Difference Between Uti And Overactive Bladder

What Is A Uti And What Is A Bladder Infection

A urinary tract infection is an infection in your urinary system. Around 50-60% of women will experience at least one UTI in their lifetime, and an unlucky number of them get UTIs frequently. The American Urological Association estimates that 20-40% of women who have had one UTI will get another one, and 25-50% of those women will end up having at least one more after that. Men can also get UTIs, though this happens less frequently than it does in women.

UTIs occur when unwanted bacteria end up in your urinary tract and trigger inflammation. They are caused by a variety of factors, including sexual activity, poor hygiene, genetics, age, and certain types of contraceptives.

The most reliable sign of a UTI is a stinging or burning sensation with urination, though other symptoms may also occur.

A bladder infection is a type of UTI that occurs specifically in your bladder.

Think of it this way: Your urinary tract includes your urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys.

Your bladder is the closest organ to your urethra , so its the area of the body most commonly affected by UTIs. Doctors call inflammation in the bladder cystitis and inflammation in the urethra urethritis.

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Overactive Bladder Vs Uti

So many physical health symptoms create more mystery than certainty. Does the symptom indicate this condition or that condition? Is this something to worry about, or is it only a common part of getting older?

When a confusing group of symptoms confronts you, its important to look at the facts about how youre feeling. By doing this, you can separate one condition from the others.

Consider conditions like overactive bladder and urinary tract infection . Because of their similarities, these conditions are often confused for one another.

What Are The Causes Of Overactive Bladder

In many cases, the cause of OAB is not easily identifiable. OAB symptoms are more common as one gets older, but should not be considered an untreatable consequence of aging. Also, OAB can occur in young women as well. Some women will experience OAB after childbirth or pelvic surgery. Certain neurological conditions can cause OAB symptoms including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and spinal cord injury.

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Ok So How Do I Make Sure I Never Get A Uti Or A Kidney Infection

As they say, prevention is the best cure! And there are many things you can do to ensure that youre reducing your risk for an infection, and preventing build up from occurring in the kidneys.

• Practice good hygiene. Always wipe from front to back, keep your genital area clean, wash before and after sex. Basically, do your best to keep bacteria from even having a chance of getting into the urinary system in the first place.

• Drink lots of water. If youre dehydrated, youre not only increasing your chance of a UTI, but youre also decreasing your urine output, meaning that more minerals have a chance to build up and settle in the urinary tract or kidneys.

• Make sure to urinate whenever you feel you have to go. Dont hold it in. This concentrates the urine allowing bacteria to build up and spread.

• Alter your diet if you find youre prone to kidney stones. Cut down on certain meats and shellfish and opting instead for more vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Avoid consuming too much sugar. Cut back on sodium, and eat more oxalate-rich foods .

And if you do start experiencing any of the symptoms above, be sure to see a doctor right away. UTIs, kidney infections, and kidney stones can usually be treated fairly easily, but its important to seek medical attention before any complications develop.

Causes Of Cystitis And Urinary Tract Infections

Causes of cystitis

Cystitis can affect anyone, but women are at a much higher risk. The most common cause of cystitis is a bacterial infection, but it can also occur if the bladder gets damaged or irritated in another way.

Other causes of cystitis include:

• Friction from sexual intercourse
• Irritation from chemicals found in perfumed soap or bubble bath
• Damage from a catheter or bladder surgery
• Medical treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy medications

Some people may be at increased risk of cystitis, including people who have diabetes, people nearing menopause, and people with a history of difficulty emptying their bladders.

Causes of urinary tract infections

Anyone can get a urinary tract infection, although women and girls are at a higher risk than men and boys. This is because the urethra is shorter and closer to the anus.

Other causes include:

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Bladder Infection Is A Specific Type Of Urinary Tract Infection

Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder. Most cystitis is from bacterial infections involving the bladder and less commonly may be the result of yeast infections, viral infections, chemical irritants of the bladder, or for unknown reasons . Bladder infection is a type of urinary tract infection . This review will specifically address infectious cystitis.

