First Signs Of 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.
• 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.

Favorite Sites To Find Docs

SWIU is all about supporting women urologists and the urologic issues that impact women. One of our favorite SWIU perks is their searchable database for prospective patients to find a local female urologist.

An excellent source for overall urinary health info, UCF also offers a tool to help would-be patients find a urologist near them. You can search by zip code, distance, and through eight urinary specialties, including pediatric urology.

What Is A Uti Anyway

A UTI, or urinary tract infection, happens when bacteria enters into any part of your urinary system, which includes the urethra, the bladder, the kidneys or the uterus. If not flushed out of the system, the bacteria can lead to an infection, or a UTI.

If youve ever had a UTI , you probably havent forgotten the symptoms. UTIs are very unpleasant, to say the least, and are often accompanied with one or more of the following:

• A burning sensation when urinating

• A strong urge to urinate often, usually passing only small amounts of urine at a time.

• Cloudy and/or strong smelling urine

• Pelvic pain

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What Is The Bladder

The bladder is a hollow muscular organ that is located in the pelvis. The bladder has two functions: one is to store urine and the other is to release/expel urine. Urine drains from the kidneys , down the ureters , and into the bladder. The urine is stored in the bladder where it remains until urination. When it is time to urinate, the bladder muscle contracts, and the outlet of the bladder and sphincter muscles relax to allow urine to pass through the urethra to leave the body. The bladder and urethra are part of the lower urinary tract, whereas the kidneys and ureters are part of the upper urinary tract.

Seeking Treatment For A Bladder Infection

If your bladder infection is mild and hasnt spread to your upper urinary tract, you may be able to wait out the infection at home. During this time, you should avoid sex and drink plenty of water you can also self-medicate with over-the-counter painkillers.

For more information on treatment visit our cystitis clinic.

References

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Symptoms Of A Bladder Infection Never To Ignore

If you have a urinary tract infection, also commonly referred to as bladder infection, you are certainly not alone.

According to Medscape, a leading online resource for physicians and healthcare professionals around the world, an estimated 25 to 40 percent of American women report having had at least one UTI. The same study also noted that this type of infection causes over 6 million physician visits every year.

It is worth pointing out that a UTI is a type of bladder infection. And it is one that typically occurs when bacteria makes its way into the urethra. The urethra is a tube that allows the movement of urine from the body into the bladder. Here is a notable fact about UTIs. While they can occur in both men and women, they are considerably more common among women.

Favorite Site For Urinary Health Podcasts

Podcasts arent just for politics, laughs, and murder mysteries. The American Urological Association has a fantastic one called, aptly, the Urology Care Podcast, which covers topics like sexual health myths, UTIs, prostate cancer, and more. Currently there are more than 140 episodes to listen to, ranging from about 4 minutes to 28 minutes long.

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When To See Your Gp

You should see your GP if you or your child have symptoms of cystitis for the first time.

Cystitis isn’t usually a cause for serious concern, but the symptoms can be similar to several other conditions, so it’s important to get a proper diagnosis.

If you’re a woman who has had cystitis before, you don’t necessarily need to see your GP again. Cystitis is very common in women and mild cases often get better on their own. Speak to a pharmacist if you need any advice about treating cystitis.

However, you should see your GP if your symptoms are severe or don’t start to get better in a few days, you get cystitis frequently, or you’re pregnant.

Children and men should always be seen by a GP if they have symptoms of cystitis, as the condition is less common and could be more serious in these groups.

Cloudy Dark Or Bloody Urine

Before the UTI has progressed, your urine might appear cloudy or darker than usual in color. Dark urine can just be a symptom of dehydration. But, if its coupled with pelvic pain, its a good chance its actually a UTI.

Drink extra water to see if that lightens your urine. Thats a good idea even if you know its a UTI. Doctors agree that keeping hydrated can help slow the progression of the infection while you await treatment.

Another tell-tale UTI symptom is pink or bloody urine. If thats the case, come to Coastal Urgent Care of Bossier right away.

