What Can Cause Bladder Inflammation

Will I Have Incontinence For My Entire Life

Sometimes incontinence is a short-term issue that will go away once the cause ends. This is often the case when you have a condition like a urinary tract infection . Once treated, frequent urination and leakage problems caused by a UTI typically end. This is also true for some women who experience bladder control issues during pregnancy. For many, the issues end in the weeks after delivery. However, other causes of incontinence are long-term and related to conditions that are managed throughout your life. If you have a chronic condition like diabetes or multiple sclerosis, you may have incontinence for a long period of time. In those cases, its important to talk to your provider about the best ways to manage your incontinence so that it doesnt interfere with your life.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

It can be embarrassing to talk about bathroom habits with your healthcare provider. This embarrassment shouldnt stop you from treating incontinence, though. Often, your healthcare provider can help figure out the cause of your bladder control issue and help make it better. You dont need to deal with it alone. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best ways to treat incontinence so that you can lead a full and active life without worrying about leakage.

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What The Doctor Does

Doctors first ask questions about the persons symptoms and medical history and then do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination often suggests a cause of the blood in the urine and the tests that may need to be done can make urine appear pink, red, or brown, depending on the amount of blood, how long it has been in the urine, and how acidic the urine is. An amount of blood read more ).

Doctors ask how long blood has been present and whether there have been any previous bleeding episodes. They ask about fever, weight loss, or symptoms of urinary blockage, such as difficulty starting urination or inability to completely empty the bladder. Pain or discomfort is an important finding. Burning during urination or dull pain in the lower abdomen just above the pubic bone suggests a bladder infection. In men, mild to moderate pain in the lower back or pelvis is often the result of a prostate infection Prostatitis Prostatitis is pain and swelling, inflammation, or both of the prostate gland. The cause is sometimes a bacterial infection. Pain can occur in the area between the scrotum and anus or in the read more . Extremely severe pain is usually due to a stone or a blood clot blocking the flow of urine.

Beverages That May Increase Or Reduce Uti Risk

Studies have also found a connection between the consumption of certain beverages and UTIs.

Older research has shown that soda intake may be associated with recurrent UTIs. An older study from 1985 involving 225 women demonstrated that drinking cola soft drinks was strongly associated with UTIs .

Some studies have likewise shown that certain beverages can act as irritants to the bladder and are connected to lower urinary tract symptoms.

A study in 30 women found that reducing potentially irritating foods and beverages, including coffee, tea, alcohol, and carbonated and artificially sweetened beverages, reduced lower urinary tract symptoms, including how urgently and frequently they needed to urinate .

However, the researchers could not determine whether the reduction in symptoms was caused by the reduction of one or all of the potentially irritating beverages .

Another study that included 4,145 adults also found associations between coffee and soda intake and infections of the lower urinary tract .

Conversely, some studies have shown that certain foods and beverages may help reduce the risk of UTIs.

A 2003 study that included 324 women found that frequently drinking freshly squeezed, 100% juice especially berry juice, as well as consuming fermented dairy products like yogurt, was associated with a decreased risk of UTI occurrence .

Additionally, increasing water intake may help reduce UTI occurrence in certain populations.

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Urinary Tract Infections: Causes Symptoms And Treatment

Various types of urinary tract infections affect people around the world, but adult women suffer the most from its most common formcystitiswhich affects the bladder. In the United States, approximately 25 to 40 percent of women have had at least one urinary tract infection.Men and children also develop urinary tract infections, but in fewer numbers.Here are the causes and symptoms of UTIs along with treatment options.

Are Cramps A Common Symptom Of A Uti

Cramping pain is a common symptom of a UTI. It may be also felt as a feeling of pressure or soreness. Youll typically feel UTI cramps in your pelvic area or lower back.

Where does this pain come from? The bacteria that cause a UTI can invade the lining of your urinary tract. This, in turn, can lead to inflammation and irritation. Additionally, urine provides a good medium in which these bacteria can continue to multiply.

In addition to cramps, some other symptoms of a UTI include:

• a painful or burning sensation when you urinate

UTIs are treated with antibiotics. While youll often find that your symptoms begin to get better shortly after starting antibiotics, its important to finish the entire antibiotic course. This helps ensure your infection is completely cleared.

As you recover, you can try the following home remedies to help relieve UTI cramps:

• Use a heating pad: Applying a heating pad to your abdomen or lower back may help to ease cramping.
• Drink water:Drinking water not only keeps you hydrated, but can also help dilute your urine and flush bacteria from your urinary tract.
• Take over-the-counter medications: OTC pain medications like ibuprofen , naproxen , and acetaminophen can help to soothe pain from a UTI.

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Key Points About Interstitial Cystitis

• Interstitial cystitis is an inflamed or irritated bladder wall.

• The cause of IC is unknown and it does not get better with antibiotics.