The urine in the bladder is normally free of bacteria . However, bacteria may be present in the bladder but not cause inflammation or symptoms of an infection. This is called asymptomatic bacteriuria and is not cystitis.

Cystitis can be complicated or uncomplicated. Uncomplicated cystitis is a bladder infection in a healthy person with a structurally and functionally normal urinary tract. A complicated bladder infection is one that occurs in association with factors that increase the chance of developing a bacterial infection and decrease the chance of antibiotic therapy being effective. Such abnormalities include obstruction from stones, congenital blockages, urethral strictures, and prostate enlargement.

Causes Of Bladder Infection

Blader infections, sometimes called cystitis or urinary tract infections , are when a germusually bacteriatakes up residence in the bladder. Bladder infections are the most common type of UTI, but UTIs can develop in any part of the urinary tract.

The infection causes inflammation and disrupts the normal working of the urinary tract. If left untreated, these infections can also spread to the kidneys, which is more dangerous and painful.

Bladder infections are caused by bacteria from other parts of the body entering the urinary tract. In females, this bacteria typically comes from the vagina or the bowel. In males, bladder infections are usually due to issues like enlarged prostate, which restrict normal urine flow.

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What Are The Treatments For An Overactive Bladder

Once tests have been done to determine the cause your overactive bladder, your doctor will suggest a solution that will alleviate your symptoms and minimise any side effects. And while the goal is obviously to find a simple, effective solution, it could be one or a combination of treatments including lifestyle changes, medications and/or surgery.

Lifestyle changes

• Bladder Training and Scheduled Voiding This method teaches the bladder to steadily hold urine over time, which can help build a tolerance to the urgency that comes with an overactive bladder.
• Double Voiding This involves urinating twice within a few minutes in between to void any residual urine in the bladder.
• Kegel exercises These are pelvic exercises to help manage urge incontinence in an overactive bladder by helping strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor and urinary sphincter.
• Fluid and Diet Management including:
• maintaining a schedule of the timing and amount of daily fluid intake
• limiting caffeine and acidic drinks such as coffee, cranberry and citrus juices
• limiting alcohol
• eating foods high in fibre, such as flaxseed, or taking fibre supplements.

Medications

• Anticholinergics

What If Diet & Exercise Dont Work

If home treatments dont work, it may be a good idea to see a urogynecologist. Urogynecologists are doctors who specialize in treating conditions that affect the bladder and other organs in your pelvis, including your vagina, cervix, and uterus.

A urogynecologist can recommend other treatments like physical therapy or devices you can put inside your vagina .

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Pathogenesis Of Bladder Infections

UTI causing microbes enter the urinary tract from the perianal region and ascend along the urethra. When these organisms enter the bladder they initiate their pathogenesis inside the bladder resulting in cystitis. Usually, organisms entering the bladder in this manner are flushed out with urine. But depending on the virulence of the pathogen, the strength of the host immune response and the presence of any urinary tract abnormalities, these cystitis causing pathogens can get colonized in the mucosal lining of the bladder.

The commonest causative agent is E. coli. Women are more prone to get bladder infections because of the close proximity of the urethra to the anus.

Figure 02: Bladder Infection

Kidney Infections Vs Urinary Tract Infection: What Is The Difference

Kidney infections come under the urinary tract infection category. It is developed due to untreated UTI and can cause fatal consequences.

A lot of people get confused between bladder infections and urinary tract infections. The reason behind this is that kidney infection or bladder infection is a kind of UTI. In simpler words, kidney infections come under UTI and this is why people often consider these two to be the same. Kidney infection is generally caused as a result of an untreated UTI infection and may become severe. For more specifications and differences between kidney infection and UTI, read the complete article.