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What You May Not Have Known About Symptoms Of A Bladder Infection

When it comes to bladder infections, which include UTIs, they impact everyone differently. While some women might find themselves struggling with a wide range of symptoms, others may not experience any symptoms at all.

One study published by Harvard Health Publishing found that a small percentage of women, even though they may have large numbers of bacteria in their urine, never experience UTI-related symptoms. This unique phenomenon that affects only a handful of women is known as asymptomatic bacteriuria.

And it will usually go away on its own over time. However, in cases where a woman is pregnant, most physicians will recommend antimicrobial therapy to minimize the risk of pregnancy complications.

What Can Happen If A Uti Is Not Treated

If treated right away, a UTI is not likely to damage your urinary tract. But if your UTI is not treated, the infection can spread to the kidneys and other parts of your body. The most common symptoms of kidney infection are fever and pain in the back where the kidneys are located. Antibiotics can also treat kidney infections.

Sometimes the infection can get in the bloodstream. This is rare but life-threatening.

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Early Warning Signs Of A Uti According To Experts

Once a urinary tract infection has developed, you’ll likely experience all sorts of painful symptoms, including burning during urination, pain in your lower abdomen, and even fever and chills. But if you’re on the lookout for early warning signs of a UTI, then you can take steps to clear up the infection. And hopefully not feel too bad.

“Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria â for example, commonly E. coli â way into the urethra ,”Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a family and emergency medical doctor, tells Bustle. Sometimes it happens when bacteria from the back passage, or anal area, make their up to the front, she says. This can happen if you wear fitted clothing, wipe from back to front after using the bathroom, or forget to pee after sex.

UTIs are incredibly common, but also incredibly painful and annoying. So the moment you feel like something’s off, consider that your cue to take action. “Some things you can do to help relieve the symptoms are using a heating pad over your lower abdomen, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding drinks that can irritate your bladder, such as coffee, alcohol, or soft drinks that contain citrus juice or caffeine,” Ashley Wood, RN, BSN, a registered nurse and contributor to Demystifying Your Health, LLC, tells Bustle. You can also try over-the-counter UTI drugs, which may help with the pain.

Im Pregnant How Will A Uti Affect My Baby

If you have a UTI and it isnt treated, it may lead to a kidney infection. Kidney infections may cause early labor. Fortunately, asymptomatic bacteriuria and bladder infections are usually found and treated before the kidneys become infected. If your doctor treats a urinary tract infection early and properly, it wont hurt your baby.

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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.

Prevention Of Urinary Tract Infection

There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting a UTI:

• Drink plenty of water and other liquids to help flush out bacteria.
• Urinate frequently, or about every two to three hours.
• For women: Wipe from front to back after urinating or having a bowel movement.
• Urinate before and soon after having sexual intercourse.
• Avoid synthetic underwear, tight pants, and lingering in wet gym clothes or a bathing suit. Though none of this can cause a UTI, these habits can increase the spread of bacteria.
• Avoid vaginal deodorants, douches, powders, and other potentially irritating feminine products.
• Use a method of birth control other than a diaphragm, spermicide, or unlubricated condoms.

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Children And Urinary Tract Infections

Symptoms in children are different from symptoms in adults. Urinary tract infections are quite common in children. While UTIs in very young children are often associated with an anatomic abnormality, for others the infection is related to introducing bacteria into the urinary tract. UTIs in children generally peak in infancy and then again between ages 2 and 4, coinciding with potty training.

In newborns, signs of urinary tract infection include poor feeding, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, mild jaundice, and fever. For babies younger than 2, foul-smelling urine may also be a sign. For older children, the more classic UTI signs, such as urgency, incontinence, and pain while urinating occur.

Why Do Women Get Urinary Tract Infections More Often Than Men

Women tend to get urinary tract infections more often than men because bacteria can reach the bladder more easily in women. The urethra is shorter in women than in men, so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel.

