Thursday, March 28, 2024

I Have A Bladder Infection And My Back Hurts

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Why Do Women Get Urinary Tract Infections More Often Than Men

Urinary Tract Infection – Overview (signs and symptoms, pathophysiology, causes and treatment)

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.

Treatment Options For Utis

Drinking water and cranberry juice are two common recommendations for lower UTIs. However, research has shown the methods to be inconclusive. Extra liquids make urination easier but do not treat the root cause. Speaking with a doctor is the first step. Doctors will then prescribe antibiotics. As bacteria could stay in the cells of the bladder, removing the infection can be difficult. However, when caught early, antibiotics can be effective.

When Do Uti Occur In Women

  • Monthly cystitis is a common condition that can cause UTI and related backache. Numerous women have the tendency to get bladder infections each time they have sexual intercourse, according to iytmed.com. Those using a diaphragm for birth control are likewise at greater risk from such infections.
  • Patients with weak body immune system, senior or disable patients using catheters are likewise at a risk from recurring UTIs.
  • Women who use douches, fragrant shower gels or other personal womanly hygiene products can also increase the chances of developing UTIs.
  • Menopause and pregnancy are two other conditions that might cause UTIs due to hormonal changes.
  • Women who do not drink sufficient fluids are unconsciously increasing their UTI dangers.
  • Likewise, holding the urine for longer periods or having a tendency of developing kidney stones can likewise cause UTI back pain on the left side of the body.
  • Similarly, men with bigger prostate or those with kidney stones can likewise establish bladder infection and subsequent pain in the back side.

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What Are The Symptoms Of A Uti

Those who have had a urinary tract infection will tell you that theyre not a pleasant experience. Even though theyre common and very treatable, UTIs can be painful and frustrating, especially if they reoccur often.

Symptoms of a UTI can include:

  • pain in your lower back or side
  • pain, stinging or burning when you urinate
  • feeling like you need to urinate more often than normal, but only passing a few drops
  • urine that smells unusual and
  • blood in your urine.

If a UTI has spread to your kidneys you might also experience fever, back pain, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting.

How To Get Rid Of Uti Back Pain

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Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are infections that infect areas of your urinary system. The urinary system is made up of four parts:

The urethra is a thin tube that connects the bladder to the outside of your body. When you urinate, the urine flows out of the bladder through the ureters and urethra.

Sometimes bacteria makes its way up the ureters, into your bladder, and sometimes all the way up into your kidneys. This can lead to back pain and is a sign of a serious infection.

Read Also: Will A Bladder Infection Go Away On Its Own

Pain In The Groin Or Testicles

According to the UK Kidney Foundation, the body experiences pain in unusual ways. A person with kidney problems can feel pain in other areas besides their back. The pain in the kidneys can be felt in the back and wrap around to the groin. A manâs testicles may become large from swelling. The pain may become worse during urination. Pain in the testicles is not common, but it can happen.

Women with kidney problems may feel pain in their groin or abdomen.

  • According to the UK Kidney Foundation, the body experiences pain in unusual ways.

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What Causes Rectal Prolapse

  • Anything that increases the pressure inside your tummy can make you more likely to develop a rectal prolapse. This can include:
    • Straining to pass urine due to a swollen prostate gland.
  • Damage to the back passage or pelvis from previous surgery.
  • Damage to the muscle on the floor of the pelvis.
  • Infections of the bowel with certain types of microbes called parasites .
  • Diseases of the nervous system such as multiple sclerosis.
  • Damage to the nerves from back surgery, a slipped disc, or an accident injuring the pelvic nerves.
  • Mental health conditions associated with constipation, such as:
    • A side-effect of medicines used to treat psychiatric disorders.

In children, rectal prolapse can occur in:

  • Hirschsprungs disease .

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Recognizing A Kidney Infection

When you have a UTI that spreads to your kidneys, youll probably have symptoms in your lower urinary tract first. But the following symptoms indicate that your kidneys may also be affected:

Fever and Chills A UTI thats limited to your lower urinary tract usually doesnt cause flu-like symptoms, but when it spreads to your kidneys, your bodys immune system tends to kick into higher gear.

Pain in Your Lower Back or Side Your kidneys are located on each side of your body in the lower part of your torso. A kidney infection can cause pain on one or both sides of your body, or more general pain in your lower back.

Pain caused by a kidney infection can range from mild to severe.

