Do I Need To See A Doctor
Yes. Painful urination can be a symptom of a more serious problem. You should tell your doctor about your symptoms and how long youve had them. Tell your doctor about any medical conditions you have, such as diabetes mellitus or AIDS, because these could affect your bodys response to infection. Tell your doctor about any known abnormality in your urinary tract, and if you are or might be pregnant. Tell your doctor if youve had any procedures or surgeries on your urinary tract. He or she also need to know if you were recently hospitalized or stayed in a nursing home.
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What If The Infection Does Not Clear Up With Treatment
Most infections clear up with treatment. However, if an infection does not clear up, or if you have repeated infections, you may be given some special tests such as:
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a type of x-ray called an intravenous pyleogram , which involves injecting a dye into a vein and taking pictures of your kidney and bladder
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an ultrasound exam, which gives a picture of your kidneys and bladder using sound waves
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a cytoscopic exam, which uses a hollow tube with special lenses to look inside the bladder.
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What Are The Symptoms Of A Uti
One of the most common symptoms of a UTI is a frequent and urgent need to pee. You might feel like you need to pee all the time, even if you just went. Other UTI symptoms include:
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pain or burning when you pee
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bad-smelling or cloudy urine
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blood or pus in your urine
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soreness, pressure, or cramps in your lower belly, back, or sides
If the infection goes to your kidneys, your UTI symptoms may also include:
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pain in your mid-back
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Symptoms Of Cystitis And Urinary Tract Infections
The symptoms of cystitis and urinary tract infection are largely the same, so it can be difficult to tell which youre experiencing.
Symptoms of cystitis
The pain associated with cystitis may be localized to your bladder. If you have cystitis, youre likely to experience:
- A feeling of needing to pee more often than normal, even right after using the bathroom
- Cloudy urine that is dark and strong-smelling
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Blood in your urine
- Pain in your lower stomach area
- A general feeling of sickness, achiness, and tiredness
Notably, cystitis does not usually cause fever, which is the major difference between symptoms of the two conditions.
Symptoms of urinary tract infections
The most common type of a UTI is a bladder infection. Signs you may have one include:
- Cloudy or milky-looking urine
Diagnosis Of Bladder Cancer
Along with the tests done if a bladder infection is suspected, a medical professional diagnosing bladder cancer will likely order or perform several more tests.
They may order a set of X-rays called an intravenous pyelogram, which lets them check the kidneys, ureters, and bladder for cancers.
Its also possible the medical professional would order a biopsy of the bladder during the cystoscopy exam. This biopsy removes a sample of the inner lining of the bladder in the area they think might be cancerous. The surgeon may even remove the entire tumor.
A specialist doctor called a pathologist then looks at the cells in the biopsy sample for signs of cancer.
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Summary Uti Vs Bladder Infection
As explained above, both urinary tract infections and bladder infections occur due to the action of microbes in the urinary tract. UTI can affect both upper and lower urinary tracts since it involves infections in the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Bladder infections only affect the bladder and are a subtype of UTI. This is the difference between UTI and bladder infection.
How Are Urinary Tract Infections Treated
You will need to treat a urinary tract infection. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria and fight an infection. Antibiotics are typically used to treat urinary tract infections. Your healthcare provider will pick a drug that best treats the particular bacteria thats causing your infection. Some commonly used antibiotics can include:
- Nitrofurantoin.
Its very important that you follow your healthcare providers directions for taking the medicine. Dont stop taking the antibiotic because your symptoms go away and you start feeling better. If the infection is not treated completely with the full course of antibiotics, it can return.
If you have a history of frequent urinary tract infections, you may be given a prescription for antibiotics that you would take at the first onset of symptoms. Other patients may be given antibiotics to take every day, every other day, or after sexual intercourse to prevent the infection. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best treatment option for you if you have a history of frequent UTIs.
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Difference In Uti And Bladder Infection
If your healthcare professional prescribes you antibiotics:
- Take antibiotics exactly as your healthcare professional tells you.
- Do not share your antibiotics with others.
- Do not save antibiotics for later. Talk to your healthcare professional about safely discarding leftover antibiotics.
Drink plenty of water or other fluids. Your healthcare professional might also recommend medicine to help lessen the pain or discomfort. Talk with your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your antibiotics.
What Is A Urinary Tract Infection
UTI can be extremely uncomfortable because it can lead to itching and burning sensation while urinating. According to NCBI , around 5060 percent of women will develop UTIs in their lifetimes. Do you know why women are prone to UTIs? Well, women have a short urethra compared to men, which shortens the distance and due to this bacteria can travel easily to reach the bladder.
