Symptoms of Bladder Infection

Bladder infection or commonly referred to as urinary tract infection (UTI) is also known as cyctitis. This condition defines the inflammation of the bladder. According to researches, symptoms of urinary tract infection in men is observed less, as compared to women. About 20% of women are affected by this condition, at least once in their life time. Nearly 80% of bladder infections are caused due to the bacteria Escherichia coli (E.coli). Bladder infections are caused when bacteria spreads infection from the rectal area into the urethra. Apart from E.coli, other bacteria that may cause UTI are Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Proteus species. Now, lets get down to the various symptoms of bladder infection. The causes of these conditions have also described.

What are the Characteristic Symptoms of Bladder Infection or UTI?
The usual symptoms of bladder infection or UTI include feeling of a constant and sudden urge to urinate, which is more than normal. This happens several times in a day. During urination, there is a sensation of a sharp pain, burning or discomfort. This condition is known as dysuria. In spite of frequent urination, the person experiences an inability to fully empty the bladder. In other words, urine is passed in small amounts. Apart from bladder spasms, urge develops to frequently urinate at night (nocturia). The urine may appear reddish due to a tinge of blood in it. This symptom of blood in the urine is found in 30% of affected people. Soreness or pain in lower back or abdomen is experienced at all times. Urine may appear cloudy or milky and develop unpleasant smell or odor. An uncomfortable pressure or pain is felt above the pubic bone. The person experiences tiredness, shakiness, and feeling of being washed out. In case of men, they experience a feeling of fullness in the rectum. Generally a bladder infection does not cause fever. However, occurrence of fever may mean that the infection has affected the kidneys or the blood stream, as well. Kidney infection has symptoms of back pain, flank pain, pain below the ribs, nausea or vomiting.

What are the Causes of Bladder Infection or UTI?
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the bacteria Escherichia coli (E.coli) is mainly responsible for causing bladder infection. This bacteria lives in the gut. Other than E.coli, bacterias like Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Proteus species, may also be responsible for the disorder.

Women have a short urethra. This is the most probable cause for high number of cases of bladder infection in women. The urethra is a tube that carries the urine out of the bladder. In women, the urethra measures about an inch and a half long. So, this short distance makes it easy for the bacteria to make their way into the bladder. Other areas like the vagina and the anus, lie close to the opening of the urethra. This also, increases the chance of the bacteria to get into the urinary tract and spread the infection.

Sexual intercourse has been found to be another common cause for urinary tract infection in women. As described above, women are more prone to bladder infection due to their anatomy. Sexual intercourse favors the spread of bacteria from the urethra to the bladder. During the act, bacteria in the vaginal area also finds way into the urethra.

Women who have more than one sexual partners are more prone to developing the condition of UTI, than the ones who have a single partner. Another rare condition that has been noticed is that some women are infected after every time they indulge in sex. This condition is termed as 'honeymoon cystitis'.

Use of a diaphragm for birth control, is also one of the causes of bladder infection. Expecting mothers are also prone to the infection. This is because of the compression of the bladder as the fetus grows. Condoms and spermicides also add to the risk of contracting bladder infection or UTI.

Suppressing the urge to urinate also increases the chances of urinary tract infection. A long wait after the person feels the need to urinate, causes the bladder muscle to stretch beyond its limit. This action weakens the bladder muscle, which results in partial emptying of the bladder. As the bladder is not able to empty completely, there is always a possibility of some urine to be left in it. This further heightens the risk of UTI or bladder infection.

Proper treatment of bladder infection in an early stage, decreases the chances of any fatal threats. The infection does not take much time to subside and clears up quickly. There are also various home remedies for Urinary Tract Infection. However, some people also come up with more than one cases of this disorder. So, it becomes more important to eliminate all possible causes of bladder infection. This can prevent future infections which can be more serious and can result in permanent kidney damage. Symptoms of bladder infections are strong in their nature and cannot be overlooked. However, older people may misinterpret the symptoms as the ones related to aging. This makes the diagnosis of UTI, a bit of a challenge in elderly people. So, for elderly people regular check ups are a must in order to identify the symptoms of a bladder infection.