious Diseases Society of America states this due to the concern of generating resistance to this class of medication. Amoxicillin-clavulanate appears less effective than other options. Despite this precaution, some resistance has developed to all of these medications related to their widespread use. Trimethoprim alone is deemed to be equivalent to TMP/SMX in some countries. For simple UTIs, children often respond to a three-day course of antibiotics. Women with recurrent simple UTIs may benefit from self-treatment upon occurrence of symptoms with medical follow-up only if the initial treatment fails.

In people who do not require hospitalization and live in an area where there is a low prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, an fluoroquinolone by mouth such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin is an appropriate initial choice for therapy. In areas where there is a higher prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance, it is useful to initiate treatment with a single intravenous dose of a long-acting antibiotic such as ceftriaxone or an aminoglycoside, and then continuing treatment with a fluoroquinolone. Oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is an appropriate choice for therapy if the bacteria is known to be susceptible. If trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is used when the susceptibility is not known, it is useful to initiate treatment with a single intravenous dose of a long-acting antibiotic such as ceftriaxone or an aminoglycoside. Oral beta-lactam antibiotics are less effective than other available agents for treatment of pyelonephritis. Improvement is expected in 48 to 72 hours.

Unfortunately mesna is ineffective as a treatment once hemorrhagic cystitis has developed. Although rare, once a case of radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis is diagnosed there is no empirically-proven treatments to heal this type of condition, which can severely degrade a patient's quality of life and might possibly lead to renal failure with risk of death.

Viral hemorrhagic cystitis in children generally spontaneously resolves within a few days.

The first step in the treatment of HC should be directed toward clot evacuation. Bladder outlet obstruction from clots can lead to urosepsis, bladder rupture, and renal failure. Clot evacuation can be performed by placing a wide-lumen bladder catheter at bedside. The bladder can be irrigated with water or sodium chloride solution. The use of water is preferable because water can help with clot lysis. Care must be taken to not overdistend the bladder and cause a perforation.. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy has been proven to be effective in treating radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis.

In addition to traditional IC therapies, diet modification remains a core self care strategy as foods that are irritating to the bladder dramatically worsen the symptoms that patients may experience. Foods high in acid and/or caffeine (such as all coffees, regular teas, green teas, sodas, diet sodas, artificial sweeteners and most fruit juices) should be avoided. The daily goal of patients should be to soothe rather than irritate the bladder wall.

Symptomatic bacteriuria is typically treated as a urinary tract infection with antibiotics. Common choices include nitrofurantoin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

Antibiotic therapy has to overcome the blood/prostate barrier that prevents many antibiotics from reaching levels that are higher than minimum inhibitory concentration. A blood-prostate barrier restricts cell and molecular movement across the rat ventral prostate epithelium. Treatment requires prolonged courses (4–8 weeks) of antibiotics that penetrate the prostate well. The fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines and macrolides have the best penetration. There have been contradictory findings regarding the penetrability of nitrofurantoin , quinolones (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin), sulfas (Bactrim, Septra), doxycycline and macrolides (erythromycin, clarithromycin). This is particularly true for gram-positive infections.

In a review of multiple studies, Levofloxacin (Levaquin) was found to reach prostatic fluid concentrations 5.5 times higher than Ciprofloxacin, indicating a greater ability to penetrate the prostate.

Persistent infections may be helped in 80% of patients by the use of alpha blockers (tamsulosin (Flomax), alfuzosin), or long term low dose antibiotic therapy. Recurrent infections may be caused by inefficient urination (benign prostatic hypertrophy, neurogenic bladder), prostatic stones or a structural abnormality that acts as a reservoir for infection.

In theory, the ability of some strains of bacteria to form biofilms might be one factor amongst others to facilitate development of chronic bacterial prostatitis.

Escherichia coli extract and cranberry have a potentially preventive effect on the development of chronic bacterial prostatitis, while combining antibiotics with saw palmetto, lactobacillus sporogens and arbutin may lead to better treatment outcomes.

Bacteriophages hold promise as another potential treatment for chronic bacterial prostatatis.

The addition of prostate massage to courses of antibiotics was previously proposed as being beneficial and prostate massage may mechanically break up the biofilm and enhance the drainage of the prostate gland. However, in more recent trials, this was not shown to improve outcome compared to antibiotics alone.

Over time, the relapse rate is high, exceeding 50%. However, recent research indicates that combination therapies offer a better prognosis than antibiotics alone.