The urethra is located near the rectum in women. Bacteria from the rectum can easily travel up the urethra and cause infections. Bacteria from the rectum is more likely to get into the urethra if you wipe from back to front after a bowel movement. Be sure to teach children how to wipe correctly.

Having sex may also cause urinary tract infections in women because bacteria can be pushed into the urethra. Using a diaphragm can lead to infections because diaphragms push against the urethra and make it harder to completely empty your bladder. The urine that stays in the bladder is more likely to grow bacteria and cause infections.

Frequent urinary tract infections may be caused by changes in the bacteria in the vagina. Antibacterial vaginal douches, spermicides, and certain oral antibiotics may cause changes in vaginal bacteria. Avoid using these items, if possible. Menopause can also cause changes in vaginal bacteria that increase your risk for urinary tract infection. Taking estrogen usually corrects this problem but may not be for everyone.

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How Is Urinary Tract Infection Diagnosed

In order to ensure a clean urine sample, a physician will likely have you clean your genital area with a special wipe beforehand, and ask that you do a midstream catch of the urine.

If a UTI is diagnosed, youll be treated with antibiotics. Its important to note that false negative results do occur and that almost all women who experience typical UTI symptoms and a negative urine culture actually do have a UTI. 30209-4/fulltext” rel=”nofollow”> 11)

If youve had a prior UTI, your healthcare provider will look at prior cultures to see which bacteria were found, if any, and which antibiotics were used this often guides therapy in recurrent UTIs.

Risk Factors For A Kidney Infection

There are a few things that can up your risk factor of contracting a kidney infection, according to the Mayo Clinic, and some you have zero control over:

• Having avagina. The urethra, that small tube that carries urine out of your body, is shorter in people with vaginas than it is in people with penises. That makes it easier for bacteria to travel from outside your body into the bladder. Your urethra is also close to your vagina and anus, which opens you up to more chances that bacteria from one of those areas will get into your urinary tract.

• Having something blocking your urinary tract. That can be anything that slows down the flow of urine or makes it hard for you to fully empty your bladder when you pee, like a kidney stone.

• Having a weak immune system. Having an underlying medical condition like diabetes or HIV, or using medications that tamp down on your immune system, can increase your risk.

Other potential risk factors include having damage to the nerves around your bladder, using a urinary catheter for the first time, and having a condition like vesicoureteral reflux, which causes urine to flow the wrong way, the Mayo Clinic says.

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What Are The Signs Of A Bladder Infection

Reviewed by our clinical team

A bladder infection is a common condition normally caused by the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract. It typically causes mild urinary symptoms that pass on their own within a few days, however it can sometimes spread to the kidneys causing more serious symptoms. A bladder infection falls under the category of a UTI and is also known as cystitis. You may also hear it referred to as a water infection.

Southern Cross Medical Library

The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.

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Relevance Of The Early Signs Of Uti

The early signs of UTI are rather alarming in women than men as the moist portion is relevant near urethra in women than the men. Moreover, younger women have a busy life so either they delay their urination or do not wipe themselves up after urinations or prefer public toilets on and often due to daily travels. Usually, one out of five women is suffering from UTI.

Increased Frequency Of Urination

Urinary tract infection is one of the most common causes of frequent urination.

Frequent urination is defined as the need to urinate more than usual. This symptom is often confused with urinary urgency. It is an inconvenient symptom that can greatly disrupt daily life for a person with UTI.

The byproducts of the infection will create inflammation and irritation in the linings of the urethra and bladder. As a result, the irritation of the bladder wall creates the urge to empty the bladder frequently.

Furthermore, the bladder also often feels full. During each trip to the bathroom, the amount of urine is often less than the usual amount.

The bladder also sends confusing signals to the brain. The body would feel the need to pee even when the bladder might not be full.

Typically, the bladder can often hold as much as 600 ml of urine . The urge to urinate is usually felt when the bladder contains about 150 ml of urine .

Most people urinate between 4 to 8 times, depending on fluid intake, over a 24-hour period.

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