Nausea and Vomiting These symptoms, like fever and chills, indicate an infection thats more severe and advanced than a typical UTI.

Abdominal or Pelvic Pain An infection in your abdominal region, such as in your kidneys, can cause your abdominal muscles to contract, causing pain.

Your pelvic or groin area may also be painful due to muscle contraction.

Cloudy or Smelly Urine While its possible for an infection in your lower urinary tract to cause changes in your urine, if its noticeably cloudy or smells foul, thats an indication your UTI may have progressed to your kidneys.

Cloudy urine may indicate the presence of pus, a thick, white or yellow liquid that can form in areas of infection.

How Are Utis Treated

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Signs & Symptoms (& Why They Occur)

UTIs are treated with antibiotics. After several days of antibiotics, your doctor may repeat the urine tests to be sure that the infection is gone. It’s important to make sure of this because an incompletely treated UTI can come back or spread.

If someone has a lot of pain from a UTI, the doctor may recommend a medicine to help relieve the spasm and pain in the bladder. This will turn pee a bright orange color, but it’s harmless and will usually make a person much more comfortable within hours. In the case of a kidney infection, a doctor may prescribe pain medicine.

If you’ve finished all the medicine or if your symptoms aren’t much better after 2 to 3 days of treatment, contact your doctor.

Drink lots of water during and after treatment because each time you pee, the bladder cleanses itself a little bit more. Cranberry juice may also be helpful. Skip drinks that containe caffeine , such as soda and iced tea.

People who get a doctor’s help for a UTI right away should be clear of symptoms within a week. Someone with a more severe infection may need treatment in a hospital so they can get antibiotics by injection or IV .

A doctor may tell people with UTIs to avoid sex for a week or so, which lets the inflammation clear up completely.

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What Are Other Possible Causes Of Painful Urination

A painful burning feeling when you urinate is often a sign of a urinary tract infection . However, painful urination can occur even if you dont have an infection. Certain drugs, like some used in cancer chemotherapy, may inflame the bladder. Something pressing against the bladder or a kidney stone stuck near the entrance to the bladder can also cause painful urination.

Painful urination can also be caused by vaginal infection or irritation. You might be sensitive to chemicals in products such as douches, vaginal lubricants, soaps, scented toilet paper, or contraceptive foams or sponges. If it hurts to urinate after youve used these products, youre probably sensitive to them.

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Understanding Bladder Infection Signs

It is crucial to always listen to the bladder infection signs that your body is giving you. Leaving an infection untreated is dangerous and could be deadly.

If you feel that you could be experiencing an infection, the best course of action is to contact a healthcare professional as soon as symptoms arise.

For more information on how you can get the healthcare, you need .

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How Can I Prevent Flank Pain

You may not always be able to prevent flank pain. But you can reduce your risk of kidney problems, injuries and disease by maintaining good health. You should:

  • Eat right and stay hydrated: By drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and eating a healthy diet, you can lower your risk of kidney stones. Water keeps you hydrated and flushes out your kidneys, decreasing the chance of infection and making it more difficult for stones to form. Ask your provider about a low-sodium, calcium-rich diet that may prevent kidney stones.
  • Maintain a weight that’s healthy for you: Get regular exercise and stay active. People who have overweight or obesity have a higher chance of developing kidney stones. Extra weight also puts pressure on your spine and makes you more vulnerable to injuries that cause flank pain.
  • Take care of your urinary tract: To reduce the risk of bacteria entering your urinary tract and causing an infection, always urinate after having sex. Women should wipe from front to back after urinating. Drink plenty of water, and use the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge. Holding urine in your bladder increases your chance of infection.
  • Visit your provider: Stay up to date on vaccines . Schedule regular screenings for cancer and other diseases, and talk to your provider about reducing your risk of kidney problems.

Treatment Of Kidney Infection

Bladder Pain

Most kidney infections need prompt treatment with antibiotics to stop the infection damaging the kidneys or spreading to the bloodstream.

You may also need painkillers.

If you’re especially vulnerable to the effects of an infection , you may be admitted to hospital and treated with antibiotics through a drip.

Most people who are diagnosed and treated promptly with antibiotics feel completely better after about 2 weeks.

People who are older or have underlying conditions may take longer to recover.

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Bladder Pain And Lower Back Pain

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Causes Of Utis And Bladder Infections In Men

Women are more likely to get urinary tract infections and bladder infections than men because they have a shorter urethra located closer to their rectum.