A 2007 study showed that repeated combination pharmacological therapy with antibacterial agents (ciprofloxacin/azithromycin), alpha-blockers (alfuzosin) and Serenoa repens extracts may eradicate infection in 83.9% of patients with clinical remission extending throughout a follow-up period of 30 months for 94% of these patients.

A 2014 study of 210 patients randomized into two treatment groups found that recurrence occurred within 2 months in 27.6% of the group using antibiotics alone (prulifloxacin 600 mg), but in only 7.8% of the group taking prulifloxacin in combination with Serenoa repens extract, Lactobacillus Sporogens and Arbutin.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria generally does not require treatment. Exceptions include during pregnancy and in those undergoing surgery of the urinary tract. Children with vesicoureteral reflux or others with structural abnormalities of the urinary tract.

There is no indication to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria in diabetics, renal transplant recipients, and in those with spinal cord injuries.

The overuse of antibiotic therapy to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria increases the risk of diarrhea, antimicrobial resistance, and infection due to Clostridium difficile. Other effects include increased financial burdens and overreporting of mandated catheter-associated urinary tract infection.

Even when caught early, aggressive treatment is required (Bobba). Antibiotics are proven to cure Emphysematous cystitis over time and reduce the amount of gas inside the bladder wall. Prognosis is poor if antibiotics are not used to treat the patient. Additional treatment consists of urinary drainage and good control of blood glucose. The treatment of underlying comorbid diseases, such as diabetes, is extremely important because they can intensify the infection (Gheonea, Bondari). Hyperbaric oxygen is an effective treatment, and has cured some cases in as little as 48 hours. Although it is unclear as to how gas formation occurs in emphysematous cystitis, it’s dependant on whether or not the patient has contributing diseases (Mccabe). Gas formation in diabetic patients diagnosed with Emphysematous cystitis has been determined to occur due to the production of carbon dioxide as a result of the fermentation of the high concentrations of glucose. Gas formation in nondiabetic patients is most likely due the breaking down of urinary lactulose and tissue proteins. Inflammation caused by infection increases pressure and decreases circulation, which provides the perfect environment for bacteria to produce gas (Sereno).

A number of medications can be used to treat this disorder. Alpha blockers and/or antibiotics appear to be the most effective with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen providing lesser benefit.

- Treatment with antibiotics is controversial. Some have found benefits in symptoms while others have questioned the utility of a trial of antibiotics. Antibiotics are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and this has been suggested as an explanation for their partial efficacy in treating CPPS. Antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides have direct anti-inflammatory properties in the absence of infection, blocking inflammatory chemical signals (cytokines) such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which coincidentally are the same cytokines found to be elevated in the semen and EPS of men with chronic prostatitis.

- The effectiveness of alpha blockers (tamsulosin, alfuzosin) is questionable in men with CPPS. A 2006 meta-analysis found that they are moderately beneficial when the duration of therapy was at least 3 months.

- An estrogen reabsorption inhibitor such as mepartricin improves voiding, reduces urological pain and improves quality of life in patients with chronic non-bacterial prostatitis.

- Therapies that have not been properly evaluated in clinical trials although there is supportive anecdotal evidence include gabapentin, benzodiazepines, and amitriptyline.

Urinary catheters should be inserted using aseptic technique and sterile equipment (including sterile gloves, drape, sponges, antiseptic and sterile solution), particularly in an acute care setting. Hands should be washed before and after catheter insertion. Overall, catheter use should be minimized in all patients, particularly those at higher risk of CAUTI and mortality (e.g. the elderly or those with impaired immunity).

In a small minority of cases of urethral syndrome, treatment with antibiotics is effective, which indicates that in some cases it may be caused by bacterial infection which does not show up in either urinalysis or urine culture. For chronic urethral syndrome, a long term, low-dose antibiotic treatment is given on a continuous basis or after intercourse each time if intercourse appears to trigger symptoms.

As low oestrogen may also be considered a source for urethral syndrome, hormone replacement therapy, and oral contraceptive pill (birth-control pills) containing oestrogen are also used to treat the symptoms of this condition in women.

Category III prostatitis may have no initial trigger other than anxiety, often with an element of OCD, panic disorder, or other anxiety-spectrum problem. This is theorized to leave the pelvic area in a sensitized condition resulting in a loop of muscle tension and heightened neurological feedback (neural pain wind-up). Current protocols largely focus on stretches to release overtensed muscles in the pelvic or anal area (commonly referred to as trigger points) including digital intrarectal massage, physical therapy to the area, and progressive relaxation therapy to reduce causative stress.

Aerobic exercise can help those sufferers who are not also suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome or whose symptoms are not exacerbated by exercise. Acupuncture has reportedly benefited some patients.

For chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (Cat III), also known as CP/CPPS, which makes up the majority of men diagnosed with "prostatitis", a treatment called the "Wise–Anderson Protocol" (aka the "Stanford Protocol"), has recently been published. This is a combination of:

- Medication (using tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines)

- Psychological therapy (paradoxical relaxation, an advancement and adaptation, specifically for pelvic pain, of a type of progressive relaxation technique developed by Edmund Jacobson during the early 20th century)

- Physical therapy (trigger point release therapy on pelvic floor and abdominal muscles, and also yoga-type exercises with the aim of relaxing pelvic floor and abdominal muscles).

Biofeedback physical therapy to relearn how to control pelvic floor muscles may be useful. Biofeedback is satisfactory for treatment of chronic prostatitis (with mainly voiding problems) during puberty.

Treatment involves avoiding the trigger if that can be determined.

Causes of hemorrhagic cystitis include chemotherapy (e.g. cyclophosphamide, Ifosfamide), radiation, or infection. Ifosfamide is the most common cause of hemorrhagic cystitis. Radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis develops in similar or smaller patient numbers when compared to cyclophosphamide-induced cases.

Adenovirus (particularly serotypes 11 and 21 of subgroup B) is the most common cause of acute viral hemorrhagic cystitis in children, though it can result from BK virus as well. A chemical hemorrhagic cystitis can develop when vaginal products are inadvertently placed in the urethra. Gentian violet douching to treat candidiasis has resulted in hemorrhagic cystitis when the drug was misplaced in the urethra, but this hemorrhagic cystitis resolved spontaneously with cessation of treatment. Accidental urethral placement of contraceptive suppositories has also caused hemorrhagic cystitis in several patients. The bladder irritation was thought to be caused by the spermicidal detergent nonoxynol-9. In the acute setting, the bladder can be copiously irrigated with alkalinized normal saline to minimize bladder irritation.

Although hemorrhagic cystitis post-transplantation/bone marrow transplantation is not technically infectious, a short discussion is in order for completeness. Patients undergoing therapy to suppress the immune system are at risk for hemorrhagic cystitis due to either the direct effects of chemotherapy or activation of dormant viruses in the kidney, ureter, or bladder.

The ulcers can be removed through fulguration (burned off with the use of electricity or a laser) or resection (cutting around the ulcer, removing both the ulcer and the surrounding inflamed tissue). Some ulcers may recur in the same location.

Many patients choose to live with the ulcers and treat the symptoms associated with them through bladder instillations and/or pain medication/therapy.

Patients with interstitial cystitis may find relief by modifying their diet to remove foods and beverages that trigger symptoms. Caffeinated beverages, particularly coffee (regular and decaf), tea, green tea, soda, artificial sugars and fruit juices. Cranberry juice may also trigger intense pain and discomfort. However, studies about the impact of specific foods and drinks on Hunner's ulcer symptoms are limited.

Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone and budesonide, have been shown to improve outcomes in children with all severities of croup. Significant relief is obtained as early as six hours after administration. While effective when given by injection, or by inhalation, giving the medication by mouth is preferred. A single dose is usually all that is required, and is generally considered to be quite safe. Dexamethasone at doses of 0.15, 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg appear to be all equally effective.

Moderate to severe croup may be improved temporarily with nebulized epinephrine. While epinephrine typically produces a reduction in croup severity within 10–30 minutes, the benefits last for only about 2 hours. If the condition remains improved for 2–4 hours after treatment and no other complications arise, the child is typically discharged from the hospital.

The primary treatment for urethral diverticulum is surgical. The surgery is conducted transvaginally, usually when there is no acute inflammation to better aid dissection of the delicate tissues.

Bladder tamponade is obstruction of the bladder outlet due to heavy blood clot formation within it. It generally requires surgery. Such heavy bleeding is usually due to bladder cancer.

Emphysematous cystitis is a rare type of infection of the bladder wall by gas-forming bacteria or fungi. The most frequent offending organism is "E. coli". Other gram negative bacteria, including "Klebsiella" and "Proteus" are also commonly isolated. Fungi, such as "Candida", have also been reported as causative organisms. "Citrobacter" and "Enterococci" have also been found to cause Emphysematous cystitis (Mokabberi). Although it is a rare type of bladder infection, it is the most common type of all gas-forming bladder infections (Mccabe). The condition is characterized by the formation of air bubbles in and around the bladder wall. The gas found in the bladder consists of nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. The disease most commonly affects elderly diabetic and immunocompromised patients (Sereno). The first case was identified in a post-mortem examination in 1888 (Nemati, Basra).