Stress by itself doesn't cause UTIs, but it can make you more susceptible to infections and other illnesses by harming your immune system. Stress can also trigger or worsen urinary tract symptoms — even if you don't have a UTI. Your urinary system is vital to your overall health.
If you suffer from high stress levels or anxiety, you might also develop a urinary tract infection. Can stress cause a UTI? Not directly. However, stress can increase your cortisol levels, which can affect your immune system and make you more prone to infections.
Acute cystitis is a sudden inflammation of the urinary bladder. Most of the time, a bacterial infection causes it. This infection is commonly referred to as a urinary tract infection (UTI). Irritating hygiene products, a complication of certain diseases, or a reaction to certain drugs can also cause acute cystitis.
Chronic psychological stress can affect urinary function and exacerbate lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction (LUTD), particularly in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) or interstitial cystitis–bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).
Different conditions can cause symptoms similar to those of a UTI, like sexually transmitted infections, vaginitis, diabetes, and prostatitis to name a few.
Bladder infections are a type of UTI, but not all urinary tract infections are bladder infections. A UTI is defined as an infection in one or more places in the urinary tract—the ureters, kidneys, urethra, and/or bladder. A bladder infection is a UTI that's only located in the bladder.
“Dehydration is a leading risk factor for UTIs.” It's a common misconception that painful urination automatically signals a UTI, she added. Many other conditions can mimic the symptoms of these infections. Definitively diagnosing a UTI requires a urine culture; a urinalysis, or dipstick test, is not enough.
The researchers theorize that sleeping poorly causes inflammation, which in turn can lead to urinary problems.
There is a correlation between anxiety, depression and recurrence frequency of recurrent urinary tract infections in female patients. Mild to moderate anxiety levels are mainly related with more than 3 times for 1 year of recurrence frequency in female patients with recurrent urinary tract infections.
Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS)
PBS is not caused by an infection, but it can feel like a urinary tract infection or UTI. Painful bladder syndrome is also referred to as bladder pain syndrome and interstitial cystitis.
You may not necessarily be able to tell the difference between anxiety or UTI as the cause from pattern of urination alone, but with anxiety some people may find they have frequency during waking hours and at times of heightened stress only.
Sudden changes in behaviors and an increase in symptoms may indicate that your loved one has a UTI. Behavior changes and causes that seem to affect one's personality may include sleeping issues, anxiety, depression, confusion, aggression, delusions, hallucinations and paranoia.
Typically, cystitis is caused by an infection and in which case, bacteria is thought to be at the root of the problem. Therefore, whilst stress isn't often assumed to directly cause UTIs, it can have a negative impact on your immune system, therefore making you more susceptible to infections.
Additionally, a number of common foods and drinks — artificial sweeteners, spicy foods, alcohol, coffee, acidic fruits, citrus, or caffeinated drinks — can irritate your bladder, and may worsen UTI symptoms — so you should steer clear of them if you have signs of a bladder infection.
To help your recovery, you need to rest. But it can be difficult to sleep with some of the uncomfortable symptoms that may accompany a UTI. Here are some things you can do at home to help you sleep comfortably: Drink plenty of water during the day to help flush out bacteria.
“It's estimated 50 percent of UTIs can be treated by drinking a significant amount of fluid alone," says Felecia Fick, a Mayo Clinic urogynecology physician assistant who was not involved in the study. "The extra you're drinking is flushing out the bacteria that are present in the urinary tract."
Along with an antibiotic, what you drink and eat during a UTI can help you get better faster. DO drink a lot of water, even if you're not thirsty. This will help flush out the bacteria. DON'T drink coffee, alcohol or caffeine until the infection is gone.
Dehydration will only increase the likelihood of getting a UTI and can worsen the pain felt for those who already have them. If you experience chronic UTIs, talk to your doctor about alternative remedies.
Sometimes, you can get rid of a UTI naturally by resting, drinking lots of water, taking dietary supplements, and giving the infection some time to heal. Research from 2017 suggests that somewhere between 25% and 42% of UTIs resolve naturally without the use of antibiotics.
The irritation can cause pain in your lower abdomen or pelvic area and even lower back, and will usually make you feel like urinating more often. Burning or pain when urinating is the most common symptom. You may even feel a strong urge or need to urinate but only get a few drops.