For them, sexual activity or even wearing a pair of underwear for too long can cause bacteria like E. coli to come in contact with the urinary tract.

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Burning Sensation You May Have A Uti

A urinary tract infection or UTI happens in millions of Americans each year. A UTI can cause pain during urination and more commonly affects women. Several signs show the severity of the infection. These include intense back pain. Understanding whats happening during a UTI can help people get the right treatment right away.

What Causes A Bladder Infection

Urinary Tract Infections, Animation.

Bacteria that enter through the urethra and move into the bladder can cause infections. Typically, the body removes the bacteria by flushing them out during urination.

Bacteria can sometimes attach to the walls of your bladder and multiply quickly. This overwhelms the bodys ability to destroy them, resulting in a bladder infection.

Most bladder infections are caused by Escherichia coli . This type of bacteria is naturally present in the large intestines.

  • a frequent sensation of having to urinate, which is called urgency
  • cramping or pressure in your lower abdomen or lower back

When bladder infections spread, they can also cause mid-back pain. This pain is associated with an infection in the kidneys. Unlike muscular back pain, this pain will be persistent regardless of your position or activity.

A kidney infection will often cause:

Youll typically feel quite ill. Kidney infections are more serious than bladder infections and require urgent medical attention.

Anyone can get bladder infections, but there are different risks for women and men.

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When Back Pain Means Kidney Problems

Millions of Americans per year suffer from back pain. Often, the cause is muscular, like a strain or pulled muscle, or skeletal, like degenerative disc disease, but other times, back pain could be a symptom of something larger.

If you have back pain near the kidneys, you could have an infection or more serious condition that could need immediate attention. Our team can help patients identify kidney pain symptoms so they know when to make an appointment at Affiliated Urologists.

The kidneys can be found on both sides of the body near the top of the abdomen. They rest near the back muscles and sit just below the ribcage. This means that when patients have a kidney condition, they usually feel pain in their backs as opposed to the stomach area. Its possible for patients to only feel pain on one side of the upper back where the kidneys are. Sometimes, back pain is felt on the side of the body as well as the back.

What it means

Kidney pain could mean a wide variety of things. It could mean something as easy to treat as dehydration, but this is not typically the case. Kidney pain felt in the upper back can also be caused by a kidney infection, kidney stones, or even cancer.

What to look for

Kidney Cancer If a patient is experiencing back pain paired with loss of appetite, weight loss, or fatigue, they may have kidney cancer. However, if a patient has these symptoms, it does not always mean cancer. It could mean another, less-serious issue with the kidneys.

Can Urinary Tract Infections Be Prevented Or Avoided

There are many lifestyle choices that can help you prevent UTIs. These are some of the things you can do to protect yourself from them:

  • Drink plenty of water to flush out bacteria. For some people, drinking cranberry juice may also help prevent urinary tract infections. However, if youre taking warfarin, check with your doctor before using cranberry juice to prevent urinary tract infections. Your doctor may need to adjust your warfarin dose or you may need to have more frequent blood tests.
  • Dont hold your urine. Urinate when you feel like you need to. Some children dont go to the bathroom often enough. If your child does this, teach him or her to go to the bathroom several times each day.
  • Wipe from front to back after bowel movements. Teach your child to wipe correctly.
  • Urinate after having sex to help wash away bacteria.
  • Use enough lubrication during sex. Try using a small amount of lubricant before sex if youre a little dry.
  • If you get urinary tract infections often, you may want to avoid using a diaphragm as a birth control method. Ask your doctor about other birth control choices.
  • Avoid taking or giving your child bubble baths.
  • Wear loose-fitting clothing , and dress your child in loose-fitting clothing.
  • If you are uncircumcised, wash the foreskin regularly. If you have an uncircumcised boy, teach him how to wash his foreskin.

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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.

What Can Be Done About A Burning Bladder Due To Irritated Sacral Nerves

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The good news is that despite all of the run around that interstitial cystitis patients go through to try to find effective treatment, the fix is usually simple if sacral nerve irritation is causing the issue.

The upshot? Interstitial cystitis patients often lose hope given that multiple specialists have prescribed everything from ineffective antibiotics to pelvic floor physical therapy. For some reason, most physicians never put 1 and 1 together to look into the lower back as a possible cause for the burning bladder. If your sacral nerves are causing your bladder to burn, then the solution may be very simple!

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