• Symptoms of IC include changes in urination such as frequency and urgency pressure, pain, and tenderness around the bladder, pelvis, and the area between the anus and vagina or anus and scrotum and pain during sex.

• There is no best way to diagnose IC. A variety of tests may be needed. Urine tests will be done and imaging tests may be used to look at the different parts of the urinary tract and make sure everything is normal. Tissue samples may be removed from the bladder and examined under a microscope to see if cancer or other abnormal cells are present.

• Treatments are aimed at easing symptoms. A variety of procedures, medicines, and lifestyle changes may be advised.

Kidney Stones Require Prompt Medical Care

Symptomatic kidney stones require medical care, regardless of the type or number of symptoms you have and regardless of the severity of your symptoms. Left untreated, even a single stone can cause kidney damage. If you have a history of kidney stones, it could be a sign of an underlying problem. As a top urologist in New York City, Dr. Michael Rotman is skilled in diagnosing and treating kidney stones so men and women can prevent serious complications and enjoy better health. If youâre having kidney stone symptoms or if youâve had multiple kidney stones in the past, book an appointment online today.

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How Is Uti Treated

For UTI treatment, your doctor will typically do a urine culture, to determine the type of infection. If the infection is caused by bacteria, the doctor may recommend antibioticsoral antibiotics for lower tract infection, and intravenous antibiotics for upper tract infection. If the infection is caused by a virus, then the doctor will recommend antiviral medication.

Changes In Your Reproductive System

Bladder pain in women may also be a result of thinning vaginal skin, says Karl Luber, MD, a urogynecologist and a founder of the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellowship program at UCSDKaiser Permanente in San Diego.

This is called atrophy and it’s most common when menopause deprives the tissues surrounding the vagina of estrogen, he explains. Oral estrogen doesnt help, but a vaginal estrogen cream may ease symptoms.

Talking with your doctor about bladder pain and discomfort can help determine where the problem really lies, Dr. Luber says.

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How Can You Reduce The Risk Of Developing A Bladder Infection

There are several things you can do to minimize your risk of developing a bladder infection:

• Wipe from front to back after having a bowel motion so your urethra is not contaminated
• Urinate as soon as possible after sexual intercourse
• Make sure your genital area is clean before and after sexual intercourse or activity
• Take your medications for diabetes as directed
• Eat a healthy diet and limiting sugar.

UTIs are not contagious nor sexually transmitted that is you cannot catch them from another person.

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Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

A physical therapist can also help you strengthen and stretch your pelvic floor muscles, because performing the wrong exercises can actually worsen your interstitial cystitis symptoms. When you overstimulate an already tense pelvic muscle, this can lead to more tension and aggravate bladder symptoms.

A study published in the Journal of Urology in 2001 found that pelvic floor manual therapy reduced pelvic pressure and the urge and frequency of urination in interstitial cystitis patients.

Another study published in the Journal of Urology, in 2012, found that 10 myofascial physical therapy treatment sessions significantly reduced pain, urgency, and frequency of urination in 59% of women with interstitial cystitis.

Myofasical release is a technique used by physical therapists to alleviate pain in the myofascial tissues along the pelvic floor.

Ask your doctor to recommend a physical therapist that specializes in pelvic floor problems like interstitial cystitis. In addition, the physical therapist can teach you how to stretch your pelvic floor muscles and keep them relaxed.

You can also reduce urine urgency and improve bladder control at home with pelvic floor exercises called Kegels. Before you perform this exercise, you must find your Kegel muscles, which stop urine flow during urination.

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You Dont Drink Enough Water

Guzzling H2O will make you go pretty often. And thats a good thing. When you do this, the bacteria gets flushed out before they have a chance to grab hold, Minkin says.

Consider that your cue to make a giant water bottle your BFF. Hooton TM, et al. . Effect of increased daily water intake in premenopausal women with recurrent urinary tract infections: A randomized clinical trial. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4204

What Causes Bladder Infections

The bacterium Escherichia coli is responsible for most bladder infections. Although harmless where it normally resides in the intestines, E. Coli becomes a problem when it spreads to the urinary tract. After menopause, women are at substantially increased risk for bladder infections. This may be due to a decrease in estrogen, which may result in a reduction of the number of beneficial bacteria in the vagina that help keep harmful bacteria in check. The bladder also tends to become less elastic with age and may not empty completely. Other risks include frequent or traumatic sexual intercourse, pregnancy antibiotics, which can eliminate the good bacteria and cause an overgrowth of E. Coli in the vagina, increasing the risk of bladder infections. Drinking large amounts of coffee and other caffeinated beverages, as well as alcohol addiction and dehydration, promote bladder infections by irritating the urinary tract.