Dr Gaikwad says, UTI means the infection of any part of the urinary system that is the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Women tend to suffer from it more when compared to men. The UTI is painful, embarrassing, and annoying, and even leads to serious kidney complications if it spreads there.
And thats why prompt treatment is necessary to prevent UTI from developing into a more serious condition.
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What Is The Urinary Tract
The urinary tract makes and stores urine, one of the body’s liquid waste products. The urinary tract includes the following parts:
- Kidneys: These small organs are located on back of your body, just above the hips. They are the filters of your body removing waste and water from your blood. This waste becomes urine.
- Ureters: The ureters are thin tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to your bladder.
- Bladder: A sac-like container, the bladder stores your urine before it leaves the body.
- Urethra: This tube carries the urine from your bladder to the outside of the body.
Diagnosis Of Bladder Infection
To diagnose a bladder infection, the medical professional will likely order a set of tests on your urine to look for signs of infection.
Tests would include a urinalysis to test if bacteria are in your bladder or urinary tract and if your immune system is fighting an infection. They may also use a urine culture test to determine what kind of bacteria is causing the infection.
If your bladder infection returns or youre getting many UTIs, a medical professional may want to look for underlying issues in the urinary tract.
These tests include using a camera on the end of a lighted tube to visualize inside the urinary tract, a procedure called a cystoscopy. Or they may order something called urodynamic testing, which shows them how well urine moves through the different parts of your urinary tract.
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What Are The Symptoms Of A Bladder Infection Vs A Uti
Symptoms can offer clues about whether you’ve got a bladder infection specifically or a UTI somewhere else in your system. Regardless of which type you have, you’re likely to have some or all of the most common UTI symptoms, which MedlinePlus says includes:
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Fever, tiredness, or shakiness
- An urge to urinate often
- Pressure in your lower abdomen
- Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy or reddish
- Pain in your back or side, below the ribs
If you’re dealing with a bladder infection specifically, the CDC says you may experience the following symptoms:
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Frequent urination
- Feeling the need to urinate despite having an empty bladder
- Pressure or cramping in the groin or lower abdomen
Left untreated, a lower UTI or bladder infection can turn into a kidney infection, which the NIDDK says can lead to serious health issues like sepsis, kidney failure, or renal scarring in rare cases. According to the CDC, some common symptoms associated with kidney infections include:
- Lower back pain or pain in the side of your back
- Nausea or vomiting
The symptoms you experience with a UTI of any kind are importantthey can help clue your doctor into where the UTI is located, and which type of treatment will work best for your specific case. If you have any of the above symptoms, it’s important to seek medical care right away, to help treat what’s going on and prevent any complications.
How Are Urinary Tract Infections Diagnosed
Your doctor will use the following tests to diagnose a urinary tract infection:
- Urinalysis: This test will examine the urine for red blood cells, white blood cells and bacteria. The number of white and red blood cells found in your urine can actually indicate an infection.
- Urine culture: A urine culture is used to determine the type of bacteria in your urine. This is an important test because it helps determine the appropriate treatment.
If your infection does not respond to treatment or if you keep getting infections over and over again, your doctor may use the following tests to examine your urinary tract for disease or injury:
- Ultrasound: In this test, sound waves create an image of the internal organs. This test is done on top of your skin, is painless and doesnt typically need any preparation.
- Cystoscopy: This test uses a special instrument fitted with a lens and a light source to see inside the bladder from the urethra.
- CT scan: Another imaging test, a CT scan is a type of X-ray that takes cross sections of the body . This test is much more precise than typical X-rays.
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Can Utis Be Prevented
A few things can help prevent UTIs. After peeing, girls should wipe from front to back with toilet paper. After BMs, wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from the rectal area to the urethra.
Also, go to the bathroom when needed and don’t hold the pee in. Pee that stays in the bladder gives bacteria a good place to grow.
Keep the genital area clean and dry. Girls should change their tampons and pads regularly during their periods. Bubble baths can irritate the vaginal area, so girls should take showers or plain baths. Avoid long exposure to moisture in the genital area by not wearing nylon underwear or wet swimsuits. Wearing underwear with cotton crotches is also helpful. Skip using feminine hygiene sprays or douches, as these can irritate the urethra.
If you are sexually active, go to the bathroom both before and within 15 minutes after sex. After sex, gently wash the genital area to remove any bacteria. Avoid sexual positions that irritate or hurt the urethra or bladder. Couples who use lubrication during sex should use a water-soluble lubricant such as K-Y Jelly.