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Whats The Difference Between A Urinary Tract Infection And Vaginal Infection

Treating A Uti While Breastfeeding

Most of the time, UTIs can be treated at home with paracetamol, fluids11and natural remedies, such as cranberry juice. While there are no controlled studies, itd appear that its safe while breastfeeding to use over-the-counter sachets and cranberry juice to manage your symptoms.12 Moreover, without antibiotics, most cases will clear up within four to nine days.13

However, if your doctor does prescribe antibiotics, there are some things to bear in mind. Most antibiotics used to treat UTIs are safe to take while breastfeeding14, but you need to let your doctor know if youre nursing so they can choose the right medication15. There are some minor risks to taking antibiotics when breastfeeding, so always talk over your concerns with a healthcare provider. These include:

• a very minimal chance that the baby can experience digestive issues or oral thrush.16 If this happens, talk to your doctor about giving your child a probiotic17
• exposure to antibiotics can be dangerous if your baby is premature or a newborn, so let your healthcare provider know if this is the case18

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How Is Overactive Bladder Treated

OAB is usually treated in a step-wise fashion, starting with the most straightforward, least invasive treatment first, and only moving on to more complex treatments after initial treatments have not worked. Treatments include behavioural therapies, drugs , with injection of botox into the bladder muscle, electrical stimulation of the bladder and surgery to increase the bladder volume only being reserved for very severe cases which have not responded to other treatments.

Lifestyle changes and behavioural regimens have been shown to improve symptoms. The most straightforward is decreasing caffeine or alcohol intake. Others include losing weight and stopping smoking. Behavioural regimens range from simple manoeuvres such as timed or prompted urination and fluid management to biofeedback. Pelvic muscle exercises may also help.

Certain drugs can inhibit the contraction of the bladder muscle. They are usually called antimuscarinics, and they include: oxybutynin, tolterodine, trospium chloride, darifenacin, and solefenacin. They may improve symptoms for a number of patients but may have side effects including a dry mouth and constipation. Mirabegron which is Beta 3 agonist also reduces the contraction of the bladder and is a new class of drug that is very effective.

What Is A Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection is an infection of the urinary system. This type of infection can involve your urethra , kidneys or bladder, .

Your urine typically doesnt contain bacteria . Urine is a byproduct of our filtration systemthe kidneys. When waste products and excess water is removed from your blood by the kidneys, urine is created. Normally, urine moves through your urinary system without any contamination. However, bacteria can get into the urinary system from outside of the body, causing problems like infection and inflammation. This is a urinary tract infection .

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Section : Research Needs And Future Directions

Figure 4: OAB Patient Groups

Epidemiology. Studies assessing how OAB develops and its natural history and progression are required. The timing and circumstances around which OAB develops and associated risk factors are not yet well-understood. While not specifically targeting epidemiology of OAB, there are large community-based studies that assess prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and urinary incontinence.280, 281 By longitudinally studying these community cohorts, these investigators have developed a new hypothesis that lower urinary tract symptoms are likely related to other systemic diseases/conditions.282, 283 Continuation of these types of studies could lead to potential preventive interventions for OAB symptoms and/or utilization of treatments that target the associated systemic conditions rather than the bladder. Epidemiologic studies provide a better cross sectional estimation of the overall population impact of OAB-type symptoms.284

Clinical studies should use validated standardized measures to report subjective outcomes. Objective outcomes should include frequency, nocturia, urgency, incontinence episode frequency and reporting of the variance for each of these measures. Furthermore, the Guideline Panel’s meta-analytic efforts were hampered by lack of consistent reporting of variance information for baseline and post-treatment measurements.

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.
• Doxycycline.
• Quinolones .

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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Uti Vs Bladder Infection: Whats The Difference

Bladder infection and urinary tract infection are terms that frequently get tossed around, and many people can confuse the two. While bladder infections are a form of UTI, not all UTIs are bladder infections. To further add to the confusion, bladder infections are the most common type of UTI, so its understandable that the conditions often get mixed up. To better differentiate between them, its helpful to dive deeper into each condition.

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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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