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Finding The Cause Of Cystitis

It is important for doctors to find the cause of cystitis in several different groups. The cause should be found in

• Children

• Analgesics as needed

• Sometimes surgery

Cystitis is usually treated with antibiotics. Before prescribing antibiotics, the doctor determines whether the person has a condition that would make cystitis more severe, such as diabetes or a weakened immune system , or more difficult to eliminate, such as a structural abnormality. Such conditions may require more potent antibiotics taken for a longer period of time, particularly because the infection is likely to return as soon as the person stops taking antibiotics. People with such conditions may also have infections caused by fungi or unusual bacteria and may thus require something other than the most commonly used antibiotics.

For women, taking an antibiotic by mouth for 3 days is usually effective if the infection has not led to any complications, although some doctors prefer to give a single dose. For more stubborn infections, an antibiotic is usually taken for 7 to 10 days. For men, cystitis usually is caused by prostatitis Prostatitis Prostatitis is pain and swelling, inflammation, or both of the prostate gland. The cause is sometimes a bacterial infection. Pain can occur in the area between the scrotum and anus or in the read more , and antibiotic treatment is usually required for weeks.

Severe Infections Or Trauma

Severe infections, such as , blood loss, or other trauma, may also lead to a loss of urine output by causing the body to go into shock. This state of shock reduces blood flow to organs such as the kidneys. The kidneys cannot make urine without this blood flow.

Shock is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Doctors will aim to stabilize the person first before performing tests to determine the underlying cause and start the appropriate treatment.

Some medications may also cause a loss of urine output, and low urine output is one of the most common symptoms of acute kidney injury.

As a notes, a few different medications may cause acute kidney injury. These medications include:

• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
• contrast agents

Other drugs, such as chemotherapy drugs and immunosuppressants, may be harmful to the kidneys in general.

A person taking these medications regularly should ensure that they drink enough to hydrate their body before taking the drugs. People with a higher risk of kidney injury, including those with diabetes mellitus, may also wish to check in regularly with a doctor for tests to monitor their kidney function.

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Other Sexually Transmitted Infections : Gonorrhea Or Chlamydia

Green discharge may be a sign of other sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea or chlamydia.

It is quite common for women with trichomoniasis to have a concurrent gonorrhea or chlamydia infection.

Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are sexually transmitted diseases that you can contract if you have unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia or gonorrhea.

As with trichomoniasis most people with chlamydia or gonorrhea donât display any symptoms. However, those that do often experience painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge , pain during sex or vaginal bleeding between periods.

If left untreated, gonorrhea or chlamydia can lead to serious health problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease . PID often has no symptoms, but some women do experience abdominal or pelvic pain. If left untreated PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system leading to an inability to get pregnant, and potentially ectopic pregnancy .

If you are concerned that you might have trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia or any other type of STD then you should consider using an at home STD test that will test for the common types of STDs.

As many STDs do not have symptoms, early detection and treatment is vital to avoid long term consequences. If you test positive, you will be able to start treatment immediately and avoid passing an infection to a partner or risking other health side effects.

What Is A Urinary Tract Infection

UTI or urinary tract infection occurs when the bladder or urethra becomes infected with bacteria. It is also known as cystitis.

This generally happens due to lack of cleanliness but can be very painful and inconvenient, even causing death in some cases!

Painful urination is the first sign of a urinary tract infection.

Symptoms may include:

• Need to pee more frequently
• Urgent or burning or painful need to urinate
• Fever, chills, sweating, nausea, vomiting, etc.

Difficulties with bladder training are common in those who have had an extended period of time with untreated incontinence.

It is important that you understand how bladder training works, in order to get the most out of your treatment plan with your doctor.

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Check If Its A Urinary Tract Infection

Symptoms of a UTI may include:

• pain or a burning sensation when peeing
• needing to pee more often than usual during the night
• pee that looks cloudy
• needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
• needing to pee more often than usual
• lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
• a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
• a very low temperature below 36C

When To See A Healthcare Provider

People will often assume that sudden flank pain is caused by a pulled muscle or overexertion, and, in many cases, it will be.

If the pain persists, worsens, or is accompanied by urinary symptoms or signs of infections, you should see your healthcare provider as soon as possible. This is especially true if you are experiencing high fever, chills, vomiting, or the inability to urinate.

Even if a kidney infection is mild, it can sometimes progress and lead to bacteremia if left untreated. This is a condition in which a local bacterial infection âspills overâ over into the bloodstream, causing systemic and potentially life-threatening symptoms, including irregular body temperatures, disruptions in breathing, a severe drop in blood pressure, and shock.

Given that acute pyelonephritis can strike in as little as two days, a rapid response is essential.

The same applies if you experience a dull but persistent pain alongside uncommon symptoms such as painful urination, chronic fatigue, or unexplained weight loss. None of these should be considered normal, and you shouldnât wait until there is visible blood in urine to seek care.

If you are pregnant, dont assume that persistent back pain is pregnancy-related. Be cognizant if there is a dull ache across your lower back or along the sides of your back between the ribs and hips. If accompanied by symptoms of infection or changes in urination, call your healthcare provider immediately.

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