The Facts about Symptoms of Bladder Infection

A fact sheet about bladder infections, symptoms and treatments

The following is a fact sheet about the symptoms of bladder infection and bladder infection treatment.

•    Symptoms of a bladder infection include pain in the lower abdomen and back, fever, chills and urinary urgency or frequency, sometimes with little or no urine passed. These symptoms do not include incontinence or involuntary passing of urine. Normal urine is a light yellow, clear and is sterile (no bacteria present). Dark, bloody, foul smelling and/or cloudy urine is a symptom of bladder infection.

•    One in five women will suffer from symptoms of a bladder infection in her life. Approximately fifteen percent of men will suffer symptoms of bladder infection in his life. Symptoms of bladder infection are the second leading reason adults seek medical treatment. Chronic symptoms of bladder infection may indicate an under lying cause including but not limited to bladder cancer, kidney disease and diabetes.

•    The leading cause of bladder infections is E.Coli.  E.Coli is found in the digestive tract and can travel from the rectum to the urethra (urinary opening).  Once the E.Coli enter the body, they can travel to the bladder and multiply.  Once established, E.Coli bacteria can produce symptoms of bladder infection.

•    A bladder infection is considered a urinary tract infection (UTI) and bladder infection treatment and diagnosis is the same as a UTI. Bladder infection treatment includes antibiotic therapy to kill the bacteria in the bladder. Untreated urinary tract infections or bladder infection treatment that is ineffective (usually due to using the wrong antibiotic or not completing antibiotic therapy) can lead to a serious infection of the kidneys and bloodstream.

•    You can reduce you risk of developing symptoms of a bladder infection by lifestyle changes such as increasing fluids (avoid alcohol and caffeine beverages), emptying the bladder completely, and practicing good personal hygiene. Cleaning your vagina by wiping from back to front can drag E.Coli bacteria into the urinary tract.  Wiping from front to back can avoid this.

•    Being sexually active automatically increases your chance for symptoms of bladder infection.  You can reduce this risk by urinating before and after sexual intercourse. Cotton underwear and loose clothing that allow moisture to dry and air to circulate in between the thighs can reduce the incidence of bladder infection.

•    Diabetics have a higher rate of developing symptoms of bladder infection due to the increased amount of sugar in the urine gives bacteria a better place to grow. Diabetics may be more resistant to bladder infection treatment as well. Symptoms of bladder infection in children or the elderly can become serious much more quickly than in adults and teens.

•    Perfumes, dyes, soaps, or any skin irritant can increase your symptoms of bladder infections. If symptoms of bladder infection do not improve after a few days, you should consider medical treatment to avoid complications such as the infection spreading to other parts of the body.

Collecting a urinalysis and sending it to a lab is the only sure way to check symptoms of bladder infection and determine if they are indeed caused by an infection. When in doubt about symptoms of bladder infection or bladder infection treatment you should seek medical consultation.

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