@susan30 As a retired nurse, I can tell you about the cystoscope, but I can’t explain the symptoms that led to it’s use. A cystoscope is an instrument used by (mostly)urologists to look inside the bladder. An local anesthetic is given to the patient and then the cystoscope is inserted into the bladder via the urethra. The urologist can the view the inside of the bladder. Hope this helps!

As a bladder cancer survivor, @susan30, I can add a little more information about the cystoscope. Becky (@becsbuddy) has given you a good foundation to understand it. I have had more than a dozen cystoscope procedures over the past few years since I had a dozen papillary tumors removed from my bladder lining. Scanning the inside of the bladder for those small tumors required a good lens at the end of the instrument along with a good light to see absolutely everything all around. The business-end of the cystoscope is quite small and doesn't cause me serious pain, although it pinches a little as it moves through the bladder sphincter (valve). Once inside the bladder, images from the cystoscope were displayed on a computer screen that gave me a 10-minute documentary on my bladder's lining.

In addition to the anesthetic, you'll have the opportunity to choose an antibiotic applied to prevent bacterial infection. I have taken great interest in that selection, since some popular antibiotics can cause problems, and my urologist has taken the time to discuss the issues and help me make the safest choice. I'm now "scoped" once a year without fail to make sure no new tumors "take root." My 2020 urologist visit is coming up. Martin