Finally, drinking lots of water each day keeps the bladder active and bacteria-free.
UTIs are uncomfortable and often painful, but they’re common and easily treated. The sooner you contact your doctor, the sooner you’ll be able to get rid of the problem.
What Are The Risk Factors For Getting Bladder Infections And Other Uti Infections
A person is more likely to get a bladder infection if they dont urinate frequently enough. If they hold their urine in, the bacteria can collect in the bladder and lead to infection. Try to go to the bathroom at least every two to three hours to keep this from happening.
Not drinking enough water is another risk factor for bladder infections because your body doesnt move as much urine through the bladder as quickly.
Risk factors for urethritis include having a sexually transmitted infection or from trauma to the urethra, such as due to the insertion of a urinary catheter.
In addition to these specific risk factors for bladder infections, there are general risk factors for all UTI types. These include:
risk factors for uti
- having diabetes, as a person experiences changes to their immune system that make them more prone to UTIs
- having an enlarged prostate
- having low levels of estrogen, such as when a woman is post-menopausal
- having a history of kidney stones, which can block the flow of urine through the urinary tract
Women are also more likely than men to get UTIs because their urethra is shorter. The bacteria have less distance to go to reach the bladder and can cause infections.
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Causes Of Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is when cells of the bladder lining grow out of control and start spreading to other parts of the organ and, potentially, other parts of the body. This growth can disrupt the normal functioning of the bladder and other essential organ systems. If untreated, bladder cancer can be deadly.
What Is A Bladder Infection
A bladder infection is a type of urinary tract infection, but not all UTIs are bladder infections. Bladder infections are the most common type of UTIs. A bladder infection may also be called cystitis and it is usually caused by bacteria.
Symptoms of a UTI can differ depending on what part of the urinary tract is infected. A bladder infection usually causes symptoms such as:
- Burning when urinating
- The feeling that you need to pee frequently, but when you go to the toilet very little urine comes out
- Pain in the pelvic area just above the pubic bone.
Bladder infections are usually considered simple UTIs and treatment is usually with antibiotics for three to five days. Symptoms usually resolve in a couple of days.
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Talk To A Doctor About Your Uti Or Yeast Infection
Although both UTIs and yeast infections are common and easy to treat, you cant disregard them. Infections like these can quickly spread.
However, going to the doctor when youre in pain is often hard to manage. Today, you can speak to a doctor about your UTI or yeast infection symptoms from the comfort of your home with Carefree MD.
Just activate your card to talk to a state-licensed physician about your symptoms, get prescriptions sent to your local pharmacy when medically necessary, and receive personalized advice on treatment options. All this for just $17.95 a month.
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The Carefree MD blog is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The text and pictures within the content are intended for information purposes only. Readers should consult with a licensed doctor or healthcare professional before seeking treatment.
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What Is The Difference Between Cystitis And Uti
A UTI can occur in any part of the urinary tract: the urethra, ureters, kidneys, or bladder. If the infection stays in the urethra, its considered urethritis. The urethra is a tube that allows the body to expel urine and is connected to the bladder. If the infection occurs in the lower urinary tract and bladder, its considered cystitis. The ureters, two narrow tubes, drain urine from the kidneys into the bladder. Kidneys are responsible for removing waste and excess water from the body. If the infection moves to the upper urinary tract and kidneys, its considered pyelonephritis.
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When To Get Medical Advice
It’s a good idea to see your GP if you think you might have a UTI, particularly if:
- you have symptoms of an upper UTI
- the symptoms are severe or getting worse
- the symptoms haven’t started to improve after a few days
- you get UTIs frequently
Your GP can rule out other possible causes of your symptoms by testing a sample of your urine and can prescribe antibiotics if you do have an infection.
Antibiotics are usually recommended because untreated UTIs can potentially cause serious problems if they’re allowed to spread.
Whats The Difference Between A Urinary Tract Infection And Bladder Infection
A urinary tract infection is a more general type of infection. There are many parts of your urinary tract. A UTI is a term for an infection that takes place throughout the urinary tract. A bladder infection, also called cystitis, is a specific infection. In this infection, bacteria makes its way into the bladder and causes inflammation.
Not all urinary tract infections become bladder infections. Preventing the spread of the infection is one of the most important reasons to treat a UTI quickly when you have symptoms. The infection can spread not only to the bladder, but also into your kidneys, which is a more complicated type of infection than a UTI.
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